What are you going to do?

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to contribute to research on populism and labour market integration of migrants?

In order to address the long-term challenge of intensifying labour shortages and rising pressure on the welfare state, many countries in the EU seek to promote labour market integration of migrants. Yet, these pre-empting efforts are at odds with the current political climate, dominated by anti-immigration populism. Our aim is to explore and explain national variation in responses to this fundamental tension between the long-term policy objective of actively promoting labour market integration of migrants, and the short-term obstacles created by popular resistance to migration.

The project’s primary objectives are two-fold: first, mapping national variation across EU countries (both variation in whether this tension materialises as a conflict or not; and variation in the strategies to navigate this tension); and second, examining the factors that explain the observed variation across different countries. Our scope includes tensions among organised interests (especially trade unions and employer associations), as well as tensions among public officials. To achieve these objectives, this project will collect and analyse both qualitative and quantitative data from EU member states; combined with comparative case study research.

As a PhD student, you will have the opportunity to shape and adapt elements of the research project to align with your own interests and goals. The PhD project is embedded in a broader research project, titled “The policies and politics of inequality and its consequences for society”, which aims to understand the relationship between societal challenges caused by rising populism, migration, climate change, welfare reforms, and institutional responses to these challenges. You will be joining a young and dynamic research team – including another PhD, a Post-Doc and five experienced staff members. Through this team you will receive extensive support to develop as a researcher and will have the opportunity to engage in different collaborations.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Conducting innovative research leading to four research papers which constitute the basis of a PhD dissertation;
• Getting acquainted with the state of the art literature on this topic and developing a theoretical framework to examine it;
• Collecting and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data through interviews and surveys among relevant stakeholders;
• Participating in other activities of the project, such as organizing a workshop, contributing to public debate, and managing outreach activities of the project;
• Contributing to the teaching activities of the department and support in developing teaching skills;
• Collaborating with other researchers within the Policy, Politics and Society team and department of Public Administration and Sociology.

• Completed a (research) MSc in Political Science, Political Economy, Public Administration, Social Policy, or other related disciplines;
• Strong academic record;
• Strong and explicit interest and motivation for scientific research;
• Excellent command of English;
• Candidates are selected on the basis of their CVs, motivation, academic references, and interview(s) with potential supervisors.

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 start date of this position is 1 December 2023 and you will be based at ESSB/DPAS in the Woudestein campus. The position is for 0.8-1 FTE. The salary starts with € 2.770 gross per month on a fulltime basis in your first year and ends up with € 3.539 gross per month on a fulltime basis in the fourth year, in accordance with scale P of the CAO-NU. In total the PhD contract is for four years. You start with a contract for one year and depending on good performance this will be continued with a contract for the other three years. In case of a 0,8 fte contract the period will become five years.

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 (EUR)

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 in 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 (ESSB)

Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB)

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. 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).

Department of Public Administration and Sociology (DPAS)

DPAS covers the disciplines of Public Administration and Sociology. Two related scientific fields with different profiles. Public Administration studies governance capacity and policy interventions. It focuses on the institutional power to organize and intervene in the relations between different social, political and economic actors. Public Administration in Rotterdam goes well beyond the public realm itself and pays attention to public-private cooperation and networks of organizations. Sociology investigates the social structure of societies and the way it evolves. Sociologists in Rotterdam focus among other things on processes of globalization and individualization and on the effects of these processes on international social relations, the labor market or family relations. Related social problems that are studied are migration, flexibilization and solidarity. The perspectives of Public Administration and Sociology complement each other. Together they guarantee a highly relevant and scientific approach to topical administrative and social issues. The bachelor- and master programmes of DPAS are built on this profile and educate students to become scientifically schooled professionals.

Policy Politics and Society Team (PPS)

The team Policy, Politics and Society (PPS) is an interdisciplinary team that does research and provides teaching around a broad set of complex policy issues. Working together based on the principles of team science, PPS aims to provide a stimulating and creative environment for academic development. Besides scientific impact, societal impact and engagement (with communities, governments, organizations) are key trademark of the team. Within PPS, specializations have emerged on a number of complex policy issues, such as institutional reform, welfare and inclusion, European and global governance, resilient cities, e-governance, and on migration and diversity.