Would you love to conduct research on the crossroads of strategic performance management, healthcare and artificial intelligence? Are you looking forward to having an impact by disseminating your findings to both academic and professional audiences and society as a whole? Let’s talk!

Already a major part of everyday life, digitalization will become more and more integrated into how finance and organizational leaders are making decisions the next 50 years. Recently established in 2020, the Centre for Financial Leadership and Digital Transformation (FL&DT) at Vlerick Business School wants to advance the understanding of artificial intelligence, robotics and related technologies to support and assist finance and organizational leaders around the globe in understanding the risks and benefits of these technologies and to explore their use for improved, strategic decision-making.
In this research project, you will explore how machine learning (ML) algorithms in a healthcare setting will help organizational decision-makers to make sense of patient input and outcome data and produce helpful recommendations for hospitals and healthcare providers.
To accomplish this, we’re looking for a passionate and driven PhD researcher who is enthusiastic about becoming a specialist in this topic, and who would enjoy cooperating with experts from practice for their research (via a PhD at KU Leuven), all the while building up the Centre for FL&DT (at Vlerick Business School) with a top team high-quality faculty members and researchers from all over the world.
Vlerick Business School is a triple-accredited, international business school at the heart of Europe – ranked number one in the Benelux for executive education and 19 in Europe. We strive to make a difference, offering high quality, interactive and impactful learning journeys and in doing so, helping form positive change-makers with a vision that is rooted in a dream.

The job

• Work on a PhD in strategic performance management, healthcare and artificial intelligence, focusing on using machine learning to predict performance in healthcare and to improve patient experience.
• Conduct business relevant research to support the activities of the research centre. This includes desk research, data collection, data analysis, and reporting.
• Disseminate knowledge by writing papers, reports, and articles, communicating on social media, organizing workshops for practitioners, and presenting research findings to both business and academic audiences.
• Provide support for teaching activities, both in executive education and in MBA/Master courses.

You

• Have a research mindset and want to pursue a PhD and conduct research with impact.
• Have obtained a Masters’ degree with an above-average academic performance in (business) economics, business engineering, civil engineering, mathematics or computer science. Further specializations in data science and/or AI are a plus.
• Academic performance should be above average; that implies yearly exam results equaling 68% (honours) or more, at least twice, of which minimum once in the Masters’ degree.
• Are passionate about modeling and analytics and have a strong quantitative background.
• Show interest in the healthcare system with its different stakeholders.
• Want to conduct rigorous academic research relevant to business.
• Are digital savvy and fluent in English.
• Have experience working with database and analytical software packages. Knowledge of Python or R is a must.
• Are a team player who is able to work autonomously.
• Have a proactive attitude and good writing skills.
• Can work on one of our campuses in Ghent, Leuven or Brussels, combined with your home-office.

#ProudtobeVlerick

• Autonomy and responsibility in a challenging work environment.
• A dynamic, open and international company culture.
• Opportunities for professional and personal growth.
• The chance to become a content expert and build up your network.
• A great research community.
• Flexibility in a dynamic environment.
• Be a part of something bigger and inspire people to live, learn and leap.

At Vlerick, openness to the world is part of our DNA. We are continuously working towards being a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive place to work and learn at. So, no matter who you are, where you come from, or what your dreams are, we are looking forward to receiving your application.

Vlerick Business School

Are you ready to make a difference in a dynamic, international and open environment?

Vlerick is a place where professionals from across the world are inspired to live their dream, learn continuously – and take the leap with confidence. At its core is a great community of researchers and faculty who continuously strive towards bridging the gap between academics and the business world.

At Vlerick, you’ll be supported to develop yourself, work autonomously and take on responsibility. You’ll grow professionally, and you’ll have fun. We’re a close-knit group that loves to welcome new colleagues into our Vlerick team and we work hard to be a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive place to work and learn.

Take the leap and join us in (trans)forming the world’s future leaders and positive changemakers!