The health of Rotterdam’s citizens is improving, but there are still important gains to be made. This is particularly the case for citizens of low socio-economic status and/or from an ethnic minority. There are many promising interventions out there, but often it is not clear how cost-effective they are.

The Rotterdam Center for Health Promotion is a collaboration between the municipality of Rotterdam and the Erasmus University. The focus of this center is on designing and evaluating interventions that make use of behavioural insights to improve health outcomes. Furthermore, this center aims to become a knowledge broker between the academia, the entrepreneurial field, health organisations and policy makers.

The PhD candidates will contribute to identifying promising health promotion interventions taking place/planned to take place in Rotterdam and further improving these interventions with behavioral insights. Moreover, the candidates will work on performing (cost-) effectiveness and process evaluations of these interventions. Furthermore, the candidates will work on translating the knowledge gained from these evaluations into lessons learned and best practices for policy makers.

Your tasks will consist of:

• reading the relevant literature;

• designing, coordinating and conducting experimental studies with Rotterdam and its inhabitants as primary research base;

• analysing data;

• writing scientific papers for peer-reviewed journals;

• presenting or lecturing in themed meetings at level of local government

• presenting at national and international scientific conferences; participate in regular project team meetings with all partners from academia and local government (e.g. policy makers)

• Collaboration with municipal researchers (from department OBI) 

• Master’s degree (and preferably a Research Master’s degree) in one of the behavioural sciences (e.g Psychology), in Public Health, Medicine or another Health-oriented degree

• Excellent research and methodological skills (a strong quantitative background is required, both quantitative and qualitative background is preferred)

• Didactic skills and preferably some relevant teaching experience;

• Good academic writing and presentation skills;

• Excellent communication, social and organisational skills;

• Fluent in Dutch, working proficiency in English

• A proven motivation to work in Rotterdam and with its inhabitants/network partners

This is a four-year PhD-position (1,0 fte). The initial contract will be running for a term of 1 year, which - depending on performance – will be extended with a maximum of 3 years.

Additional conditions of employment for a PhD-position:

The Erasmus University offers a salary of € 2.222,- gross per month in the first year up to a maximum of  € 2.840,- gross per month in the final year in accordance with the Promovendus scale of CAO NU. Salary is based on a fulltime occupation. Objective of this temporary position is the production of a thesis leading to a PhD degree. Candidates are expected to submit a yearly progress report to the faculty’s standing committee for research.

The EUR has attractive employment conditions, which include a holiday allowance of 8.0%, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3% and 232 hours leave per year based on a full-time appointment. In the case of an 8-hour workday, you build weekly 2 hours extra of leave on. Furthermore, the EUR is connected the ABP for pension provision and we provide partially paid parental leave. Also, employees can use EUR facilities, such as the Erasmus Sports Centre and the University Library.

Erasmus University Rotterdam is a modern, highly ranked, international research university, based in the dynamic and diverse city of Rotterdam. We were founded in 1913 and nowadays host 23.000 students. Our faculties and institutions work on global, national and local social challenges in the areas of: healthy development, wealth, governance, culture.

The quality of research at Erasmus University, named after Rotterdam-born humanist and theologian Erasmus, is reflected in its consistent top-100 position in most major universities rankings. On the lively, modern campus, students and scholars of more than 100 nationalities are constantly encouraged to develop their talents and meet their ambition. www.eur.nl/english

The Faculty of Social 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 diversity is also reflected 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 FSS 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. FSS offers a stimulating research environment, and its researchers have received major national and international research grants. 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 such as Problem-Based Learning (PBL). Both the Dutch and English programs are highly ranked by students and alumni. FSS is home to over 2500 students and 300 staff-members.

Department of Psychology, Education & Child Studies (DPECS)

The department of Psychology, Education & Child Studies houses innovative and highly ranked educational bachelor- and master programs. With the innovative didactical approach of Problem-Based Learning, small-scale education was introduced in Rotterdam. Our researchers publish in highly ranked journals and belong to the top of their fields. The well-equipped Erasmus Behavioural Lab makes it possible to conduct innovative research, and to train students in research and professional competencies.