Since the 1990s, a call was made for a more active and prominent role for patients in health decision-making processes in order to realize a transformation to a health system that is more responsive to patients' needs. As a results, patients became increasingly seen as partners in the health system, instead of passive recipients. The inclusion of patients in health decision-making has shown to stimulate more relevant and applicable outcomes, and to enhance its legitimacy. In many countries, numerous efforts are nowadays visible to make patient engagement an integral part of the health system. For instance, research funders increasingly program their research on the basis of research agendas that have been established together with patients and they involve patients in the assessment of research proposals. Patients also started to contribute to other phases of the research cycle, such as research design, execution, analysis, dissemination and evaluation. Furthermore, initiatives have been set up to involve patients in the assessment of quality of care.

Despite the great attention to and the many initiatives on patient engagement, a systemic turn to a needs-oriented health system has not (yet) taken place. Involvement of patients is still far from standard practice, and various challenges have been observed.

We believe that further improvement of patient engagement requires a transdisciplinary and action-oriented research approach. In this PhD research, you will therefore not only study patient engagement, but also actively engage in experiments to further improve the practices of patient engagement.

Keywords: patient engagement, system innovation, experiments, transdisciplinary, action-research.

Your duties
The researcher will conduct (transformative) action-research aimed at strengthening the engagement of patients in health decision-making in several contexts. You will study patient engagement through literature study and the active involvement in several experiments where the researcher will be the designer, facilitator and evaluator of patient engagement practices.

You will do this research in collaboration with a team of fellow researchers and Master research interns. Furthermore, you work with a wide range of patients, informal carers, care professionals and their organizations. There is a possibility to do a part of the research outside the Netherlands, but we foresee that most research is in the Netherlands. The project entails travels to different healthcare organizations, but also, occasionally, to (inter)national conferences.

Next to your research, resulting in a PhD thesis, you will be a coaching lecturer in courses taught by the Athena Institute. In a four-year PhD track this is ~15% of your time, in a six-year PhD track this is ~40% of your time (please find more information below at 'what are we offering'). The teaching will merely be in Bachelor and Master courses of our master program Management, Policy-Analysis and Entrepreneurship in the Health and Life Sciences. Your work will be supported with committed supervision and additional research training.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, curious and creative candidate with:

• A master's degree in the field of science, or a related field with interdisciplinary and/or transdisciplinary focus (science and technological studies - STS, health sciences, etc.);
• Willingness and eagerness to conduct action-oriented research that contributes to societal transformation in the field of patient engagement;
• Experience with engagement of societal stakeholders (patients) in health research and innovation processes is a plus;
• Proven experience within qualitative research methodologies, such as interviews and focus groups;
• The potential to be a strong collaborator within interdisciplinary teams (able to listen, flexible, adaptive, creative, pro-active);
• Enthusiasm to teach students in different stages of their study, across a variety of thematic topics (health, food, science and technology studies);
• Excellent command of both Dutch and English is imperative;
• A strong track record and good research skills, writing skills and presentation skills.
  

Fixed-term contract: 18 months.

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. The appointment will initially be for 18 months. After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, the contract will be extended. The PhD candidate choses between an appointment for the duration of 4 years, or 6 years in case the candidate has an interest to take a wider set of educational tasks.
In a 4 year trajectory, the division of duties will be 85% research - 15% education. The initial appointment will be for a period of one year with a possible extension conditional upon assessment of adequate functioning.
In a 6 year trajectory, the division of duties will be 60% research - 40% education. With the 40% education option there is the possibility of obtaining BKO qualification. The initial appointment will be for a period of 18 months with a possible extension conditional upon assessment of adequate functioning.
The salary will be in accordance with university regulations for academic personnel and amounts €2,541 per month during the first year and increases to €3,247 per month during the fourth year, based on a full-time employment. The job profile: is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for at least 1 FTE.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

• a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment,
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus,
• solid pension scheme (ABP),
• possibility to save holiday hours, for sabbatical leave,
• child daycare facilities available on campus.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. We strive to be a university where personal development and commitment to society play a leading role. A university where people from different disciplines and backgrounds collaborate to achieve innovations and to generate new knowledge. Our teaching and research encompass the entire spectrum of academic endeavor - from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 30,000 students. We employ over 5,500 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible and located in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
We are an inclusive university community. Diversity is one of our most important values. We believe that engaging in international activities and welcoming students and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds enhances the quality of our education and research. We are always looking for people who can enrich our world with their own unique perspectives and experiences.

The Faculty of Science
The Faculty of Science inspires researchers and students to find sustainable solutions for complex societal issues. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to medicines and from molecules to the moon: our teaching and research programmes cover the full spectrum of the natural sciences. We share knowledge and experience with leading research institutes and industries, both here in the Netherlands and abroad.

Working at the Faculty of Science means working with students, PhD candidates and researchers, all with a clear focus on their field and a broad view of the world. We employ more than 1,250 staff members, and we are home to more than 11,000 students.

Athena Institute
The position is offered within the Athena Institute, Faculty of Science. The institute's mission is to study and design interfaces between science and society to contribute both to a deeper understanding of innovation processes as well as a responsible implementation of research and innovation in society. Athena's research program amongst other focuses on analysing complex global health challenges, designing interventions and conducting participatory monitoring and evaluation research.
For more information about the Athena Institute visit our website.