Marie Curie Doctoral Training Network PhD researcher fellowship in mobility

Category:  PhD

1 - Working at the VUB

For more than 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for freedom, equality and solidarity, and this is very much alive on our campuses among students and staff alike. 

 

At the VUB, you will find a diverse collection of personalities: innovators pur sang, but above all people who are 100% their authentic selves. With some 4,000 employees, we are the largest Dutch-speaking employer, in the private sector, in Brussels; an international city with which we are only too happy to connect and where (around) our 4 campuses are located. 

 

Add to this our principle of free research - in which self-reflection, a critical attitude and an open, creative mind around scientific and social issues are central - and you have a university that is fundamentally groundbreaking and pioneering in education and research. In short: the VUB all over again. 

 

Moreover, the VUB is a member of EUTOPIA, an alliance of like-minded European universities, all ready to reinvent themselves.

2 - Position description

The Faculty Social Sciences & Solvay Business School, Department Business Technology and Operations, Research Group House of Sustainable Transitions is looking for a PhD-student with a doctoral grant. 

 

More concretely your work package, for the preparation of a doctorate, contains: 

You will be conducting research on the new governance of urban transformations and mobility as part of the new European MSCA Doctoral Network TRANSFORM - Urban Mobility Cultures in Transition: Socio-Spatial Implications of Transformative Practices (2025-2028).

 

The TRANSFORM project will study from a holistic, interdisciplinary, intersectoral and gender-sensitive perspective the meaning and functioning of transitions in urban mobility cultures. It will examine whether and to what extent transformative practices are effective mechanisms to activate and consolidate the transitions as well as the resulting socio-spatial effects. The project is recruiting 13 doctoral candidates to pursue post-graduate studies towards the acquisition of a doctoral degree. The research programme of these individual researchers will be integrated into a set of 8 work packages that include the participation of 16 highly-reputed European academic institutions and 9 experienced non-academic organizations: private companies, associations, regional governments, and urban living labs. The project will focus on training of a new generation of researchers through an innovative, comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral doctoral programme that includes: (i) academic training; (ii) non-academic training; (iii) transferable skills training; and (iv) specific and coordinated supervision & mentoring.

 

You will conduct research to analyse urban transformations by examining the involvement of non-governmental initiatives across six case studies: Brussels (Belgium), Copenhagen (Denmark), Frankfurt (Germany), Luxembourg (Luxembourg), Madrid (Spain), and Vienna (Austria). To achieve this, the first step is to assess why mobility campaigns have been implemented and evaluate their success. Building on this, the second step focuses on determining the role of stakeholders, with an emphasis on non-governmental initiatives, in ensuring the success of these policies. This analysis will contribute to a broader theoretical understanding of the governance of urban transformations. Finally, the third step is to translate these insights into practical recommendations for the future design of urban transformation processes, ensuring that best practices can inform future policy and planning.

The expected results are:

1) Critical analysis of the impact of mobility campaigns across six case studies representing diverse mobility cultures across Europe;

2) Analysis of how these non-governmental initiatives questioned and initiated changes in behaviour and policy making;

3) Theoretical knowledge will be further developed regarding the structure of transport governance, the importance of local residents’ quality of life and, ultimately, the transition of transport and urban planning towards more sustainable mobility cultures. The empirical research will include working with local stakeholders such as civil organisations and government representatives in Belgium to investigate mobility campaigns and bottom-up governance at different scales.

The participation in trainings, workshops and secondments (1-2 months) to another partner institution during the project is mandatory.

 

Tasks

You will carry out academic research in the domains of mobility, participation and governance.
You will collect and analyse qualitative (e.g. interviews, focus groups, content and discourse analysis) and quantitative data (e.g. surveys, datasets on travel behaviour).
You will author academic publications and research reports.
You will present research results at workshops, academic and policy conferences.
You will contribute to public dissemination activities.
You will supervise master thesis students.

 

MSCA rules:Researchers must comply with the MSCA mobility rule, i.e., researchers may not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Belgium for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the date of the recruitment. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not taken into account. 

