We offer a dynamic and challenging job in an internationally oriented organisation where students receive an advanced education and scholars conduct exciting research. The PhD candidate will have the unique opportunity to carry out research within the Research Themes and Centres of Expertise within the research programme at the Graduate School of Business and Economics (GSBE) and will contribute to the development and outreach of its research. The candidate will be part of an international network of top universities and renowned scholars within the field.

The Department of Educational Research and Development is looking for a PhD candidate who wants to conduct a multidisciplinary PhD project centred around professional performance, engagement and job satisfaction of academics in the context of higher education.

Within higher education, academics fulfil various roles such as doing research, teaching and management. However, it is known that some academics seem to work in a flow and seamlessly combine these roles, whereas others seem to constantly struggle to keep up with the demands of the job. Similarly, why is it that some academics dare to be innovative teachers, whereas others want to spend their time mainly with research? In this PhD project, you will study how the higher education work context affects the well-being (e.g. engagement and job satisfaction) and professional performance of academics. You will make use of both qualitative and quantitative research methods, and are expected to publish your work in high quality peer reviewed journals.

Next to your research, you will be involved as a teacher in our top ranked master programme “Learning and Development in Organisations”.

Are you self-motivated, curious and interested in research? Do you have a record of high academic achievement (e.g. good grades and/or involvement in other academic activities) and the skills required to become an excellent researcher in the field of your choice? If so, then a PhD position at SBE might be the challenge you are looking for.

To be considered, you should:

• Hold a (Research) Master degree in Work and Organisational Psychology, Learning & Development, Educational Sciences, Business Administration or related fields;
• Have affinity with various research methods (quantitative and qualitative);
• Have academic interest in well-being research;
• Be proficient in spoken and written English;
• Be able to work independently as well as in teams;
• Be able to self-regulate your work.

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

• Salary scale: PhD (Dutch University Salary Scales);
• Employment basis: Temporary for specified period;
• Additional duties: restricted involvement as a teacher in tutorials;
• Signing of a non-disclosure agreement.

Remuneration will be according to standard salary levels for PhD students starting with a gross monthly salary of € 2,395 with a yearly growth to € 3,061 (based on a full-time appointment). Each year the standard salary is supplemented with a holiday allowance of 8% and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%

The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO). Furthermore, local UM provisions also apply. For more information please visit the website http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl, 

Maastricht University

Maastricht University is renowned for its unique, innovative, problem-based learning system, which is characterized by a small-scale and student-oriented approach. Research at UM is characterized by a multidisciplinary and thematic approach, and is concentrated in research institutes and schools. Maastricht University has around 20,000 students and 4,700 employees. Reflecting the university's strong international profile, a fair amount of both students and staff are from abroad. The university hosts 6 faculties: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of Law, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience. For more information, please visit www.maastrichtuniversity.nl.

The School of Business and Economics (abbreviated as SBE) is a high-level European school in the fields of Economics and International Business Administration and is accredited by both the AACSB and EQUIS. The school is located in the heart of Maastricht.

The key characteristics of SBE are small-scale teaching methods, a portfolio of international study programs, and strong incentives for top-quality research. SBE attracts outstanding students from over 60 countries on its MBA, Bachelor, Masters, Ph.D., and executive education programs (all in English). Forty percent of the student population and thirty-five percent of the academic faculty come from outside The Netherlands.

Educational Reserch and Development

The Department of Educational Research and Development offers a highly engaging work environment. We serve Maastricht University, and the School of Business and Economics in particular, through the SBE Learning Academy. Next, we contribute to the top-ranked MSc Program Learning and Development in Organisations. Our research projects are focused on workplace learning and professional development.