Are you looking for a PhD position (4 years) in political communication research? Are you interested in data-driven campaigns, and would you like to become an expert on the topic? Then, read on because we might be looking for you!

For a large research project funded by the European Research Council awarded to prof. dr. Sanne Kruikemeier, we are looking for two PhD candidates in communication science, who will combine a substantial interest in political and/or marketing communication with strong methodological skills. Both PhD projects are part of the Strategic Communication group at Wageningen University and Research.

The conditional impact of targeting strategies on voters' political attitudes and opinions
This PhD project will focus on how different aspects of politically targeted messages can impact political attitudes and intended political behavior and persuade voters. This project will more specifically focus on the type of targeting practice, the content of political targeting, and the source of the message in various countries (Germany, India, Netherlands, UK, and US). Different aspects of the targeted messages will be linked to ability and motivation to assess how this affects the processing of the message. To study the impact of targeting strategies this project will rely on data collected by experience sampling and by conducting experiments. The project uses a comparative perspective and is interested in cross-national differences and similarities.

The research is embedded within the chair group Strategic Communication Group (COM), and members of the ERC team, which is led by prof. dr. Sanne Kruikemeier (sannekruikemeier.wordpress.com) You will be co-supervised by Annelien van Remoortere or Susan Vermeer. Please indicate in the letter if you have a preference for subproject 1, 2 or both.

You have:

• a successfully completed MSc degree in Communication Science, or a related discipline such as Political Science, Sociology, Psychology. Candidates currently finalizing their Master are also invited to apply, with the condition that the diploma must be completed by the time the project starts;
• an interest in digital communication and election campaigns;
• a quantitative empirical research focus and knowledge of, or the willingness to learn, specific quantitative skills, including (but not limited to) experiments, experience sampling, and survey research;
• proven proficiency in statistical software such as SPSS, Stata and/or R;
• for this position your command of the English language is expected to be at C1 level.
• a scientific mindset, inquisitive personality, team player, and the capacity of working independently.

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• study leave and partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional compensation / holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will receive a fully funded PhD position and you will be offered a course program tailored to your needs and the research team.
The gross salary for the first year is € 2.443,- per month rising to € 3.122,- in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours. We offer a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well.
There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the " Best University " in the Netherlands for the 17th consecutive time.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees. Applicants from abroad moving to the Netherlands may qualify for a special tax relief, known as the 30% ruling. Our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.

Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about helping your partner to find a job, housing, schooling, and other issues.

Equal opportunities
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) employs a large number of people with very different backgrounds and qualities, who inspire and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisation and be offered the same career opportunities. We therefore especially welcome applications from people who are underrepresented at WUR. For more information please go to our inclusivity page. A good example of how WUR deals with inclusiveness can be read on the page working at WUR with a functional impairment.

Wageningen University & Research

The mission of Wageningen University and Research is "To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life". Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.

With its roughly 30 branches, 6.800 employees and 12.900 students, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of Wageningen's unique approach. WUR has been named the best university of the Netherlands by students for the 17th time in a row.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch this video to get an idea of our green campus!