Do you want to contribute to research aiming at applying knowledge to improve the cultural and creative sectors and industries? Are you focused on production and business operations in these sectors? Do you have an interest in data ecosystems and digital transformation? Then we might be looking for you.

Job description
The Media & Communication Department of ESHCC invites applications for a Research Assistant (0.55 FTE) for an externally funded project focused on collaborative data ecosystems in Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries (CCSI). The role will be combined with a Junior Lecturer position (maximum 0.45 FTE).

The project addresses the underutilization of data in the daily operations of European CCSI, particularly in experience sectors such as live music, festivals, theatre, and museums. These sectors are known for their ability to create value through audience-centric cultural experiences, yet they face significant economic vulnerabilities. The project aims to foster innovation in these sectors by developing, implementing, and evaluating human-centric, data-driven tools and practices that promote sustainable and responsible digital transformation.

As a Junior Researcher, you will provide essential support to the core research team, working closely with key project stakeholders, including CCSI companies, research labs, and consultancies. You will also collaborate with researchers from the Erasmus School of History, Culture, and Communication, and the Erasmus School of Law.

As a Junior Lecturer, you will be performing junior teaching tasks in the degree programmes in the field of Media and Communication provided by ESHCC, primarily through tutorial group teaching in the International Bachelor of Communication and Media (IBCoM) and the premaster in Media and Creative Industries.

This position is designed to offer practical research experience and is ideal for someone looking to gain both hands-on involvement in an interdisciplinary research project on CCSI and teaching experience.

Research and organizational duties (0.55 FTE):

• Assist in gathering and organizing data related to the project’s focus, ensuring accurate and timely execution;
• Support the research team in conducting literature reviews and synthesizing findings from various sources to inform ongoing research;
• Collaborate with consortium partners and pilot organizations to facilitate the collection of case studies, interviews, and other qualitative (and quantitative) data;
• Participate in the qualitative analysis of collaborative data practices;
• Assist in preparing preliminary reports, summaries, and presentations for internal use and external stakeholders;
• Contribute to the organization and execution of workshops, seminars, and other project-related events;
• Provide administrative and logistical support for project activities, including scheduling meetings, managing communications, etc.

Teaching duties (max. 0.45 FTE):

• Preparing and teaching courses within the context of the various undergraduate programmes in the field of Media and Communication provided by the ESHCC;
• Assessing and coaching students.

• A Master’s degree in a relevant field, such as Media Studies, Cultural Studies, Communication Science, Digital Humanities, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related discipline;
• Familiarity with qualitative research methods, willingness to develop your quantitative research methods and data analysis skills;
• Existing experience with data management and analysis tools relevant to research projects is considered an advantage;
• Interest in the cultural and creative sectors and their digital transformations;
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines;
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders;
• Didactic potential. Teaching experience is considered an advantage;
• A willingness to develop knowledge and skills in various disciplines;
• Excellent communication skills and proficiency in spoken and written English. Non-English speakers have to meet the C1-standards of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

We offer you an internationally oriented and varied job in an enthusiastic team, with excellent working conditions in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU).

The starting date of this position is 1 February 2025 and you will be based at the Department of Media and Communication in the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC). This position is 1 FTE. The salary is dependent on your experience and knowledge and ranges from a minimum of € 3.345 to a maximum of € 5.278 gross per month (scale 10) on a fulltime basis (38 hours), in accordance with the CAO-NU. The duration of the initial contract is 12 months and will be extended up to 36 months upon good evaluation and unchanged organizational circumstances.

Everything else we offer you, you can find below!

• Everything you need for a good work-life balance: the option to work from home in consultation with your manager, 41 days of paid leave with a 40 hour contract, 8% holiday pay and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and a significant discount on a subscription for our on-campus sports centre!
• Sustainable, inclusive and diverse work environment with an open culture, where you can be yourself and we pay attention to each other and to the world around us. Make the most of our bicycle budget, or join networks such as Young@EUR, FAME, QuEUR, or Young Erasmus Academy.
• Time and space for your development in the broadest sense: development days and a personal career budget, foreign exchange opportunities with most costs paid by EUR, and free access to our university library.
• Good pension with ABP that EUR contributes 2/3rds towards, discounts on various collective insurances with Zilveren Kruis Achmea, Loyalis, and Allianz, and compensation for travel, working from home and home internet use.
• Are you currently combining your job with parenthood, or do you want to do so in the future? EUR offers partially paid parental leave and fully paid additional birth leave for partners, and our campus features a daycare.
• Moving to the Netherlands for your job with EUR? Then you may be eligible for the 30%-ruling if you meet the requirements of the Belastingdienst (Dutch tax agency), and with our Dual Career Programme we will also help your partner find the right job for them.

Erasmus University Rotterdam

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research, as expressed in our mission ‘Creating positive societal impact’. EUR is home to 4.100 academics and professionals and almost 33.000 students from more than 140 countries. Everything we do, we do under the credo The Erasmian Way – Making Minds Matter. We’re global citizens, connecting, entrepreneurial, open-minded, and socially involved. These Erasmian Values function as our internal compass and create EUR’s distinctive and recognizable profile. From these values, with a broad perspective and with an eye for diversity, different backgrounds and opinions, our employees work closely together to solve societal challenges from the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. Thanks to the high quality and positive societal impact of our research and education, EUR can compete with the top European universities. www.eur.nl.

Faculty / Institute / Central service
The Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC) is part of Erasmus University Rotterdam. The school has three departments: History, Arts and Culture and Media & Communication. There are approximately 2500 students and 220 employees.

ESHCC offers high quality education, based on scientific research, at the intersection of the Humanities and Social Sciences. We teach our ambitious, Dutch and international students in a stimulating learning environment. After graduation, they will have acquired the knowledge, insight and skills to make an important and inspiring contribution to an increasingly international society in which diversity plays a major role.

The ESHCC also has an ambitious research agenda. We want to strengthen our involvement in multidisciplinary research, expand the share of external funding in our total research funding and increase our social impact. ESHCC is working towards one research institute, the Erasmus Institute for Media, Culture, History and Society (ERMeCHS).

ERMeCHS (Erasmus Research Institute for Media, Culture, History & Society) is a research centre located within the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication at Erasmus University Rotterdam. The Centre was founded in 2023, as a merger of former research centres ERMeCC and History @ Erasmus, by members of the Departments of Media and Communication, Arts and Culture Studies and History. Researchers at the Centre are dedicated to carrying out interdisciplinary research on media, communication, culture, history, and society.

The Media and Communication Department is a dynamic, internationally oriented department within the ESHCC. The department offers five international degree programmes: the International Bachelor’s programme in Communication and Media (IBCoM), four international Master’s programmes in Media Studies (Media & Business, Media & Creative Industries, Media, Culture & Society, Digitalisation, Surveillance & Society) and the Research master in the Sociology of Culture, Media and the Arts. The department has close ties with ERMeCHS.

About Erasmus University Rotterdam

About Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication

About the IDepartment of Media and Communication

About ERMeCHS