This 5-year PhD project focuses on the transition from school to work and how this transition affects the active lifestyle of early-career workers (18-25 years). Entering the labour market and starting a career is regarded as the start of a new life phase. Leaving full-time education and becoming employed generally coincides with having less leisure time, less time-related autonomy, and longer daily exposure to taxing and fatiguing demands. The PhD project aims to:
1) Identify personal needs, restrictions and resources that may hinder or stimulate physical activity among early-career employees through analyses of existing databases.
2) Test how the work environment and the accompanying changes in a person's social network influence physical activity when starting an employment career.
3) Develop tailor-made interventions to stimulate (leisure-time) physical activity among employees in their early careers.
4) Test applicability and effectivity of interventions in a pilot study among employees who are at the start of their working lives.

Finally, these interventions will be tested and implemented into policy advice for the schools and sports providers involved (partners in this project are GGD Gelderland-Zuid, NLActief, Europactive, and NPDI). Your task will be to collect data, conduct research, write scientific articles, and complete a PhD thesis in time. You will also participate in conferences, workshops and other scholarly and knowledge transfer activities, and contribute to teaching.

The full project proposal can be obtained via Prof. Bert Steenbergen at b.steenbergen@pwo.ru.nl.

• A (Research) Master's degree in human movement science, psychology, pedagogy/remedial education, sociology, cognitive or experimental psychology, or a related field.
• The ability to see how the above-mentioned fields are all needed in this project, with their own strengths and weaknesses.
• Excellent writing skills (in Dutch and English) and data-analysis skills preferably evidenced by authorship or co-authorship of published articles.
• Experience with setting up experimental research, preferably with young children, and experience with data analysis in experimental designs.
• Good organisational and communication skills with the ability to translate and communicate scientific results to professionals.
• An independent, flexible and proactive work style.
• An affinity for challenges.
• Proficiency in spoken Dutch.

Fixed-term contract: You will be appointed for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 3.5 years.

• Employment: 32 hours per week.
• The starting salary is €2,325,-per month on a full-time basis, the salary will increase to €2,972,- per month in the fourth year (P-scale).
• In addition to the salary: an 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• Duration of the contract: you will be appointed for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 3.5 years.
• The start date is 1 December 2019.
• As part of the contract, you will participate in teaching for approximately 10% of your work time.
• You will be able to make use of our Dual Career Service: our Dual Career Officer will assist with family-related support, such as child care, and help your partner prepare for the local labour market and with finding an occupation.
• Are you interested in our excellent employment conditions?

Radboud University

We want to get the best out of science, others and ourselves. Why? Because this is what the world around us desperately needs. Leading research and education make an indispensable contribution to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. This is what unites the more than 22,000 students and 5,000 employees at Radboud University. And this requires even more talent and collaboration. You have a part to play!

Faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen

You will work at the Sociology Department's Radboud Institute of Social Cultural Research within the framework of the Active Living research theme of the Faculty of Social Sciences. The PhD project is part of a larger project called TRIAL (TRansitions Into Active Living), which was recently awarded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) in the context of its National Science Agenda initiative. In order to understand the dynamics of societal phenomena and processes, the Sociology Department examines themes from a historical perspective within single societies, from a comparative perspective across different societies, and moreover, from a historical perspective in different societies.

The project is supervised by Prof. Bert Steenbergen, Prof. Gerbert Kraaykamp, Dr. Debby Beckers, Dr. Hidde Bekhuis (Radboud University) and Dr. Remco Hoekman (Mulier Institute). The TRIAL project includes collaborations with a large consortium of societal partners.