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Research Fellow in Cultural Policy

An exciting position is available to work on the monitoring and evaluation of Trenčín as European Capital of Culture 2026, led by Dr Rafaela Neiva Ganga, in partnership with Trenčín City Council, Trenčín City Region, Slovakian Minister of Culture, and European Commission.  
 

We are looking for a Research Fellow in Cultural Policy with an interest in cultural mega-events, cultural value, interdisciplinary and translational research.  
 

The project has a duration of 5 years and aims to: 

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  • Evaluate the short, mid and longer-term impact of Trenčín 2026

  • Monitor progress of the contribution of culture to Trenčín Plan for Strategic and Economic Development; 

  • Strengthen advocacy for culture in Trenčín region and Slovakia; 

  • Inform evidence-based cultural policies; 

  • Build capacity and a knowledge base for future research in cultural policy and events. 

 

Main tasks: 

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  • To provide scientific expertise on various projects that relate to the monitoring and evaluation of Trenčín as European Capital of Culture 2026. 

  • To conduct a literature review and analyse existing cultural policy data, and contribute to the design, collection and analysis of focus groups, interviews, surveys, workshops, and arts-based methods.  

  • To writing academic and non-academic research outputs. 

  • Scoping possibilities for future research and contribute to bid writing. 

  • Active collaboration with the Programme Department of the Cultural Institute Trenčín, collaboration with colleagues within the Culture Living Lab Trenčín and non-academic partners. 

  • Active collaboration with Slovak universities to support university’s students to collect data. 

 

 

The right candidate should have: 

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  • Interests in one or more of the following areas: cultural and creative industries, cities, cultural policy, urban policy, wellbeing, cultural value.  

  • Knowledge of qualitative research methods, comfortable working within an interdisciplinary environment.  

  • Experience in sourcing and conducting interviews, focus group, and surveys. 

  • Experience in conducting high-quality qualitative research at PhD level (or beyond) within subject specialism. 

  • Experience in negotiating institutional ethics approval procedures, including preparing information sheets and informed consent. 

  • Experience in conducting content analysis, policy analysis, surveys and/or discourse analysis (primary and secondary datasets) 

  • Experience and high-level understanding of knowledge transfer and external engagement practice to policy makers and academic audiences and/or similar activities. 

 

Education: PhD in Sociology of Culture, or other relevant social science discipline 

 

 

Personal Attributes and Circumstances:  

 

  • Ability to conduct research independently with non-academic partners.  

  • A high degree of motivation and initiative, and ability to conduct independent, plan and manage own workload, with guidance from colleagues as required. 

  • Collaborative team member, able of  productive working relationships with internal and external partners 

  • Ability to solve problems and come to practical solutions in areas where there are no clear  

guidelines. 

  • Ability to synthesise information for academic and non-academic audiences 

  • Excellent organisational and communication skills to deliver aspects of the project’s data  

  • Collection, analysis and reporting – and awareness of the challenges and opportunities of working collaboratively and internationally.  

 

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Other requirements:  

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  • Proficiency with qualitative analysis software (e.g. N-Vivo) 

  • Proficiency in standard computer packages (e.g. Microsoft Office, e-mail and internet use). 

  • Excellent communication skills (fluently orally and in writing in English and Slovakian) 

 

  • Salary: 2050 eur brutto/month 

  • Full-Time contract 

  • 5 sick days per year 

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Please send your CV in PDF, motivation letter in PDF and personal data consent to: sona.vislocka@trencin2026.eu until January 31, 2023. Please write the name of the position to the email subject. Please note that we will only contact candidates who match our requirements. 

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Note: The Culture Living Lab Trenčín
 

The position is hosted by the purposed-developed Culture Living Lab Trenčín. The Culture Living Lab Trenčín is committed to the following principles for the monitoring and evaluation of Trenčín 2026 project: 
 

  • Citizen-driven research brings together an Open Research & Innovation Group formed by academics, policy makers, citizens, third sector and culture and creative industries. 

  • Independent research and critical validation ensured with ethical and international peer-review processes. 

  • Process-focussed methodology to capture inputs (e.g. cultural programme), processes (e.g. governance mechanisms), and outcomes (e.g. cultural participation). 

  • Open-source datasets and findings enable further Trenčín 2026 legacies analysis 

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