PhD candidate in Operations Management at Tilburg University CentER Graduate School of Business

The Department of Information Systems & Operations Management (ISOM) seeks applications for a doctoral student position in Operations Management. As a PhD student you will primarily work on the development, implementation and publication of research projects. The PhD candidate will be based in the ISOM Department with their world-class faculty contributing to research published in leading outlets and making an impact on our industry and NGO partners, and on the livelihoods of millions. Faculty cover a wide range of research topics and methods and belong to the top 10 ISOM research groups in Europe. You will be able to benefit from the department’s strong research focus and its numerous resources (e.g., databases, research seminars, brown bags, career planning, skills-enhancement workshops, international conferences, contacts with practitioners, etc.). 

The Operations Management research in the department focuses on the strategic, tactical, and operational design and execution of organizational systems. We study the complex dynamics of real-world operations across industries, drawing on rich empirical settings through our local and international corporate and NGO networks. Our work employs a broad range of empirically grounded qualitative and quantitative methods, including field and laboratory experiments, behavioral research, econometric and causal inference approaches, optimization and analytical modeling, and data-driven techniques such as machine learning and large language models. Our work is regularly published in the field’s top journals, including Management Science, Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, Journal of Operations Management, Operations Research, and Production and Operations Management.

We seek applicants with a strong quantitative background and a demonstrated interest in empirically grounded Operations Management. Suitable candidates typically hold an MSc, MPhil, or Research Master’s degree in (supply chain) management, business analytics, industrial engineering, economics, applied mathematics, or closely related fields. PhD candidates are expected to develop their own research agenda in close interaction with faculty.

You will be enrolled as a PhD candidate in the world-class PhD program of CentER Graduate School of Business, where you will receive extensive training in theory and methods by taking several PhD-level courses (about 36 European credits) in information systems, operations management, econometrics, machine learning, extensive data analytics and qualitative research methods. The student will collaborate closely with advisors to identify, develop, and carry out their research project. The PhD dissertation will be a product of the student's creativity and initiative, shaped with guidance from the advisors, and will demand a strong dedication to scientific exploration. There is also a travel budget for attending PhD level courses outside of CentER, work visits and conferences. The training can be adapted to the previous educational achievements of the PhD candidate by mutual agreement with the supervisors.  

A PhD dissertation at CentER requires the design and execution of 3 studies. The execution of the research work itself typically involves the conceptualization of the research questions and ideas, data collection, qualitative and/or quantitative analysis of the data, and writing and presenting of academic papers. The aim is to publish those projects in high-quality academic journals (see the TiSEM Journal List). Two advisors will be appointed to supervise your PhD research, taking into account your research interests and by mutual agreement. Upon successful completion of your courses and your research work, as demonstrated by a submitted and approved PhD dissertation and the subsequent defense, you will be awarded a doctorate by Tilburg University.  

A minimum of 80% of the position’s time will be dedicated to the completion of your PhD research, with the remainder to the acquisition of other academic skills through teaching courses and supervising master/bachelor theses within the department. 

Please review the formal admission requirements here. In short, we are looking for the following:

1. An academic Master’s or MPhil/Research Master’s degree in business analytics, economics, econometrics, supply chain management, operations research or another relevant field that is deemed an equivalent to the previous education profile. 
2. Completed the previous degree with an excellent GPA (top 10% of class as guideline) 
3. Proficiency in English to be proven by means of an IELTS score of at least 7.0, with no sub scores below 6.5, a TOEFL score of at least 100 (internet based) or 600 (paper based), a Cambridge CAE (at least B) or a Cambridge CPE. Exemptions can be provided upon request to native English speakers or to candidates who have obtained their bachelor’s and master’s degree in English in the European Union, the UK, Canada, USA, Australia, or New Zealand. 
4. A solid quantitative background, to be proven in one of the following ways: 

1. candidates with a MSc or MPhil degree from a Research University in the European Union need to have at least 24 ECTS credits in quantitative and research methods courses during their BSc and/or MSc or MPhil programs. If this is not the case, but you would still like to be considered for admission, you are welcome to hand in a GRE or GMAT test score to show your quantitative competences. 

1. candidates with a MSc or MPhil degree from a university outside the European Union: please provide a recent GRE or GMAT test score. 

Tilburg University offers excellent benefits in a pleasant working environment:

• Employment of 1 FTE
• Salary between €3059 (year 1) and € 3881 (year 4) gross per month for full-time employment (UFO-profile Promovendus, salary scale P).
• This is a vacancy for a PhD in accordance with Article 2.3 paragraph 8 sub b CLA DU. You will initially be given a temporary contract for the duration of 18 months. The evaluation will take place after about 14 months. Upon a positive evaluation, this contract will be followed by a new fixed-term contract of 30 months. (N.B. program is 4 years, full-time).
• Vacation pay of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.
• Over 8 weeks of vacation leave.
• Hybrid working with home working allowance (€2 p/day) and internet allowance (€25 p/month).
• Reimbursement sustainable commuting: walking, cycling, and public transport.
• Options model for additional leave, pension, a bicycle or personal training.
• Moving allowance (subject to conditions).
• 30% rule for international employees (if applicable).
• Pension through ABP.
• Ample training offer: personal development, leadership, education, research or language courses.
• Inclusive work culture: everyone welcome, equal opportunities.
• A green, inviting campus that’s easily accessible by public transport.

For more information, please see our website and the CLA Dutch Universities.

Tilburg University is an academic, inclusive, and engaged community. Together with nearly 3,000 employees, we are committed to broad prosperity, sustainability, and inclusion. For current and future generations. We develop and share knowledge for the requirements of people and our society. This is how we contribute to solving complex social issues and help society move forward.

We educate our 19,500 students of 110 nationalities to become responsible leaders with knowledge, skills, and character. With our education and research for broad prosperity, we exceedingly focus on themes such as mental and preventive care, an inclusive labor market, the

About TiSEM

Tilburg School of Economics and Management (TiSEM) is one of Europe’s leading centers for research in business and economics, with research rankings consistently among’s Europe’s top 10 across various business domain. In addition to the strong research focus and collegial research climate, it offers a wide variety of educational programs at the undergraduate and graduate level, with about 7,000 students enrolled. The School is well-connected to both policy makers and industry in the region and internationally, providing ample opportunities for creating impact with research.

About the Department of Information Systems & Operations Management

The ISOM Department is a young and vibrant department, focused on exploring innovative uses of technology, data driven decision-making, resilience, and operational efficiency across industries.

Our faculty members are internationally recognized for their expertise in information systems and operations management. They are committed to providing high-quality education that prepares students to excel in today’s data-driven and interconnected world. The department is organized around two primary research areas—Information Systems and Operations and Supply Chain Management—where we investigate topics ranging from digital transformation and data ethics to logistics resilience and sustainable supply chain design.

Want to know more?

Would you like to know more before applying? Feel free to contact the ISOM Graduate Program Coordinator, dr.ir. Melvin Drent (m.drent@tilburguniversity.edu).