Research Associate in the Third-Party Funded Project “Art as Social Practice” – Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences
This call has been translated from German. Proficiency in German is likely essential; please contact the employer if unsure.
Institution: Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences
Department: Faculty 4 – Social Work and Health
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Contract: Fixed-term (3 years), 75% position (30 hours/week)
Salary: EG13 TV-Hessen
Deadline: 12 June 2026
This position is part of the research programme “Art as Social Practice”, developed in cooperation with the Hessian Theatre Academy and supported by the Crespo Foundation. It explores how artistic practice operates within social contexts and produces forms of knowledge, experience, and public engagement.
The programme combines artistic research, cultural education, and socially engaged practice, focusing on how artistic processes can contribute to social transformation, resilience, and sustainable futures.
Research Framework
Applicants are invited to develop a practice-based research project embedded in a specific social context (preferably in the Rhine-Main region), aligned with one of the following strands:
- Materializing the Political – Artistic practice as knowledge production that renders social and political tensions tangible and negotiable.
- Inventing Learning – Learning as an open-ended, situational process emerging through artistic practice rather than predefined educational models.
- Shaping Social Conditions – Artistic interventions as experimental spaces for transforming social structures and relations.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and implement an independent artistic research project in a defined social context
- Collaborate with local stakeholders and institutions
- Design and apply reflective and documentary research methods
- Analyse and communicate research outcomes through texts, presentations, and artistic formats
- Contribute to teaching in Social Work and related programmes
- Supervise student projects and theses (Bachelor and Master level)
- Participate in coordination and project development activities
Profile
- Master’s degree or equivalent in cultural studies, arts, theatre, dance, social work, or related fields
- Professional experience in artistic or socially engaged practice
- Interest in cultural education and artistic research
- Strong organisational and communication skills
- Ability to work collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams
- Very good English skills; good German skills required
Conditions
- 3-year fixed-term research position (75%)
- Embedded in an international and interdisciplinary research environment
- Opportunity for doctoral development within related networks
- Integration into teaching and academic programme development
