Researcher in the field of education policy evaluation at the Institute for the Evaluation of Public Policies (FBK- IRVAPP)

Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) is a private research institution devoted to excellence in research in numerous disciplines and designated to the role of keeping the Autonomous Province of Trento in the mainstream of European and international research. Each research area is assigned to a specific research center, of which there are twelve totals. Information regarding the research centers, their activities and production is available at http://www.fbk.eu/research-centers.

Workplace 

FBK-IRVAPP is a research institute based in Trento (Italy). Its scientific mission includes evaluating public policies; disseminating findings from evaluation research; promoting a culture of evaluation among policymakers; and training policy evaluators. 
The empirical work at FBK-IRVAPP is mainly based on counterfactual impact evaluation and microsimulations. Current research activities span several areas, including education policy; social inclusion and protection; labor market policy; industrial policy and fiscal policy.
The institute invites researchers to contribute to its institutional activity in the education policy area. This is an excellent opportunity for candidates with a background in social sciences who have a strong interest in public policy evaluation and in producing empirical evidence to inform decision making in the field of education.
More information about FBK-IRVAPP is available at https://irvapp.fbk.eu/

FBK actively seeks diversity and inclusion in the workplace and is also committed to promoting gender equality. To promote the inclusion of disabled staff as per law 68/99, the Foundation is available and interested in evaluating the applications received for technical-scientific domains that do not correspond exactly to this call.

Job Description

The researcher will contribute to and expand the institute's research and evaluation related to education policy. The researcher will join the institute’s researchers in building monitoring and evaluation systems to support decision making in education and in carrying out quantitative evaluation studies aimed at assessing the effectiveness of education policies and programs. 

The candidate is expected to: 

  • Contribute to the development of monitoring and evaluation systems in education; 
  • Collaborate with other researchers to develop, conduct and, where appropriate, lead research and evaluation studies; 
  • Produce project reports as well as scientific research articles on the research work done; 
  • Interpret research findings from a policy perspective and disseminate the results through policy briefs, blogs, presentations or other strategic communication channels;
  • Manage autonomously the activities and responsibilities connected to the role, ensuring the achievement of defined objectives in line with the Center's mission and strategy.

Job requirements

The ideal candidate should have:

  • Master's degree in social sciences (Data Science, Economics, Education Sciences, Public Policy, Sociology, Statistics);
  • Strong experience in data management and data collection protocols;
  • Deep understanding of the functioning and organisation of the Italian education system;
  • Good understanding of general methodological issues related to education policy evaluation;
  • Excellent programming skills with experience working on diverse data types (e.g., administrative data, survey data, text-based data);
  • Relevant work and research experience in the field of education;
  • Working knowledge of Stata and, possibly, R;
  • Oral and written proficiency in English (At least C1);
  • Oral and written proficiency in Italian (At least C1);
  • Orientation to results, determination, flexibility and aptitude for problem-solving;
  • Good communication and relational skills.

Furthermore, the following elements will be positively evaluated:

  • PhD in social sciences (Data Science, Economics, Education Sciences, Public Policy, Sociology, Statistics);
  • Strong written communication skills;
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and willingness to work effectively in a team, as well as independently.

Employment

Type of contract: fixed-term contract;
Working hours: Full time (38 h per week);
Start date: preferably, May 2026;
End date: September 30, 2028, with the possibility of extending the contract depending on funding; 
Workplace: Trento;
Gross annual salary: From Euro 38.900 to 44.500, depending on background and expertise in the field, plus objectives achievements bonus;
Benefits: flexi-time, company subsidized cafeteria or meal vouchers, internal car park, welcome office support for visa formalities and for research in accommodation, etc., supplementary pension and health fund, social security (SANIFONDS), family-work balance, free training courses, support on bank account opening, discount on public transport, sport, language course fees, counseling and psychological support service. More info at https://www.fbk.eu/en/work-with-us/

Application

Interested candidates are requested to submit their application by completing the online form (https://jobs.fbk.eu/). Please make sure that your application contains the following attachments (in pdf format):

  • Detailed CV including relevant past experiences (as an attached document in PDF format);
  • Cover Letter (explaining your motivation for this specific position).

Application deadline: 03/03/2026

Please read our Recruitment Regulations before completing your application.
For further information or technical issues regarding the application, please contact the People Innovation for Research Department  at jobs@fbk.eu.