PhD Position: Inherited Networks

Would you like to contribute to understanding how social network connections and resources are transmitted from parents to their children? In this project, you will examine the role of social networks in reproducing (dis-)advantage across generations.

This PhD project focuses on the intergenerational transmission of social networks and is part of the broader NWO-funded research programme SHINE: SHaping unequal futures through Inherited Networks. SHINE collects multigenerational quantitative and qualitative data to study how parents’ social network connections and resources shape their children’s career outcomes.

As a PhD candidate, you will work on your own project within the SHINE programme. The aim is to understand how and under which conditions social networks are transmitted across generations, and how this contributes to persistent social inequality. In particular, the project examines the similarities between parents’ and children’s networks, the mechanisms through which network connections and resources are inherited, and whether these processes differ across socioeconomic groups.

You will analyse both existing panel data and newly collected survey data (e.g. with multilevel regression and longitudinal panel analysis). We will refine existing network measures to better capture inherited networks, with a primary focus on network size, composition, resources, and overlap. In addition, you will work closely with the SHINE postdoctoral researcher to collect qualitative data aimed at understanding the mechanisms underlying intergenerational network transmission. Proficiency in Dutch is therefore required for this project.

As part of your PhD position, you will also contribute to teaching and will have the opportunity to work on components of your University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) portfolio.

You can find a detailed project description in the attachment at the bottom of this vacancy.

Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to pursue a PhD at Radboud University? Visit the page about working as a PhD candidate.

• We will give you a temporary employment contract (1.0 FTE) of 1.5 years, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, your contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4-year contract).
• You will receive a starting salary of €3,059 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €3,881 in the fourth year (salary scale P).
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus.
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20.

Additional employment conditions
Work and science require good employment practices. This is reflected in Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself, for example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports subscription. And of course, we offer a good pension plan. You are given plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.

Faculty of Social Sciences
At the Faculty of Social Sciences, humanity and society are our focus; we study how people behave, think and feel. Within this context, we look at themes such as human behaviour and the human psyche, education and upbringing, communication, society and culture. The faculty provides education to 6,000 students and employs 700 staff. Education is organised into six programme clusters: Psychology; Artificial Intelligence; Pedagogical Sciences and Educational Sciences; Communication Science; Sociology; and Cultural Anthropology and Developmental Sociology, and the Radboud Centre Social Sciences as an institute for post-master education have been merged into the Social Sciences Education Institute. Our research is carried out within three research institutes: the Donders Centre for Cognition, the Behavioural Science Institute, and Radboud Social Cultural Research.

Radboud University
At Radboud University, we aim to make an impact through our work. We achieve this by conducting groundbreaking research, providing high-quality education, offering excellent support, and fostering collaborations within and outside the university. In doing so, we contribute indispensably to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. To accomplish this, we need even more colleagues who, based on their expertise, are willing to search for answers. We advocate for an inclusive community and welcome employees with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. Will you also contribute to making the world a little better? You have a part to play.

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You will be appointed within the Department of Sociology. As a PhD candidate in the Department of Sociology, you will be part of Radboud Social Cultural Research (RSCR) and the Interuniversity Center for Social Science Theory and Methodology (ICS).

The Department of Sociology conducts research on key themes such as inequality, family and social relationships, and processes of inclusion and exclusion. This project is embedded within the department’s research programme on inequality. The department comprises approximately 25 staff members and offers a supportive and collegial working environment. You will participate in seminars and research meetings, gaining broad insight into sociological research at Radboud University, and will contribute to teaching within the Sociology programme.

The research will align with the research on ‘changing inequalities’ of the Radboud Social Cultural Research (RSCR) institute. RSCR is a research institute at the Faculty of Social Sciences and consists of the groups Sociology, Cultural Anthropology and Development Studies, and Gender and Diversity Studies. The overall aim of RSCR is to improve the understanding of (the processes leading to) inequalities in various societies through investigating the societal phenomena of social inequality and inclusion.

The ICS is an internationally renowned Research Center and Graduate School in the field of Sociology, located in The Netherlands at the Universities of Amsterdam (UvA), Groningen, Nijmegen and Utrecht and forms the graduate school you will join. Together with other candidates starting in September 2026, you will form the new ICS PhD cohort, following the graduate school’s educational track (fully taught in English) and beginning on 1 September 2026.

You can apply only through the ICS graduate school website. Please click on the apply button below. There you will find which documents you need to include with your application. We look forward to receiving your application.

Interviews will be conducted on 13 and 14 April 2026 in Nijmegen or online. ICS will not cover travel costs for an interview. Invitations for interviews will be sent by email after 24 March 2026.