We are recruiting a PhD candidate for a project on the economics of dementia. You will apply econometric techniques and insight in the institutional context to linked data sources in order to better understand crucial relationships in this field.

The number of people with dementia in the Netherlands will increase strongly and hence dementia poses challenges for both individuals and for society. Economics helps to understand decision making under constraints, both within households and at the societal level. This is particularly important in the case of dementia given the specific nature of the constraints, which are not only financial but also cognitive. Furthermore, econometric techniques for causal inference enable researchers to go beyond descriptive statistics and use insight in the decision-making process to estimate causal effects using observational data. Living with dementia requires decisions about care use, care provision, housing and consumption, among other things, and these decisions may have long-run effects. A thorough understanding of both the opportunities for and the limits of causal inference in the context of dementia is required to estimate these effects using observational data.

You will use these tools to contribute to understanding key decisions and challenges for people with dementia, their family and society and to highlight the long-run causal effects of these decisions. For this, you analyze linked administrative data for the entire Dutch population and novel data sources such as linked survey data. Your research combines econometric analyses with deep insight in the policy context to draw conclusions that are both scientifically sound and policy relevant, which is a valuable skill if you aspire a future career in academia, government, or the industry.

You will be part of the Health Economics research group at the Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management, and the economics of long-term care theme group (website). Your supervisors are Prof. Job van Exel, Dr. Bram Wouterse and Dr. Pieter Bakx. We give guidance about opportunities to present your work in scientific articles and at conferences, to take courses, to arrange a research visit abroad, and to liaise with policymakers. Thus, this position enables you to quickly establish a broad network in health economics and policy.

Finally, you will teach in the education programmes of Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (about 15% of your time).

You are expected to have a master’s degree in economics, health economics, econometrics, or another relevant master’s degree. The position requires advanced quantitative skills. Therefore, you need to have experience with quantitative research using a standard statistical software package such as Stata or R. Moreover, you have excellent English communication and writing skills. Since the datasets are in Dutch, basic reading ability in Dutch – or being willing to acquire this skill – is desirable.

Fixed-term contract: 1.5 year.

We offer a full-time position as PhD student at Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR). The PhD candidate will be located at the Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM). We offer a 1.5 year position with the possibility of extension to 4 years based on performance.

Remuneration will be according to the PhD scales set by the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities (cao NU), and will range from € 2.395 per month in the first year to € 3.061 per month in the fourth year (gross amounts, in case of fulltime employment). Fulltime is considered to be 38 hours per week.

In addition, EUR pays an 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year payment of 8.3% and offers excellent secondary benefits, and a very generous 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 education budget, work-life balance coaches and more. Employees can also use EUR facilities, such as the Erasmus sports center and the University library.

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.

The starting date will be determined together with the candidate.

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR)

Erasmus University Rotterdam is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research. Inspired by the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam, our scientists and students work in close collaboration with internal and external parties to solve global social challenges. Our mission is therefore "Creating positive societal impact". Our academic education is intensive, active and application oriented. Our research increasingly takes place in multidisciplinary teams, which are strongly intertwined with international networks. With our research impact and thanks to the high quality of education, EUR ranks amongst the top European universities. Erasmian values ​​function as our internal compass and make Erasmus University recognizable to the outside world: engaged with society, world citizen, connecting, entrepreneurial and open-minded.  

Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM)

Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management is part of Erasmus University Rotterdam and is responsible for a bachelors and three (international) master programs on health policy, economics and management, serving more than 1300 students. ESHPM is a multidisciplinary school with research focusing on three main themes: ‘competition and regulation in healthcare’; ‘quality and efficiency in healthcare’; and ‘healthcare management’. The position is offered in the Health Economics group.