#PK79455 Type: Part time / Contract

Department of Architecture
University of Cyprus
Title: Special Scientist for Research (Science Communication)
Positions: One (1)
Category : Part-time (114 hours per month) 32-months contract.
Start Date: 02 April 2025
Place of Work: Department of Architecture, University of Cyprus, Nicosia.
Research Project: Active RoofTops South Europe (aRTes)
Project Coordinator: Dr. Nadia Charalambous, Department of Architecture, University of Cyprus (UCY) Nicosia, Cyprus.

The Department of Architecture of the University of Cyprus (UCY) accepts applications for a Part-Time Dissemination and Communication Researcher (114 hours / month). Some travel abroad is required.

Terms of employment:
The duration of employment will be thirty-two (32) months, starting from 02/04/2025. The monthly gross earnings will be €2,839.79. Employee contributions will be deducted from this amount. The Research Program does not provide for the payment of a “13th salary”.

Research project
aRTes is a project funded by the Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) through The Driving Urban Transitions programme. Rooftops represent a largely untapped resource within the urban infrastructure of Southern European cities, where they are plentiful due to favorable climates, rich urban culture, and historical factors. These spaces could offer substantial opportunities for enhancing urban sustainability and resilience.
By serving as insulative elements and providing verdant, open areas, rooftops can significantly reduce carbon emissions, mitigate urban heat island effect and stormwater runoff, and support vibrant social activities.
Active rooftop spaces could also enable innovative goods delivery via drones, foster biodiversity and through urban farming initiatives create new business opportunities.
In line with the European Renovation Wave and New European Bauhaus initiatives, our consortium aims to redefine rooftop use across Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Finland, and Cyprus. We are tackling the major challenges to rooftop adaptation by developing innovative design and engineering solutions for extensive prototyping and testing. Our mission is to transform these spaces into accessible, efficient, safe, and multifunctional areas that enhance urban life and integrate seamlessly with the city's social and ecological landscape.
This project aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals—promoting clean energy, sustainable cities, responsible consumption, climate action, and more—driving a comprehensive approach to sustainable urban development.

Role and Responsibilities
The Society and Urban Form (SURF) Research Lab at the Department of Architecture of the University of Cyprus is seeking a dynamic and experienced Researcher with a background in Science Communication, based in Cyprus, to lead communication, dissemination, stakeholder engagement and impact activities for our project.
The successful candidate will focus on aRTes and play an integral role in shaping and executing science communication strategies across SURF’s broader research project portfolio, aligning SURF’s and aRTes’ partners diverse R&I and R&D dissemination and communication activities.

Key Responsibilities

1. Producing research communication content and evaluating research impact
• Utilize science communication strategies to effectively present complex research findings in an accessible, accurate, and engaging manner, ensuring the content is tailored for both expert and general audiences.
• Contribute to drafting research and non-academic reports and articles.
• Track, analyse and report on all science communication and dissemination activities, evaluating their effectiveness and impact against KPIs. Regularly monitor and analyze social media metrics and website analytics to optimize content and reach of research results. Prepare regular reports to demonstrate progress and impact.
• Serve as the main point of contact for media inquiries, ensuring accurate and impactful media coverage of the project’s activities, research results and innovation outputs.

2. Develop and Implement Dissemination and Communication Strategies
• Design, execute, and monitor comprehensive science communication and dissemination strategies aligned with the scope of the aRTes project needs and timelines, and RIF programme requirements.
• Develop a robust social media strategy and oversee all social media channels to build and maintain an active online community.
• Tailor strategies to reach and engage diverse stakeholder groups, including policymakers, industry, academia, and the general public.
• Compliance and alignment: ensure all communications adhere to the guidelines on the project's visual identity and operational guidelines for recipients of RIF funding.

3. Branding, Content Creation and Management
• Oversee content creation and management for project branding, communication assets, and website, ensuring information is accurate, timely, and accessible to different audiences.
• Produce engaging, high-quality content across various formats — including press releases, newsletters, social media posts, reports, infographics, videos, and brochures — that aligns with the project’s visual identity.
• Highlight project updates, activities, and results to increase awareness and understanding of the project’s scientific results and innovation outputs.

