The available sandwich PhD scholarship position is linked to the overall research topic “The living environment and health”. This overall topic links the joint research interests between prof. dr. Fanny Janssen (chair in “Mortality and Ageing”, Demography Department, Faculty of Spatial Sciences, University of Groningen) and prof. dr. Gabriele Doblhammer (chair in “Empirical Methods in Social Science and Demography”, Institute of Sociology and Demographic Research, University of Rostock) and their research experience. In addition, the topic links to one of the strategic focus areas of the University of Groningen and the Faculty of Spatial Sciences: “Healthy Ageing”, and to one of the four profile lines of the University of Rostock: “Aging Science and Humanities”.

The award of the sandwich PhD scholarship will be based heavily on your qualities as a researcher and the quality of your PhD research proposal and how it fits the overall research topic “The living environment and health”. In writing the PhD proposal you are advised to contact your supervisors well in advance, so that they can help you along. Basically, however, the proposal must be your own.

It is preferred that you build on previous work in your research proposal. Especially previously written work that can be included in the thesis or be used as a first draft of a chapter, such as a scientific paper or a master thesis, will be considered as a big plus.

We are looking for a candidate with:
- a (Research) Master’s degree in a field of study relevant to the topic of “Living environment and health” (e.g. population studies, demography, geography, epidemiology, public health)
- excellent study results and CV
- good writing skills and fluency in English; preferably experience in academic writing
- preferred previous experience with health/mortality research
- preferred previous experience with geographical information systems
- strong conceptual thinking with the desire and capacity to relate theoretical topics to practical challenges and solutions
- strong motivation, good communicative skills, proactive and independent work.

We are looking for the following competences:
- conceptual capacity & abstract reasoning
- communicative skills (presenting)
- planning & organizing
- drive & enthusiasm.

Students previously or currently enrolled in the European Doctoral School of Demography are especially encouraged to apply for the position.

Fixed-term contract: 48 months.

The scholarship you would get at the University of Groningen is about € 1,750 euros per month. The scholarship you would get at the University of Rostock is about € 1,500 euros per month. In addition you would get a personal budget of € 3,250 euros to spend on data, conferences, language editing, and printing of your PhD thesis. If you want to take courses which are relevant for the research this will also be paid (up to a certain maximum).

Of the 4 years available for the position, in total two years should be spend at the Faculty of Spatial Sciences, University of Groningen and two years at the Institute of Sociology and Demographic Research of the University of Rostock. When in Groningen, Dr. Tobias Vogt and Prof. dr. Fanny Janssen will act as the main supervisors, and Prof. dr. Gabriele Doblhammer as your second supervisor. In Rostock, this will be the reverse.

You will have to write a PhD thesis consisting of a minimum of 4 articles in international scientific journals, an introduction and a discussion. The first PhD degree is awarded in Groningen.

Further information on the PhD scholarship programme at the University of Groningen, which is leading for the current position, can be found at www.rug.nl/education/phd-programmes/phd-scholarship-programme/about/

Faculty of Spatial Sciences

At the moment, the Demography Department of the Faculty of Spatial Sciences at the University of Groningen and the Institute of Sociology and Demographic Research of the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences at the University of Rostock have a sandwich PhD scholarship position available on the broad topic “Living environment and health”, for four years.

Since its foundation in 1614, the University of Groningen has enjoyed an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative centre of higher education offering high-quality education and research. Healthy Ageing is one of the strategic focus areas of the University of Groningen. At the Faculty of Spatial Sciences - consisting of 95 members of staff in the fields of economic and cultural geography, spatial planning and demography - the Healthy Ageing topic is well covered within the research programme tWIST - towards Wellbeing, Innovation and Spatial Transformation, and within the research programme ‘Population and Well-Being in Context” of the Demography Department.

The University of Rostock, founded in 1419, is the only university in Germany where Demography is offered as a study subject from a MA to PhD level. The main emphasis is on empirical data analysis using advanced statistical methods and formal demography. At the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, the Demography Program is working in close collaboration with the Department “Ageing of Individuals and Society” with a research agenda at the intersection of social science, demography, and population based/clinical epidemiology.