The Department of Education at Utrecht University is looking for a PhD candidate (0.8 FTE for 5 years) on the NWA project Navigating the cross-contextual media landscape: Children’s and adolescent’s digital media use, development and (in)equality.

About the project: 

Today’s children and youth (C&Y) are immersed in digital media in the full media landscape that surrounds them across contexts. The Covid pandemic revealed inequal opportunities for C&Y to use digital media. There are differences in digital media access, motivation/skills to use digital media, and support of key persons (e.g., parents/teachers/peers) herein. Understanding mechanisms in C&Y’s digital media use related to their development helps them and key persons to act in evidence-informed ways to reduce inequality. A better understanding of these factors is especially important during transition periods (i.e., from kindergarten to primary school or the early years in secondary school). During these periods, deviations in development could strongly impact C&Y’s opportunities. Our aim is that scientists, parents, professionals and C&Y understand the mechanisms that influence the relations between C&Y's digital media use, their development and opportunities. Furthermore, we want to develop skills and tools to support a positive impact of C&Y’s digital media use on development and equality of opportunities.

We are a consortium of five universities (Utrecht University, University Maastricht, UTwente, Radboud University and Leiden University), two universities of applied sciences (Fontys and Windesheim) and seven collaboration partners (Centrum Jeugd en Gezin, Stichting Lezen, Kids Connect, TNO, Nederlands Jeugd Instituut, Kennisnet and Lucas Onderwijs). 

In total, the NWA project consists of seven PhD part-projects and one postdoc project. The Department of Education of Utrecht University currently offers one PhD position in Educational Sciences/Pedagogy/Communication Sciences on Early adolescent’s digital media use and their cognitive development.

Responsibilities:

• Conducting the research (literature research, designing the studies, recruiting participants, collecting and analysing data, preparing and storing data packages for sharing);
• Writing international scientific publications and a dissertation;
• Giving presentations at (inter)national scientific conferences;
• Actively engaging in outreach activities and disseminating findings to educational professionals and the general public;
• Active participation in the local and (inter)national research team involved in this project and in the research team of the UU Department of Education;
• Following courses/training (a.o. in the context of Research School ICO, the Interuniversity Centre for Educational Sciences and the local graduate school);
• Teaching courses or supervising bachelor/master thesis projects (max. 0.1 FTE) can be part of the PhD position.

• (Research) Master in educational sciences, educational / (applied) cognitive / social psychology, pedagogy, communication sciences (completed or nearly completed);
• Experience with longitudinal data collection, experience sampling method, and (advanced) statistical methods;
• Social, organizational, and self-regulatory competencies;
• Good communication skills (written and oral);
• Proficiency in Dutch and English;
• Ambition to collaborate with schools/teachers/ youth professionals/ parents/youth;
• Ambition to collaborate with (inter)national partners and pay research visits to these partners.

You will be offered a temporary position (0.8 FTE), initially for one year with an extension to a total of 5 years, upon a successful assessment in the first year, and with the specific intent that it results in a doctorate within this period. The gross salary ranges between €2.541,- in the first year and €3.247,- in the fourth year of employment (scale P according to the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities) per month for a full-time employment. Salaries are supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3% per year.

In addition, Utrecht University offers excellent secondary conditions, including an attractive retirement scheme, (partly paid) parental leave and flexible employment conditions (multiple choice model). For more information, please visit working at Utrecht University.

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Sustainability.

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is one of the leading faculties in Europe providing research and academic teaching in cultural anthropology, educational sciences, interdisciplinary social science, pedagogical sciences, psychology, and sociology. Almost 7.000 students are enrolled in a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programmes. The faculty has about 1.100 faculty and staff members, all providing their individual contribution to the training and education of young talent and to the research into and finding solutions for scientific and societal issues. The faculty is located at Utrecht Science Park near the historical city centre of Utrecht.

The faculty strives for diversity among its employees and students and is committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for everyone, as can be read in Utrecht University's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy.