PhD candidate Building 4 Belonging: social belonging at school in neurodiverse youth (0.8 FTE)

PhD candidate Building 4 Belonging: social belonging at school in neurodiverse youth (0.8 FTE)
Interested in tackling loneliness in schools? Consider joining the Building 4 Belonging consortium as a PhD student to co-design research with neurodiverse youth on how the school environment foster social belonginess.

What you will do
This PhD position on the Building 4 Belonging project aims to examine how the built environment impact loneliness of neurodiverse youth in high-school. You will conduct your research in co-design with neurodiverse youth and other important stake-holders, e.g., school boards, policy makers, teachers by using different approaches, including questionnaires, qualitative methods (i.e., focus groups, interviews) and ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Work activities consist of:

• Conducting a literature review on loneliness in autistic youth from an interdisciplinary perspective.
• Coordinating and conducting co-design studies with stakeholders on how the built environment affects loneliness in neurodiverse high school youth
• Writing peer-reviewed articles resulting in a dissertation
• Presenting on (inter)national scientific and professional conferences and events

Project description
High school is an important social environment for youth and therefore it is essential that all youth feel welcomed and valued in their school. During breaks, before or after classes, youngster can connect with each other and develop a peer community, social skills, and positive views and attitudes on diversity and inclusion. Facilitating inclusion and reducing loneliness in school will impact life for all youth way beyond the school premises: schoolmates meet outside school hours, often resulting in life-long relationships. Skills developed in the learning environment are transferable to other areas such as family life, vocational activities and free time. And youth who value diversity and are aware of their roles in creating inclusion will positively impact other social environments they enter later in life. Notwithstanding efforts to create more inclusive school, many students – especially those with special needs or vulnerabilities – often feel unwelcome and lonely in school. Also, autistic youth report higher levels of loneliness in school than allistic (non-autistic) youth.

This project focuses on how the built environment can facilitate social belonging in school.
When asked about their high school daily life experiences, autistic youth in our youth panel mentioned the overcrowded canteen, no places to sit, others bumping into them while trying to reach their locker. They experienced listening fatigue and overarousal because of the challenging acoustics and other forms of sensory overstimulation. Instead of mingling with their peers, they prefer to go to the empty classroom for their next class, and wait there for the class to start. Environmental factors may therefore impede the ability of autistic youth to stay in proximity of their peers during this unstructured school time, overhear conversations, or be part of the peer group in a more or less active role. These negative effects of such (school) environments may not only be limited to autistic youth alone; many others are also impacted by these environmental conditions.

Where you will work
The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences consists of five institutes: the Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology, Education and Child Studies, Political Science, and Psychology. The faculty is home to approximately 7,000 students and 1,000 staff members. Our institutes are dedicated not only to education but also to groundbreaking research that expands our understanding of human behavior and societal structures. What makes our faculty unique is the diversity of research topics, the variety of teaching approaches, and the structure of professional support. This provides you with the opportunity to explore and develop your interests and expertise. For an introduction to our faculty, visit our website: Welcome to the Leiden Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences – Leiden University.

The Institute of Psychology trains new generations of students to address the challenges of our society, both now and in the future, through leading behavioral science research and education. This is achieved through collaboration, both within and outside the institute, in the field of psychology and related research areas, covering both fundamental and applied aspects. The broad bachelor’s program and a wide range of master’s specializations further contribute to this mission. Within the institute and the academic community, a dedicated and passionate atmosphere prevails. The themes of Health and Wellbeing, Social-Cognitive-Affective Decision Making, Development and Learning, and Advanced Behavioral Science Methods guide both research and education. The institute places great importance on fostering a safe and inclusive environment, with room for new developments such as open science, recognition and valorization, and interdisciplinarity, which are firmly embedded in the institute’s strategy. The institute, with approximately 5,000 students and 600 staff members, comprises the Institute Office, the Bachelor’s Education Department, and six research and teaching units: Health, Medical and Neuropsychology, Clinical Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental and Educational Psychology, Social and Organizational Psychology, and Methods and Statistics.

