The TEDIP Project
The Sociology Department of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam seeks a PhD student to contribute to the TEDIP project: The Effectiveness of Diversity & Inclusion Policies. The TEDIP project (2024) is funded by an Open Competition Grant from the Dutch Research Council (NWO) and is led by Prof. Dr. Maurice Crul.

The PhD student will join the Identities, Diversity and Inclusion research programme which is one of five research programmes within the sociology department (https://vu.nl/en/about-vu/faculties/faculty-of-social-sciences/more-about/research-sociology).

The TEDIP project looks at how public organizations are working towards more representation and inclusion of ethnic diversity within the workplace. Although an increasing number of organizations, both public and private, have developed Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) policies, questions remain about their effectiveness: Do these policies achieve their intended outcomes? Equally important is how we measure the success of D&I policies.

The project aims to tackle these critical questions by focusing on Higher Education institutions and City Administrations, with two case studies in the cities of Rotterdam and Amsterdam. The project will focus on developing measurement tools for D&I policy success in terms of equal representation and workplace inclusion. TEDIP will also examine the characteristics of successful organizational units and synthesize these into a theoretical framework, providing a foundation for evidence-based refinement of D&I policies.

The PhD researcher will work closely with the Principal Investigator and other team members, conducting fieldwork through surveys and qualitative interviews within selected organizational units in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The candidate is expected to develop her/his/their PhD project, write 4 single and/ or co-authored papers in peer-reviewed journals on the project findings, contribute to the conceptual papers, and assist in creating measurement tools.

Candidates should have the following credentials:

• A completed Research Master’s in Social Sciences;
• Experience in survey data collection;
• Experience with qualitative data collection;
• A good research and publication record relevant to their career stage;
• The ability and commitment to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team environment;
• Excellent written and spoken Dutch;
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.

Requirements:
Candidates should have the following credentials:

• Participate in the preparation and collection of qualitative interviews;
• Participate in the preparation and collection of the TEDIP survey;
• Fully participate in TEDIP project activities and publications in collaboration with team members;
• Develop an independent PhD project within the scope of TEDIP and complete the dissertation within four years;
• Participate in international conferences, workshops, seminars and other scholarly activities.
• Join the Graduate School of the Faculty of Social Sciences.
• Contribute to teaching within the sociology department (5%).

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

• a salary of € 2.872,00 (PhD) and maximum € 3.670,00 (PhD) gross per month in the fourth year, for a full-time employment
• an employment contract of initially 1 year. If there is sufficient perspective, this will be extended to a total of 4 years. Your dissertation at the end of the fourth year forms the end of your employment contract.

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and arrangements. Some examples:

• A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• solid pension scheme (ABP)
• possibility to save holiday hours, for sabbatical leave
• discount on (and occasionally exclusive access to) theater performances and courses at the Griffioen Cultural Center

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Faculty of Social Sciences
At the Faculty of Social Sciences we examine the major social issues facing us today from a variety of critical perspectives. We combine sociology, anthropology, political science, communication science, administration and organisation. Because there aren’t any ready-made solutions to the complex social issues of today. They demand a multidisciplinary approach. Working together with others helps you expand your mind, come to new ways of understanding and devise creative solutions.

Are you interested in joining Social Sciences? That means working with a team of colleagues from different disciplines in an inspiring work and study climate. Enjoy working in a professional organisation with an informal atmosphere, where we give you space for personal development. FSS employs over 350 staff members and enrols around 3,000 students.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely - a broader mind. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research. Learn more about our codes of conduct

We are located on one physical campus, in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility. Over 6,150 staff work at the VU and over 31,000 students attend academic education.

Diversity
Diversity is the driving force of VU Amsterdam. VU wants to be accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs, preferences and worldviews. We believe that trust, respect, interest and differences lead to new insights and innovation, to sharpness and clarity, to excellence and a broader understanding.

We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalisation contribute to the quality of education, research and our services.

Therefore, we are always searching for people whose backgrounds and experience contribute to the diversity of the VU community.

If you are enthusiastic about this position and believe your experience can contribute to our project’s success, we warmly invite you to apply. We value diverse perspectives and encourage individuals from all backgrounds to share their unique insights with us.

Please submit your motivation letter, detailed curriculum vitae (CV), and proof of your MA degree. The interviews will be held in person in January 2025 at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Applications must contain:

• A motivation letter in Dutch, clearly indicating the position you apply for;
• A curriculum vitae (CV) and, if applicable, previous publications;
• Proof of your MA Degree;
• An academic writing sample in English (e.g., journal article, working paper, or MA thesis)

All PhD candidates of the Faculty of Social Sciences will be enrolled in the Graduate School of Social Sciences (VU-GSSS) and admission to the VU-GSSS is part of the hiring procedure. More details can be found on their website and are available upon request.

Applications received by e-mail will not be considered.

Any other correspondence in response to this advertisement will not be dealt with.