4. Partner Communication and Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement
• Actively communicate and liaise with project partners to gather updates and developments, ensuring timely sharing of key information with relevant stakeholders.
• Foster relationships with key stakeholders, including EU bodies, national and international media, central and local government, industry representatives, and academic partners.
• Support the organization of participatory research activities, stakeholder meetings, workshops, webinars, and other events across partner locations, including Cyprus, Greece, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal.
5. Willingness to Travel: Some travel, including international trips, may be required for project-related events, meetings, and activities.

Qualifications and Skills

Required:
• Experience: Minimum of 3 years in a science communications role, preferably within the R&I sector.
• Science Communication: Demonstrated experience in science communication.
• Writing Skills: Excellent analytical and writing skills for producing reports, scientific and non-academic articles.
• Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills in English; knowledge of Greek is a plus, but not essential.
• Education: Master’s degree in any field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Project Management: Strong organizational skills with an ability to manage multiple tasks, deadlines, and stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Technical Skills:
• Proficiency in website design and management, social media management platforms, and analytics tools.
• Experience with InDesign, Canva and/or other design tools.

Desirable:
• Experience of research management and administration.
• A background, interest or knowledge of architecture, urban design, planning or engineering.

About University of Cyprus
The University of Cyprus, established in 1989, is a vigorous community of scholars engaged in the generation and diffusion of knowledge. The main objectives of the university are twofold: the promotion of scholarship and education through teaching and research, and the enhancement of the cultural, social and economic development of Cyprus. High-calibre scholarly research is one of the main pillars of development of UCY and has been a central tenant in its mission statement since the University's establishment. In recent years, the University has become internationally recognized as a leading research institution for its contribution to the advancement of science and culture. This recognition has brought the University substantial external research funding as well as a number of highly prestigious chairs of excellence. UCY comprises 9 faculties, 22 departments and 11 research units. The Department of Architecture leading this ESR project, and the department’s research labs, offer expertise on both the design and sustainability of housing as well as on the educational framework needed to address the design of sustainable housing environments, focusing on the synergistic relationships between economic, social and environmental aspects of sustainability.

Application and Selection Procedure
Please provide the following information through this form, before the closing date (6th of March 2025):
• Letter of Motivation (maximum 2 pages)
• CV in EUROPASS format, (name, address, nationality, country of residence, academic degrees)
• Certificate of English Proficiency
• transcripts of academic degrees (translated into English, by a sworn translator; including ranking of degree classification)
• Names and contact details of two referees that can provide reference letters for the candidate

Selection process
There will be a two-step selection process:
1. After reviewing the applications received, the aRTes recruitment committee will make a short list of candidates. Applicants will be selected on their potential for meeting the project and role requirements, academic excellence, organisational skills, their adaptability to work in a multicultural environment and their capacity to conduct research. The same procedure will be followed in all cases to ensure comparable selection.
2. Interviews will be conducted by project team members (3 members - committee). The interviewers will include the Project Coordinator and the Senior Researcher from UCY and the research work package leader from Chalmers.
Recruitment will be a transparent, open and equal process following the guidelines of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.

Contact
Please contact the Project Coordinator:
Dr. Nadia Charalambous (charalambous.nadia@ucy.ac.cy)

At least the top three candidates who meet the required qualifications will be invited for an interview.
Candidates will be notified by the entity via email of the outcome of their application.
Applicants need not be citizens of the Republic of Cyprus. Applicants should however ensure, before applying, that in case they are selected they will be residing in Cyprus on a full-time basis during the employment period; submission of application implies acceptance of this condition.
Having in mind the provisions of the General Regulation for Data Protection of the EU 2016/679 of the European Parliament, the University of Cyprus collects and processes your personal data in accordance with the provisions of the Regulation.
The University of Cyprus (UCY) is committed to promoting inclusivity, diversity, and equality, as well as the elimination of all forms of discrimination in order to provide a fair, safe, and pleasant environment for the entire university community, where students and staff members will feel supported both in their professional and personal development, within and beyond their multiple identities. To this end, UCY seeks to create the necessary conditions that will encourage and respect diversity, and ensure dignity both in the workplace and society at large. Moreover, UCY has adopted specific policies to promote equal opportunities, as well as respect and understanding of diversity, while it is committed to promoting and maintaining a working, teaching, and learning environment, free from any form of discrimination, whether direct or indirect.