Expert center Healthy’R (www.healthyr.nl) is a collaborative center of Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sicences (ESSB) and Rotterdam Municipality. The expert center combines scientific knowledge in the field of behavior and health with practical issues. The focus of the center is on designing and evaluating interventions that make use of behavioural insights to improve health outcomes. It examines how changes in the social and physical environment (such as nudges) affect behavior. Furthermore, the center as knowledge broker provides advice on promoting healthy behavior to policymakers, public health professionals, the public, and partners in the city. This is done by a dedicated team of research scientists from ESSB and Rotterdam Municipality and policy advisors from Rotterdam Municipality.

The PhD candidate will contribute to identifying promising health promotion interventions planned in Rotterdam and further improving these interventions with behavioural insights, with an accent on the mental health and resilience of Rotterdam citizens. Moreover, the candidate will work on performing effect and process evaluations of these interventions. Furthermore, the candidate will work on translating the knowledge gained from these evaluations into lessons learned and best practices for policy makers.

Your tasks will consist of:

• reading and reviewing the relevant literature;
• designing, coordinating and conducting experimental studies;
• analysing data;
• writing scientific papers for peer-reviewed journals;
• presenting at national and international scientific conferences;
• participate in regular project team meetings with all partners from academia, policy and practice.

• Master’s degree (and preferably a Research Master’s degree) in the behavioural sciences (Psychology) or health sciences.
• Excellent research and methodological skills. A strong quantitative background is required, both quantitative and qualitative background are preferred.
• Didactic skills and preferably relevant teaching experience.
• Good academic writing (English) and presentation skills.
• Excellent communication, social and organisational skills.
• Fluent in Dutch.

An internationally oriented and varied job in an enthusiastic team, with good working conditions in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU).

The position is for 1 FTE. The gross salary per month will range from € 2.443,- to € 3.122,- on a fulltime basis according to the standard PhD scales of the CAO-NU. In addition, we offer an 8% holiday allowance, an end-of-year payment of 8.3%, and a very generous paid leave scheme. Furthermore, EUR is affiliated with ABP for the pension provision, and we offer partially paid parental leave, fully paid extended birth leave for partners, a personal career budget, work-life balance coaches, discounted collective health insurance, and more. As an employee, you can also use EUR facilities such as the University library and receive a discount on subscriptions for the Erasmus sports center.

Erasmus University Rotterdam offers a Dual Career Programme (DCP) to assist the life partners of new academic staff (on payroll) in finding employment in The Netherlands. The programme is offered in close cooperation with the nearby universities of Delft and Leiden.

Erasmus University Rotterdam aspires to be an equitable and inclusive community. We nurture an open culture, where everyone is supported to fulfill their full potential. We see inclusivity of talent as the basis of our successes, and the diversity of perspectives and people as a highly valued outcome. EUR provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, functional impairment, citizenship, or any other aspect which makes them unique. We look forward to welcoming you to our community.

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 3.700 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.

Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences

The Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences is home to a vast diversity of scientific disciplines: public administration, pedagogical sciences, psychology and sociology. In addition, the Erasmus University College, IHS, and two research institutes RISBO and DRIFT are linked to the faculty. This also reflects in the content of the (international) bachelor's and master's programs and in research.  Our activities are always focused on people and society. At the ESSB fundamental, internationally oriented research is of paramount importance. In addition, social research for professionals, policy makers, and the society is part of our research activities. ESSB offers a stimulating research environment where major national and international research grants are received. Appealing guest researchers and ambitious PhD candidates come along to conduct their research. Our education is small-scale and works with innovative forms of education such as Problem-Based Learning (PBL). Both the Dutch and English programs are highly ranked by students and alumni. ESSB is home to over 4000 students and more than 400 staff-members. The different disciplines are supported by the Faculty Office (for more information, please visit www.eur.nl/essb).