Not-for-Profit - Junior researcher / consultant

Name: Nicole van Gelder
Master’s degree: Pedagogical Sciences - Youth, Education and Society (Utrecht University)
PhD degree: Faculty of Medical Sciences Radboud (Radboudumc)
Current position: (Postdoc) Researcher (Victim Support Netherlands/Slachtofferhulp Nederland and Radboudumc)

During the first years of my PhD I was unsure if I would continue in research or get (back) into practice in pedagogy or perhaps explore a more policy oriented position. However, this PhD research was very practice oriented and I liked that, so after a while I wanted to continue in practice oriented research projects and expand the eHealth intervention that we developed at the Radboudumc. I wanted to have a positive impact on support for survivors of intimate partner violence.

However, it wasn’t easy to stay on fulltime at the Radboudumc in terms of sufficient finances so near the end of my PhD I started looking around for other jobs in practice oriented research related to my area of expertise and I saw the vacancy at Victim Support Netherlands. I liked the idea of using my research to benefit an organization working with victims/survivors of all kinds of crimes, to expand my expertise, and to work at an NGO.

The uncertainties at the Radboudumc were largely about finances but now I can still conduct research projects and work on the eHealth intervention without being dependent on the salary from the Radboudumc, as I work there 1 day per week. The combination with my job at Victim Support Netherlands, for 4 days per week and now with a permanent contract, allows me to have a stable financial situation and work in research in various ways. At first, I was unsure if I was a suitable candidate for the position at Victim Support Netherlands as I didn’t study criminology or victimology but I got the job and I’ve really expanded my knowledge over the years. At Victim Support Netherlands I work with a team of 4 other researchers, most of them have also obtained a PhD, and we are involved in, for example:

• Internal research: such as evaluating pilots for new ways of supporting victims/survivors. We also have a longitudinal research project on the long- term consequences of victimization (diverse crimes and traffic accidents) on various life domains.
• External and international research: such as working together with various parties (e.g. ministries, universities (of applied sciences) and research or knowledge institutes) and facilitating research (e.g. data collection) or conducting research together (e.g. in European projects and in national consortia).
• Disseminating scientific knowledge to our colleagues in policy and innovation.
• Supporting advocacy for victims’ rights with scientific insights.
• Organizing a yearly Victimology Summer School, together with the Knowledge Network Victimology in the Netherlands (ViNE) and the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR).

Another challenge at Victim Support Netherlands was the lack of research colleagues at first, we had to build the research team from the ground up and for a while I was the only researcher. However, now after 3,5 years we have a team of 5 researchers and we have really professionalized our processes. Also, being there from the start provided me with the opportunity to have a voice in stating the vision of how a research team at Victim Support Netherlands works and what it means for the organization.

Honestly, it was a need for a salary that made me look around for other
opportunities but I did know I wanted to try staying in practice oriented research. Being able to do that at an NGO and therefore working much more closely together with policy, innovation and practice is really amazing. Because of my work at the Radboudumc I never left academia entirely but working at Victim Support Netherlands you also still work closely with academia while also having a strong connection to other fields. That connection with academia and the network, knowledge and skills that I brought also helped me in getting this position.

It also helped me that my supervisor at the Radboudumc encouraged me to look at other positions as well. Not just for the financial stability, but mostly to gain a different kind of experience and further expand my network and knowledge. It helped that she ensured me that this could also help me in the academic field within my area of expertise as well, should I want to try and go back into academia fulltime at some point. Luckily, both my employers were very flexible and open to me working for them both.

I never wanted to go into research when I was still studying pedagogy but I’ve learned that I’m really enthusiastic about practice oriented research and making a positive impact with it. That’s what I’m doing at Victim Support Netherlands and the Radboudumc, although my projects at Victim Support Netherlands have a broader scope and I’m doing many things outside of conducting research myself. I like the strong connection with other fields, such as policy, innovation and practice, and to translate scientific insights into information that they can use to their benefit (for example to improve support for victims/survivors). You learn to work together with people from different field and balance different interests.

I would want current PhD students to know that it is possible to combine academia with work outside of it. Of course, it is important to look at the division of hours and the financial implications, as the Netherlands has payroll tax reduction for only 1 job and not both, but it is possible to arrange it well. So explore and be creative, if you still want to be a researcher but not (fulltime) in the academic field, there are options. Furthermore, during my PhD my supervisor helped me with orientating: what do I want to do after the PhD and which steps can I take already to get there? So try to take some time for orientation and go talk to people who have jobs or work at organizations or companies that you find interesting.

