The demand for healthcare steadily increases, importantly as a result of new technologies, rising expectations and the ageing of the population. The available budget for healthcare, however, is limited and therefore policymakers need to decide which interventions to fund and which not to fund. Economic evaluations are used to inform policymakers whether interventions provide sufficient value for money. In this context, measuring and valuing the full benefits of healthcare interventions is important, but also challenging. The Department of Health Economics of Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM) has acquired a number of new projects in this area and therefore seeks a highly motivated PhD student to contribute to a selection of these projects.

The PhD candidate will conduct research and write academic papers on a number of relevant topics in the context of the measurement and valuation of the benefits of healthcare. These topics include, but are not limited to:

1. Measurement and valuation of benefits in terms of health and wellbeing
2. Distribution and inequalities in health and wellbeing
3. Trade-offs between health and wellbeing effects
4. Spill-over effects of health changes on family members and informal caregivers  

The PhD candidate will be supervised by prof. Werner Brouwer and prof. Job van Exel, in collaboration with others.

• You have a recent or almost completed MSc degree in health economics, health sciences, or other relevant field. A substantial component of research training and/or good grades for research methods and quantitative analysis courses are an advantage.
• You have a strong interest in doing methodological as well as applied research.
• You have a solid background in quantitative methods and experience with statistical analysis software like Stata, R or similar.
• You have a clear affinity with healthcare as a research topic. 
• You have excellent communication and writing skills in English evidenced by writing samples, such as an essay, article or thesis. Fluency in Dutch is an advantage.
• You are enthusiastic, independent and highly motivated to do a PhD, have an open and positive attitude towards learning, collaboration and achievement, and are capable of managing deadlines.

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

We offer a full-time position as PhD student at Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR). The PhD candidate will be located at the Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM).

We offer a 1.5 year position with the possibility of extension to 4 years based on performance. Starting date of PhD appointment is September 1st, 2021. Remuneration will be in accordance with the PhD scale set by the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU). Fulltime work will pay € 2.395,- per month before taxes in the first year, going up to € 3.061,- per month in the fourth year. Full time is considered to be 38 hours a week.

In addition, EUR pays an 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year payment of 8.3% and offers excellent secondary benefits, and a very generous 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 education budget, work-life balance coaches and more. Employees can also use EUR facilities, such as the Erasmus sports center and the University library.

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 (EUR)

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research. Inspired by the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam, our scientists and students work in close collaboration with internal and external parties to solve global social challenges. Our mission is therefore "Creating positive societal impact". Our academic education is intensive, active and application oriented. Our research increasingly takes place in multidisciplinary teams, which are strongly intertwined with international networks. With our research impact and thanks to the high quality of education, EUR ranks amongst the top European universities. Erasmian values ​​function as our internal compass and make Erasmus University recognizable to the outside world: engaged with society, world citizen, connecting, entrepreneurial and open-minded. www.eur.nl

Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM)

Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM) is part of Erasmus University Rotterdam and is responsible for a bachelors and three (international) master programs on health policy, economics and management, serving more than 800 students. ESHPM is a multidisciplinary school with research focusing on three main themes: ‘competition and regulation in healthcare’; ‘quality and efficiency in healthcare’; and ‘healthcare management’. The position is offered in the Health Economics group.