Your responsibilities  
•    Your research work includes literature reviews, developing and extending methodologies, analyzing theoretical & practical properties, conducting qualitative and mixed methods studies, analyzing empirical data, and writing research report. •    You will prepare scientific articles to be published in international journals, present key findings at national and international scientific conferences, and write a dissertation.
•    You will actively participate in the Department of Methodology and Statistics.
•    You will contribute to Open Science and Team Science. 
•    You will contribute to education and supervision (e.g. supervising bachelor’s theses and research skills groups; not more than 10% of your time will be devoted)

The ultimate aim of this PhD project is to arrive at a novel protocol for evaluating qualitative evidence. This protocol will provide a broadly applicable step-by-step guide and standards for qualitative evidence. Accompanying research papers and (national and international) conference contributions are planned to facilitate the broad dissemination of this work.
To develop a novel protocol, this PhD project will combine knowledge from 1) existing guidelines 2) practice-based needs and 3) expert consensus.

1.    Existing guidelines will be derived by conducting a methodological review on the topic to identify the currently existing guides for reviewing the effectiveness of qualitative evidence.
2.    Practice-based needs will be examined in two case studies in the (mental health) care field in the Netherlands. Interviews and focus groups with stakeholders will be held, as well as analyses of relevant policy documents. 
3.    Expert consensus will be derived from a Delphi study with international experts in intervention studies in the social sciences. 

Background
There are broad calls to move beyond the average patient, participant or citizen in evaluating the effectiveness of interventions. Whether it regards therapeutic interventions, policy interventions, or social engagement interventions, calls to consider qualitative, ideographic data are frequent. However, it is currently unclear how to integrate or use qualitative data to determine the effectiveness of a particular intervention. The project aims to develop broadly applicable guidelines to determine effectiveness based on qualitative data. 

Your profile 

We are looking for an enthusiastic and proactive person with an interest in scientific research and a passion for developing and applying advanced qualitative research methods with strong communication. The candidate has a background in social and behavioral sciences (e.g., psychology, social work, sociology, public health), or a related field. A deep interest in developing and applying advanced qualitative research methods and being a creative thinker are qualities we would like to see in you for this project.

Other requirements include:
•    A (nearly) completed (research) master’s thesis in the social and behavioral sciences.
•    Research skills and data analytical abilities (preferably qualitative), including in-depth knowledge of evidence synthesis. •    Communication and cooperation skills and the willingness to work in a team
•    Project management and organization skills
•    Interest in open science and team science
•    Proficiency in Dutch (C1 level) is required for the qualitative data-gathering and analysis
•    Proficiency in English and willingness to improve academic writing skills
•    Interest in providing small-scale education, such as teaching working groups or bachelor thesis supervision  

Our offer  

Tilburg University offers excellent benefits in a pleasant working environment: 

•     A position based on 1.0 fte (40 hours per week). 
•     A salary of minimum €2.901 and maximum €3.707 gross per month for full-time employment, based on UFO profile PhD and salary scale PhD. Tilburg University uses a neutral remuneration system based on relevant work experience. 
•     This is a vacancy for for a PhD in accordance with Article 2.3 paragraph 8 sub b CLA DU. You will initially be given a temporary contract for the duration of 12 months.
•     Vacation pay of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3%. 
•     Over 8 weeks of vacation leave. 
•     The opportunity to work partly on campus and partly from home with a home office allowance of €2 per day.
•     Reimbursement for sustainable commuting: walking, cycling, and public transport. 
•     A monthly internet allowance of €25.
•     An options model in which you exchange benefits for things such as additional leave, more pension, a bicycle or personal training at our Sports Center. 
•     A moving allowance (subject to conditions). 
•     Employees from abroad may be eligible for a tax-free allowance for extraterritorial expenses equal to 30% of taxable salary. 
•     A pension with ABP; the largest Dutch pension fund.
•     Training in personal development, career development, leadership, education, and research. Or a language course at our Language Center. 
•     A work culture in which we embrace differences, everyone is welcome and given equal opportunities. 
•     A vibrant campus in green surroundings that is easily accessible by public transport. 

For more information, see our website and the CLA Dutch Universities. 

About Tilburg University

Tilburg University is an academic, inclusive, and engaged community. Together with nearly 3,000 employees, we are committed to broad prosperity, sustainably, and inclusion. For current and future generations. We develop and share knowledge for the requirements of people and our society. This is how we contribute to solving complex social issues and help society move forward.

We educate our 19,500 students of 110 nationalities to become responsible leaders with knowledge, skills, and character. With our education and research for broad prosperity, we exceedingly focus on themes such as mental and preventive care, an inclusive labor market, the energy transition, and digitalization.

About Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral sciences

Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (TSB) is one of the five faculties of Tilburg University. The teaching and research of the Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences are organized around the themes of “Adaptive societies, organizations, and workers”, “Healthy life span”, and “Personalized prevention and care”. The School’s inspiring working environment challenges its workers to realize their ambitions, involvement and cooperation are essential to achieve this.    Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences | Tilburg University

Department Methodology and Statistics

The Department of Methodology and Statistics is responsible for education and research in methodology and statistics for the social and behavioral sciences. Methodology and statistics play an essential role in all subfields of the social and behavioral sciences, and related fields. At the Department of Methodology and Statistics we do research on and teach about quantitative and qualitative methods that researchers need in order to answer challenging research questions, come up with strong research designs, critically apply statistical analyses, and avoid bias when interpreting research findings. Within the department, there is a strong focus on developing novel statistical and methodological techniques to tackle complex problems in the social and behavioral sciences.
Department Methodology and Statistics | Tilburg University