PhD (4 years) position “A Social-Psychological Investigation of Cross-Gender Interactions in the Workplace Post #MeToo”

A full-time PhD position at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam on Cross-Gender Interactions in the Workplace Post #MeToo.

As gender diversity within organizations increases, so do interactions between men and women in workplaces around the globe. Compared to same-gender interactions, cross-gender interactions at work are laced with more uncertainty and can lead to discomfort and even harassment. Anecdotal evidence suggest that challenges surrounding cross-gender interactions at work have accelerated over the last years in response to the #MeToo movement. In this movement, that took off in 2017, numerous professional women around the world, spoke out about their experiences with sexual harassment and abuse of power at work. This movement sparked a worldwide debate about sexual harassment in the workplace and reshaped the boundaries of what is thought of as appropriate or inappropriate cross-gender behavior at work. The present PhD project examines the social-psychological consequences of these developments for cross-gender interactions at work. We focus on the following research question: What are the implications of the #MeToo movement for cross-gender interactions in the workplace? We will use a set of quantitative research methods to answer this question, including survey, experimental, and intervention studies.

The project will be supervised by dr. Sanne Feenstra, dr. Marvin Neumann, and professor Mark van Vugt from the section Organizational Psychology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The PhD will be part of the Amsterdam Leadership Lab (www.amsterdamleadershiplab.nl). The project is expected to result in a dissertation and, a minimum of, two peer-reviewed publications in respected scientific journals examining the benefits and backlash of the #Metoo movement for cross-gender interactions at work. Insight obtained during the PhD project will be used to develop workshops and trainings for management and employees on improving cross-gender interactions through the Amsterdam Leadership Lab. The PhD is required to follow training courses for professional and personal development to fulfill the VU graduate school criteria for obtaining a PhD.

You should have:

• (Almost) finished a Research Master in the field of social/organizational psychology or a closely related discipline such as management, economics or organizational sciences (candidates without a Research Masters but with extensive research training beyond their Master's degree may also apply).
• Training and experience with quantitative research;
• Excellent knowledge of methodology and statistics;
• Excellent command of written and spoken English and academic writing skills;
• Good knowledge of office and statistical software (MS Office, SPSS, R);
• Motivation and ability to assist in teaching undergraduate psychology courses.
• Expected starting date: September 1, 2023.

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. The salary will be in accordance with university regulations for academic personnel and amounts €2,541 (PhD) per month during the first year and increases to €3,247 (PhD) 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.

The appointment will initially be for 1 year. After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, the contract will be extended for a duration of 4 years.
Additionally, 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), a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge
• contribution to commuting expenses

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.

Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences
The Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences focuses on the broad domain of behaviour and health. Our teaching and research programmes are devoted to current developments in society, from healthy aging to e-health, from juvenile crime to dealing with depression, from training for top athletes to social media as a teaching tool. We are unique in that we combine three academic disciplines: psychology, movement sciences and education.

Working at Behavioural and Movement Sciences means working in an ambitious organization that is characterized by an informal atmosphere and short lines of communication. Our faculty offers tremendous scope for personal development. We employ more than 600 staff members, and we are home to around 3,400 students.