Description of the research program
The availability of donor organs is desperately insufficient to meet the need. New strategies are necessary to address this shortage. Part of the solution may be in improving the quality of organs that are retrieved from elderly, obese or unhealthy-lifestyle donors and those donated after cardiac arrest do not recover from injury inherent to surgery. Currently, there is great reluctance to accept organs of these marginal donors because of fear of non‐function in the recipient.

In the Flagship programme ‘Organ Transplantation: making unsuitable donor organs suitable’, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Erasmus Medical Centre and Technical University Delft join their research forces (https://convergence.nl/flagship-organ-transplantation/). Technological innovations are envisioned to build a long‐term machine perfusion platform to sustain and improve donor organ viability out‐of‐the‐body. Damaged donor organs will be made suitable for transplantation. The role of Erasmus University Rotterdam in this programme is to explore, investigate and compare the outcome of these developments in terms of costs, (heath‐related) benefits, patient and societal preferences, and ethical aspects.

Description of the position
This vacancy is for a PhD candidate who will principally focus on the economic and societal consequences of new strategies to organ transplantation (kidney, liver, heart, and lung). Through all aspects of the research program, the technologically innovative strategy for organ transplantation will raise important societal questions about prioritization, health‐related quality of life, well‐being, and cost‐effectiveness issues. The PhD candidate will;

1. determine the short‐ and long‐term effects on physical and mental health outcomes, quality of life (QoL), and societal and healthcare costs for using repaired organs vs other alternatives;
2. determine the effects of extra donor organ supply on waiting lists, the inclusion of new patient groups, societal and individual health outcomes, QoL and costs, depending on allocation mechanisms for different organs;
3. weight the ethical, legal, clinical, economic, and patient preference aspects in an (early) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) concerning organ transplantation; 
4. be involved in generating tools to monitor the costs, (clinical) benefits and stakeholder preferences after organ transplantation. Besides research responsibilities, the PhD candidate will also participate in our teaching programs (up till 0.15fte).

The successful applicant for this position is expected to have a recent or almost completed MSc degree in health economics or health sciences. The applicant should be a collaborator and flexible thinker, intensely interested in both health technology assessment (including health economics) and organ transplantation. The applicant should be able to work independently as well as in teams, and be motivated to participate in an interdisciplinary research programme and to learn in situations that are beyond their current capabilities. Knowledge of advanced economic evaluation and modelling is a distinct advantage. Excellent communication and writing skills in Dutch and English are highly desirable.

Fixed-term contract: 1,5 year.

We offer a full-time position as PhD student at Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR). The PhD candidate will be based at the Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM). We offer a 1.5-year position with the possibility of extension by 2.5 years based on performance. Starting date of the PhD appointment is December 1st, 2022. 

Remuneration will be according to the PhD scales set by the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) and will range from € 2.541 per month in the first year to € 3.247 per month in the fourth year (gross amounts, in case of fulltime employment). Fulltime is considered to be 38 hours per 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) 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.  

​​​​Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM)

ESHPM is leading within the Netherlands with its teaching and research activities, focusing on economics, policy and management topics in healthcare. ESHPM offers a bachelor programme, five master programmes, a transition programme for lateral entrants and postgraduate education.
Since its foundation in 1982, ESHPM has closely linked research and education. Knowledge and experience from various scientific disciplines such as economics, law, socio-medical sciences, organizational studies and public administration are brought together and applied to healthcare. This multidisciplinary approach to education and research is unique.

ESHPM is housed in the Bayle (J) Building on EUR's Woudestein campus in Rotterdam. More than 1500 students study and 160 employees work at ESHPM. Internationalization is highly valued at ESHPM. The number of students, faculty and researchers from abroad has increased significantly over the past years and have enriched our programmes.