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Name: Elli Thravalou
Master’s degree: Migration, Ethnic Relations and Multiculturalism (Utrecht University)
Current position: Researcher (Nuffic)

My ambition was to find a job where I could apply my knowledge and passion for migration issues to help others. I always believed that education can be a great tool in bringing people from diverse backgrounds together and reducing discrimination. It was clear for me that I wanted to do applied research and be close to the field. I felt that researchers should translate their findings into practical applications that can be easily understood and applied by a broad audience and practitioners in the field. I hoped that via my work I could help bring research and practice closer to each other.

When I graduated from my Master’s and started searching for jobs, I realised that Dutch language skills were essential. As an international graduate in the Netherlands with no knowledge of Dutch, I could not even read the Dutch-written vacancies, much less apply. English speaking jobs in my field were very limited. A big uncertainty was whether I would be able to learn Dutch fast enough. Not only that, but I also had almost no network of professionals. This is why navigating in the Dutch labor market was at the beginning a big struggle for me.

I signed up for an intensive Dutch language course and followed various workshops about how to write a motivation letter and CV, as well as tips about interviews. I also checked websites such as AcademicTransfer on a daily basis for new vacancies. I approached people with similar backgrounds, mostly via LinkedIn, and asked them to have a chat about their career development. All these steps helped me get a better idea about the Dutch labor market and get my first job helping international and Dutch students with their study abroad procedure. This way I learned more about internationalisation in education and after one and a half year I made a new step by starting my current job as researcher at Nuffic.

My current job fits my personality and ambition very well because it involves very interesting research projects that are societally relevant, for example our research about digitalisation of education in East Africa, or about inclusion, and a recent one on well-being of international students. I feel like I contribute to a bigger aim, that is giving all students the chance to have an international experience. The research insights we provide can help schools and universities to make their students interculturally competent. Students with an open mind and cultural sensitivity will be the citizens of the future, a future that will hopefully have more solidarity, peace and cooperation between people. We are constantly in dialogue with professionals in the field and various stakeholders. That’s a very big plus for me as a researcher because I always wanted to do applied research. Moreover, Nuffic is very human-oriented, cares for sustainability and also gives staff a lot of flexibility and the possibility to learn and develop.

I would advise others to reflect on what makes them happy and choose a research topic and approach they stand for. Even if everything looks very difficult in the beginning, persistence can take you very far. Give yourself time, explore the possibilities and don’t hesitate to try out new things! I was someone with no knowledge of Dutch and network in the Netherlands, and managed to find a Dutch-speaking job that really speaks to my heart. You can do it too! Nothing is impossible! Would you like to know more about my career journey and my job at Nuffic? Feel free to contact me via LinkedIn: https://nl.linkedin.com/in/ethravalou. Read more about research at Nuffic: digitalisation of education in East Africa, inclusion, well-being of international students.

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Name: Wim Korevaar
Master’s degree: Electrical Engineering (University of Twente)
PhD degree: Electrical Engineering (University of Twente)
Current position: Optical & RF Communications Scientist (TNO)

My wish was to combine entrepreneurship and scientific research. They may sound like two different worlds, but both entrepreneurs as well as scientists try to come up with solutions for today’s problems and turn them into reality. Creating a positive impact for tomorrow, that’s what drives me.

During my studies and PhD, I got the opportunity to start two tech startups, together with a small team. This answered my ambition and passion for science and entrepreneurship. After my PhD, I continued to manage one of the companies, but - with more and more management tasks – I started to miss in-depth scientific research. After the acquisition of the second company, I considered different options and decided to return to (applied) research. I joined the national research institute TNO, to work on next-generation telecommunication systems for the space industry; a very exciting field!

I joined TNO with a big thanks to a former PhD colleague of mine, who told me about the optical satellite communications program at TNO. His introduction and a few cups of coffee did the job.

At TNO I experience an entrepreneurial environment, with a lot of responsibility, many degrees of freedom and truly exciting projects. At TNO we aim to bridge the gap between academia and the industry, by turning conceptual/academic ideas into real-world demonstrations. On a day-to-day basis, I work in multi-disciplinary teams with fruitful collaborations with industry partners, space agencies and academic institutions.

Value your network of colleagues, friends and family. Both for getting feedback on your plans for the future and to help you identify (job) opportunities. Be aware, with your specific PhD specialization you may not find a large number of potential employers and job vacancies which exactly match your background and interests. Rather than waiting for the right job vacancy to come online, consider open applications or requesting a ‘cup of coffee’ to meet your future employer.

Are you working as a researcher in the Netherlands and would you like to share your personal story? We are continuously looking for new stories.

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