Applications are invited for a four-year PhD position under the supervision of prof. Carolien Rieffe (Developmental & Educational Psychology Unit & Twente University) and dr. Marieke Bos (Educational & Developmental Psychology Unit) in the Building 4 Belonging (B4B) consortium, a collaboration among three Dutch universities (Leiden University, Twente University and VU).

What you bring
If you are passionate about exploring the complex interactions between built environment and sense of belonging and have a strong affinity with neurodiverse youth, then we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity to be part of the B4B consortium. You will have the chance to develop your research skills, work with a dynamic team, and make a valuable contribution to facilitate sense of belonging in autistic youth.

The qualifications needed for this position include:

• A completed or upcoming (in 2026) (research) master's degree in psychology, family studies, or a related field.
• A passion for discovering the optimal conditions for neurodiverse youth to feel social belonging in their school environment
• The ability to connect with neurodiverse youth from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and a strong value for diversity and inclusion
• A collaborative mindset, openness to learning new skills, and willingness to share knowledge
• Proficiency in Dutch, as you will be interacting frequently with neurodiverse youth
• Excitement about working together with fellow PhD students with different academic backgrounds (design, architecture, psychiatry), attention to detail, and clear communication skills

If you immediately recognise yourself in this profile, or if do you not quite meet all the requirements, but you believe that this is the right job for you, we look forward to your application!

What we offer
Our goal is to work together to create a transparent and inclusive work environment in which everyone feels welcome and appreciated. Our organisation is always evolving and we need your ideas for improvement and innovation to take us further. We want to devote attention to your personal development.

You can count on an enjoyable job within the socially relevant world of education and research. The University's challenging and international work environment is located just steps away from Leiden’s lively city centre or the bustling city centre of The Hague. We also want to work with you to devote attention to your health and vitality, for example with the fun activities we organise through Healthy University.

We also offer:

• PHD: An employment contract for 0.8 fte as a PhD candidate, initially for a period of 1 year, with the possibility of extension for 3 years after a positive evaluation. This contract falls under the CLA of Dutch Universities;
• A salary between €3059 - €3881 gross per month, based on a full-time appointment (38 hours) (PhD student);
• A holiday allowance (8%), an end-of-year bonus (8,3%), and an attractive pension scheme at ABP;
• Flexible working hours: as a standard, you are entitled to a minimum of 29 leave days on the basis of a full-time working week of 38 hours; you can also save for extra leave, for example by working 40 hours a week, and in this way accrue an extra 96 leave hours, or exchange 96 leave hours for a 36-hour week.
• Lots of options when it comes to secondary employment conditions; we can, for example, discuss options for a sabbatical or paid parental leave. Within our terms of employment individual choices model, you can exchange leave days and/or salary for benefits such as an advantageous sports subscription and bicycle scheme;
• If your work allows it, hybrid working is possible within the Netherlands;
• A home-working allowance (day and internet allowance) and attention for good workplaces. The University will also provide you with a laptop and a mobile telephone (if applicable for the position).

For more information about employment conditions, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at/job-application-procedure-and-employment-conditions

What we find important
Promoting an inclusive community is central to Leiden University’s values and vision. Leiden University aims to be an inclusive community in which all students and staff members feel valued and respected, and are able to develop to their full potential. Diversity in experiences and perspectives enriches our teaching and strengthens our research. High-quality education and research means inclusive education and research.

Want to apply or find out more?
If you want to apply straight away, click the application button.

If you would like more information about what the job entails, please contact prof. Carolien Rieffe, at crieffe@fsw.leidenuniv.nl. You can apply until 10 maart 2026; applications will be processed immediately.

To help us get to know each other better, we follow a number of steps in the application procedure. For more information, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at/job-application-procedure-and-employment-conditions

• We believe mobility is very important. That is why we are also publishing this vacancy internally. In case of equal suitability, we will give priority to the internal candidate.
• A pre-employment screening (references, diplomas, certificate of good conduct (VOG)) may be part of the selection procedure.
• Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated. If you nevertheless choose to send us CVs, no rights can be derived from this. #LI-Hybrid