We are looking for a scientist!

We are looking for a motivated researcher who wants to solve actual spatial, environmental, and socio-economic problems using modern data, analytical tools, and computing methods. We expect an active approach, a willingness to learn new technologies, and the ability to translate research into high-quality outputs.

The Director of the Institute of Geography SAS is calling for applications for the position of:

  • RESEARCHER

Job information/position description:

  • Researcher in the field of geography

Type of work, competencies and responsibilities:

  • Research activities within scientific projects.
  • Publication activities (especially in journals listed in the CCC, WOS, and SCOPUS databases).
  • Presentation of own research results at scientific and popularisation events.
  • The applicant must demonstrate analytical thinking in problem-solving, the ability to interact in an international research environment, and effective teamwork.

Other duties of the employee in accordance with the relevant legal norms and internal regulations of the Slovak Academy of Sciences.

Basic employee benefits and perks:

  • An opportunity to work in a stimulating research environment at the SAS
  • Engagement in the performance of public service
  • Opportunity for professional growth
  • Flexible working hours
  • Possibility to work from home
  • An additional week’s vacation compared to the provisions outlined in the Labour Code

Type of employment:

  • Fixed-term employment
  • Full-time, part-time if agreed

In the case of an agreed part-time (reduced) position, the employee will be assigned specific work tasks with predefined and measurable performance indicators, such as the expected number of publications over a period of 1-2 years, involvement in specific project tasks, participation in the preparation of grant applications or project outputs, participation in popularisation events.

Place of work:

  • Institute of Geography of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Štefánikova 49, 814 73 Bratislava, Slovakia

Compensation guidelines:

Expected date of completion of the selection process:

  • 27. 2. 2026

Expected date of job interview:

  • 10. 3. 2026

Expected start date:

  • as agreed

Employee requirements:

  • Expertise – work on scientific projects in the field of geography, publishing activities, (experience in preparing and implementing national or international projects – APVV, VEGA, Horizon, Interreg, etc. is a significant advantage)
  • Active knowledge of English language
  • IT knowledge
    • working with GIS (QGIS, ArcGIS, or equivalent),
    • experience with analytical or programming tools (e.g., Python, R, SQL) is an advantage,
    • experience with big data, remote sensing, modelling, or automation of analytical processes is welcome.

The position is suitable for candidates with the following educational qualifications:

  • Doctorate (PhD) level education
  • Second-level university degree with a minimum requirement of submitting a dissertation by the end of the selection process.

Educational background:

  • Education in one of the following study programs: physical geography, geoecology and geoinformatics, human geography, regional geography, and possibly other related fields.

Personal Attributes and Skills:

  • Ability to work autonomously as well as collaboratively within a team environment.
  • Eagerness and capacity to acquire new knowledge and skills.
  • A responsible work ethic characterised by analytical thinking, consistency, and strong communication skills.

Information on the selection process:

  • If you are interested in this employment opportunity, please submit a comprehensive list of the required documents electronically to: geogsekr@savba.sk

List of documents required:

  • Europass CV (https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/sk/documents/curriculum-vitae/templates-instructions),
  • Documentary evidence of education qualification and awarded degrees, including any academic qualifications;
  • Evidence of scientific work results, including a list of publications with an emphasis on the quality of outputs (journals listed in the WoS, Scopus, and CCC databases), responses, and citation indicators,
  • List of projects completed to date, including the project name, role in the project, project duration, total project budget (or the organisation’s share, if relevant),
  • Examples of your own professional and technical work, e.g., examples of program codes (Python, R, SQL, GIS scripts, etc.), description or documentation of technical solutions to research problems in which the applicant participated (spatial data processing, analytical solutions, modelling, data processing automation, etc.), links to public repositories,
  • Brief motivation letter (1 to 2 pages) describing your professional focus and research experience, expressing the compatibility of your professional profile with the current projects of the Institute of Geography of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, and indicating the research topics or projects of the institute in which you could actively participate.
  • Affidavit of legal capacity;
  • Consent with the processing of personal data;

Contact:

Information about the Institute of Geography SAS:

The IG SAS focuses on basic research into the spatial structure and development of natural and socio-economic systems and their interrelations at various spatial levels – be they European, national, regional or local – with a particular focus on the territory of Slovakia. The activities of the institute contribute to increasing the level of knowledge and education and to the practical application of the results of scientific research.

The research activities are focused on (1) research into the spatial structure and development of river systems, their responses to changing environmental conditions, and flood risk assessment; (2) the identification, analysis and evaluation of the spatial distribution of the Earth’s surface objects and the monitoring of their changes over time using geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing data; (3) the analysis of the spatio-temporal aspects of economic, socio-cultural and environmental phenomena, processes and structures; and  (4) integrated geographical research into the dynamics of natural and socio-economic systems in their interrelationships and the assessment of the conditions of the quality of life and (sustainable) local and regional development.

Geographical research responds to current, geographically relevant problems in society.

The institute provides doctoral studies in accordance with generally binding legal provisions. The institute presents the results of its research and scientific activities in periodic and non-periodic publications.

Furthermore, SAS is distinguished as a recipient of the European Commission’s international HR Excellence in Research Award. In the INSTITUTE OF GEOGRAPHY SAS, staff positions are filled through a competitive recruitment process, adhering to the principles of open, transparent and merit-based recruitment and selection (OTM-R).