PROJECT AND RESEARCH COORDINATOR

Eutropian’s sister organisation Cooperative City Budapest is looking for a part-time / full-time colleague for its Budapest office, starting in September 2026.

The new colleague will contribute to Cooperative City’s activities in research, project management, communication and advocacy, in cooperation with our sister organisations in Vienna and Rome.

We are looking for an experienced colleague to coordinate and implement research, collaborative planning and knowledge-exchange activities across European projects. The position requires a high degree of independence, initiative and responsibility in managing tasks and advancing project activities.

The position focuses primarily on two European projects: RE-HOME and Co-PED.

In RE-HOME, the new colleague will work with municipalities and local stakeholders to support the development of affordable housing strategies through the reuse of vacant and underused buildings and spaces. The work involves participatory planning and collaborative strategy development, including stakeholder engagement, creative storytelling and visualisation strategies, workshops and co-design activities contributing to local transformation strategies, policy recommendations, knowledge transfer and municipal capacity building.

In Co-PED, the new colleague will contribute to neighbourhood-based energy transition processes and community energy initiatives with cultural institutions and municipalities, particularly through the Bartók-negyed Living Lab. The work involves community engagement, participatory and Living Lab activities, support for feasibility and policy work related to energy communities, organisation of local events and workshops, and facilitation of knowledge exchange and collaboration between international partners and municipalities.

The new colleague will work closely with Cooperative City and Eutropian teams across Budapest, Vienna and Rome, as well as with municipalities, cultural institutions, community groups and international partners.

Essential experience:
– minimum 3–5 years of relevant professional experience in urban development, research, policy, participatory planning or related fields
– experience designing and facilitating participatory and collaborative planning processes and workshops involving municipalities, community groups and institutional stakeholders
– experience developing or supporting local strategies, policy recommendations or place-based interventions through collaborative processes
– experience in multi-partner or multi-stakeholder projects in EU-funded contexts such as Horizon2020 or DUT.
– experience working independently, taking initiative and ensuring follow-through on agreed tasks and deadlines

Desired experience:
– experience with affordable housing, municipal housing policy and reuse of vacant or underused buildings
– experience with renewable energy communities, sustainability transitions or community energy initiatives
– experience with community engagement, knowledge exchange and capacity-building activities
– experience working with municipalities, local authorities and public institutions
– experience working with cultural institutions, neighbourhood initiatives or community organisations
– experience producing research, policy or communication outputs

Skills:
– professional command of English and Hungarian (Italian, Spanish and/or German are a plus)
– strong written and verbal communication skills
– strong writing and editing skills, including preparation of reports, policy briefs, articles and communication materials
– strong facilitation, moderation and coordination skills
– strong organisational skills and ability to manage parallel processes
– ability to work across research, participation, implementation and communication

What we offer:
– meaningful work on housing, urban regeneration and community energy initiatives across Europe
– collaboration with an international team working across Budapest, Vienna and Rome
– involvement in European research, policy and innovation projects
– opportunities for international travel, project meetings and knowledge exchange
– hybrid working arrangement combining office and home office
– supportive and collaborative working environment

Cooperative City Nonprofit Ltd. is a research, planning and advocacy organisation helping urban regeneration processes. We work with municipalities, NGOs, community groups, businesses and EU institutions across Europe in building local cooperation networks through strategic design, participatory planning and community engagement. We are specialised in urban regeneration, cultural development, local economic development, just transition and social innovation, with a special focus on building development scenarios based on existing resources.

We work both locally and internationally. Locally, we build partnerships by connecting various stakeholders around specific urban challenges, supporting local development through sustainable economic, environmental and social models in Budapest neighbourhoods. Internationally, we cooperate closely with Eutropian GmbH, a Vienna-based company offering advisory services to municipalities and international organisations, and Associazione Eutropian, a Rome-based non-profit organisation focused on research and participatory processes, professional workshops as well as public events. Cooperative City and Eutropian have staff working from Vienna, Rome and Budapest offices.

Status: employment
Contract type: fixed term with a possibility of extension 

Project duration: 2,5 years
Trial period: 3 months
Location: VALYO Bázis, Kosztolányi Dezső tér 7 (combined with home office)
Hours: 20-40h weekly
Salary: to be negotiated

Please send your CV, motivation letter and reference by 24 June 2026 to:

Levente Polyak
info@cooperativecity.org