Are you interested in developing new evaluation approaches for how challenge-based research and innovation projects can contribute to achieving missions on beating cancer? Join our team as a PhD candidate at the Copernicus institute of Sustainable Development.

Your job
The vacancy is part of the National Growth Fund Oncode Accelerator and positioned within the Copernicus Institute’s Mission-oriented Innovation Policy Observatory, a transdisciplinary initiative for studying and enhancing ambitious endeavours that aim to address societal challenges such as missions on cancer and health and wellbeing.

The Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development is looking for a PhD candidate who would like to join our interdisciplinary team to study new forms of monitoring and evaluation of challenge-based research and innovation projects to support societal missions on cancer. You will become part of the National Growth Fund programme Oncode Accelerator, which aims to accelerate the development and clinical application of new cancer therapies to address unmet medical needs. Your position will also be embedded in the Copernicus Institute’s Mission-oriented Innovation Policy Observatory, a transdisciplinary initiative for studying and enhancing ambitious endeavours to address societal challenges such as missions on cancer and health and wellbeing.

As a PhD candidate you will contribute to developing a theory of change and monitoring and evaluation approach to understand and assess the process of impact creation in large translational research projects such as Oncode Accelerator. You will particularly focus on how science and technology development in these projects contribute to shaping the Dutch and European health innovation system and addressing societal missions on beating cancer. This includes a focus on the role of clinical data infrastructures, in-vitro models such as organoids and artificial intelligence approaches for drug discovery. As part of the regulatory innovation workstream of the Oncode Accelerator programme, you will also consider how processes of regulatory and policy change are part of mission achievement. This involves active collaborations with the Utrecht Centre for Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulation and Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board.

We are searching for a motivated and goal-oriented PhD candidate who would like to work in an interdisciplinary research environment in close interaction with stakeholders. Specifically, we are looking for a candidate who:

• Has successfully completed a Master’s degree in social sciences with a focus on innovation, science and technology studies (STS), transition studies, management, policy sciences, economic geography, or a related social sciences field;
• Has higher education experience or a proven interest in health in general and oncology specifically, as demonstrated by training or extracurricular activities focused on ethical, regulatory policy, and societal aspects of health technology implementation;
• Has an affinity and experience with co-creation processes and direct stakeholder engagement;
• Enjoys working in an interdisciplinary team and with stakeholders, and can showcase a proactive attitude and organizational skills in these settings;
• Has excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

We offer:

• a position for 1 year, with an extension to a total of four years upon a successful assessment in the first year, and with the specific intent that it results in a doctorate within this period;
• a working week of 36 hours and a gross monthly salary between €2.770 and €3.539 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development, leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities, as well as discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

Universiteit Utrecht

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

Utrecht University’s Faculty of Geosciences studies the Earth: from the Earth’s core to its surface, including man’s spatial and material utilisation of the Earth – always with a focus on sustainability and innovation. With 3,400 students (BSc and MSc) and 720 staff, the faculty is a strong and challenging organisation. The Faculty of Geosciences is organised in four Departments: Earth Sciences, Human Geography & Spatial Planning, Physical Geography, and Sustainable Development.