Eindhoven University of Technology is offering a fully funded, four-year PhD-position on the regional support of innovations developed in fieldlabs, as part of the NWO-funded project "Fieldlabs@Scale: Towards effective collaborative experimentation for mission-driven innovation". Fieldlabs are emerging in the Netherlands as a promising approach to mission-driven innovation. They bring together regional stakeholders—including business and knowledge institutes—to collaboratively experiment with solutions for societal challenges. So far, their effectiveness remains mixed as they face problems in scaling such innovative solutions. Involving a broad, interdisciplinary consortium, Fieldlabs@Scale studies fieldlabs in agriculture, healthcare, infrastructure, and smart industry. The project develops new theories on mechanisms for collaborative experimentation and co-create supportive tools for policymakers, regional network organizations, and fieldlab participants.

As a PhD candidate, you will examine how innovation activities in fieldlabs are affected by regional, national, and European institutions. In the context of fieldlabs, relevant formal institutions include funding pools from the European Regional Development Fund and the provinces, intellectual property contracts, sectoral technical standards, and professional education programs. You will collect data from fieldlabs, industry organizations, and government, to develop an institutional framework to foster the innovative capacity of fieldlabs. You will help co-create public policies for the effective deployment of fieldlabs in the future.

You will be part of a team of four PhDs candidates and eight senior researchers (at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Twente University, Tilburg University and Eindhoven University of Technology), and work with a large consortium of policymakers, regional network organizations, and fieldlab participants.

The preferred starting date is April 1, 2023.

• A master's degree (or an equivalent university degree) in innovation studies, industrial engineering. innovation management, or any other related, relevant field.
• A research-oriented attitude, including autonomy, self-motivation and analytical thinking.
• Experience with qualitative research methods.
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary team of researchers.
• Ability to collaborate with partners in industry and policy.
• Excellent project management skills (e.g., planning, organizing and execution).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Fluent in spoken and written English (C1 level).
• Knowledge of the Dutch language is desirable.
• Affinity and experience with public policy is desirable.
• Affinity and experience with technologies and innovation in the domains of agriculture, healthcare. infrastructure and/or smart industry is desirable.
• Motivation to develop your teaching skills and coach students is desirable.

A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you:

• Full-time employment for four years, with an intermediate evaluation (go/no-go) after nine months. You will spend 10% of your employment on teaching tasks.
• Salary and benefits (such as a pension scheme, paid pregnancy and maternity leave, partially paid parental leave) in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale P (min. €. 2.541   - max. € 3.247).
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• High-quality training programs and other support to grow into a self-aware, autonomous scientific researcher. At TU/e we challenge you to take charge of your own learning process.
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
• An allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs.
• A Staff Immigration Team and a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) for international candidates.