Are you interested in rural challenges considering care for the elderly, interacting with healthcare practitioners operating at various levels (from medical doctors to healthcare assistants) as well as policy makers and scientists? And are you willing to expand theoretical knowledge on mundane care and landscape issues? Then we might be looking for you!

The PhD student will participate in a national research programme on elderly care in rural areas, studying how healthcare organisations experiment with innovative care models to develop sustainable high-quality care in regions facing an increasing elderly – and shrinking workforce – population, considering today’s (and tomorrow’s) rural challenges. The research comprises an action-oriented approach in which a group of researchers acts with healthcare organisations in building new healthcare arrangements, both within existing elderly care facilities and among regional cooperating healthcare organizations. Next to research, the PhD student will participate in our teaching programmes.

The successful candidate should have a MSc in, for example, sociology, science & technology studies, anthropology, health sciences or human geography, and should be trained in qualitative methods (particularly ethnography). The candidate has an affinity with healthcare and is strong in theoretical work. The candidate should be willing to travel for fieldwork, works well in teams and has excellent English language skills (both in writing and speaking) and masters the Dutch language. Fieldwork will be conducted in Dutch.

Fixed-term contract: period of 4 years, starting with a temporary contract for 1.5 years followed by a second temporary contract for 2.5 years.

We offer a position as PhD student at EUR. PhD students are appointed for a period of 4 years, starting with a temporary contract for 1.5 years followed by a second temporary contract for 2.5 years. Remuneration will be according to the PhD scales set by the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities and ranges from € 2.266,- in the first year to € 2.897,- in the fourth year. In addition, there is a holiday allowance (8%), a set end-of-year bonus (8,3%), and generous opportunities for post-doctoral training and attending scientific conferences. Full time is considered to be 38 hours a week.

Erasmus University Rotterdam

The Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), named after Rotterdam-born humanist and theologian Erasmus, is a research university with a strong international orientation and a pronounced social focus, both in its education and research activities. On the lively, modern campus, more than 28.000 students and scholars of more than 100 nationalities are constantly encouraged to develop their talents and meet their ambition. Our more than 2700 scientists and employees work together with all our students to solve challenges faced by global society, drawing their inspiration from the consistently dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. The academic education offered at our faculties is intensive, engaging and strongly focused on practical application. We increasingly perform our research in multidisciplinary teams, which are closely interwoven with international networks. In terms of research impact and the quality of its degree programmes, EUR can compete with the foremost universities in Europe, which is reflected in its consistent top-100 position in most major universities rankings. Erasmus University Rotterdam’s key values are daring, curiosity, social involvement, breaking new ground and striving for success http://www.eur.nl

Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management

Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM) is part of Erasmus University Rotterdam and is responsible for a bachelors and three (international) master programmes on health policy, economics and management, serving more than 800 students. ESHPM is a multidisciplinary school with research focusing on three main themes: ‘competition and regulation in healthcare’; ‘quality and efficiency in healthcare’; ‘healthcare management’. The position is offered in the Healthcare governance group, which operates on the intersection of these three main themes.