The PhD student will be working with dr. Tatiana Sokolova as the primary advisor. The PhD thesis would be set in the broad area of judgment and decision making, examining how decision context can shape our information-processing strategies and decisions. The thesis could examine topics related to (a) numerical information processing in the marketplace; (b) time perception in consumer decisions; (c) decision framing effects in voting. A successful candidate is not limited to the above topics. 

1. An academic Master’s or MPhil/Research Master’s degree in business studies, economics, psychology, or another relevant field that is deemed an equivalent to the previous education.
2. Completed the previous degree with an excellent GPA (e.g., top 10% of class)
3. Proof of English proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL, CPE, etc.).  You can get an exemption for the English language test if you have completed a 3-years Academic Bachelor’s program (of at least 180 ECTS credits) fully taught in English at an accredited research university.
4. GRE or GMAT score.  You do not need to provide a GRE or GMAT test score if you have obtained a Dutch university Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a relevant field with GPA>=8.

In addition to these formal requirements, selection is initially based on the resume, a writing/research sample (ideally a master’s thesis) and motivation letter. Following the initial selection academic references are checked and interviews with the potential advisors take place. Candidates invited to the interview are asked to work on a brief research proposal as preparation for this interview. 

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

PhD candidates will be employed by Tilburg University, which is one of the best non-profit employers in the Netherlands and has an excellent policy concerning terms of employment.  The appointment is intended to lead to the completion of a PhD dissertation.  

During the first year, besides working on your PhD project, you will receive extensive training in theory and methods by taking several PhD-level courses, with no teaching responsibilities.  For the remaining three years, 80% of the position’s time will be dedicated to the completion of your PhD research, and 20% to the acquisition of academic skills through teaching courses and supervising master/bachelor theses within the department.

Appointed PhD candidates are employees of Tilburg University.  The salary for the PhD position amounts € 2,443 per month gross in the first year, rising to € 3,122 per month in the fourth year. You are entitled to a holiday allowance amounting to 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3% of your gross yearly income.  Employees recruited from abroad may be eligible for the 30% tax facility, which means that 30% of your salary will be paid as a tax-free reimbursement.  The university will apply for such tax facility on their behalf.  All university employees are covered by the so-called civil servants pension fund (ABP).  The university offers very good fringe benefits, such as an options model for terms and conditions of employment and reimbursement of moving expenses.

Tilburg University

Tilburg University is one of Europe’s leading universities in the fields of business and economics, ranking #28 worldwide in Business and Economics (Times Higher Education Ranking 2019).   The marketing group at Tilburg conducts academic research at a world class level. Our aim as a department is to excel in all three areas of marketing: Quantitative Modelling, Consumer Behavior, and Marketing Strategy. Independent evaluations, UTD rankings, and our track record in top marketing journals all testify to the high quality of our work. Our faculty members each have their specializations and cover the wide field of marketing from retailing to online behavior, from branding to media effects, and from (social) perception to decision making.

Tilburg School of Economics and Management - Consumer Behavior

The School of Economics and Management has 7000 students (26% international) and 400 academic staff (50% international).  The campus provides a green, academically centered environment with modern facilities and convenient local transportation.  Tilburg’s central position in the Benelux offers excellent regional and international access.  Major airports nearby include Amsterdam (Netherlands), Brussels (Belgium) and Düsseldorf (Germany).  English is the working language of the university.

The Consumer Behavior section of the marketing department currently has 3 PhD students and 6 faculty members (Anika Stuppy, Anna Paley, Tatiana Sokolova, Rik Pieters, Rob Smith, and Niels van de Ven) who often work together and have joint meetings. Furthermore, the university has several other departments working on related areas such as behavioral economics and social psychology. It also hosts TiBER (the Tilburg Institute of Behavioral Economics Research) where leading researchers in behavioral economics and JDM research collaborate.