 

For this function, our Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene) will serve as your home base. 

3 - Profile

What do we expect from you?

 

• 
  
  A Master’s Degree in Transport planning, Urban planning, Urban studies, Economics, Geography, Political science, Sustainable Development, Sociology, Anthropology, Social Sciences or related discipline.
  
   
  
  

 

• Demonstrated interest in mobility, sustainability, governance, and participatory planning.
• Good qualitative (e.g. interviews, focus groups, content analysis) and quantitative (e.g. survey analysis) research skills or strong interest to develop them.
• Strong oral and written communication skills in English. The applicants will be asked to provide evidence of good English language skills, written and spoken. The following certificates may be used as such evidence (at least level C1 under the ’Common European Framework of Reference for Languages’): TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE), Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) or an English-language Master’s degree.
• Additionally, a good knowledge of Dutch and/or French is desirable in order to be able to work with local stakeholders such as civil organisations and government representatives in Belgium.
• The ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Ability to work in a­n interdisciplinary team and i­nterested in collaborating ­with civil society and government partners. 
• Good time management and planning skills, with the ability to meet tight deadlines.
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Excel and other Office applications. Skills in using other relevant software (e.g. GIS, SPSS, Qualtrics, R) are an advantage.

 

• You have not performed any works in the execution of a mandate as an assistant, paid from operating resources, over a total (cumulated) period of more than 12 months.

 

The VUB wants to be a reflection of the society where everyone’s talent is valued, regardless of gender, age, religion, skin color, migration background, disability and neurodiversity.

4 - Offer

Are you going to be our new colleague?

 

You’ll be offered a full-time PhD-scholarship, for 12 months (extendable up to max. 48 months, on condition of the positive evaluation of the PhD activities), with planned starting date 01/09/2025. 

 

You’ll receive a grant linked to one of the scales set by the government.

 

IMPORTANT: The effective result of the doctorate scholarship is subject to the condition precedent of your enrolment as a doctorate student at the university.

 

At the VUB, you’re guaranteed an open, involved and diverse workplace where you are offered opportunities to (further) build on your career.

 

As well as this, you will also enjoy various other benefits:

• Extensive homeworking options, a telework allowance of 50 euros per month OR an internet fee of 20 euros per month;
• An open and informal working environment where attention is paid to work-life balance, and exceptional holiday arrangements with 35 days of leave (based on a fulltime contract), closure between Christmas and New Year and 3 extra leave days;
• Cost-free hospitalisation insurance;
• Full reimbursement of your home-to-work commute with public transport according to VUB-policy, and/or compensation if you come by bike; 
• A wide selection of meals in our campus restaurants at attractive prices;
• Excellent and affordable facilities for sport and exercise, a range of discounts via BenefitsWork (in  all kinds of shops, on flights, in petrol stations, amusement parks...) and Ecocheques; 
• Nursery near campus, discount on holiday camps; 
• The space to form your job content and to continuously learn through our VUB learning platforms and training courses;
• And finally: great colleagues with a healthy drive.

 

Additional Information: The first 36 months of the post are offered under the conditions of the Marie Sklodowska Curie Action Doctoral Network Scheme and therefore attract a bursary that is determined by the regulations of this scheme. This equates to a minimum gross bursary of 3400€/month and a mobility allowance of 600€/month, details of the expected net income will be discussed at interview. A family allowance is available depending on the family situation of the recruited candidate. During the final 12 months, the bursary--without allowances--will be covered by the VUB Research Council.

5 - Interested?

Is this the job you’ve been dreaming of?

 

Then apply, at the latest on 15/05/2025, via jobs.vub.be , and upload the following documents:

• your CV with contact details of a reference and an explicit indication of your compliance with the MSCA mobility rule (see job description above);
• your motivation letter (max 500 words) in which you express why you would like to pursue a PhD, your interest in the specific position and how you would approach the research topic outlined;
• a publication or report in English that you substantially contributed to (e.g. Master’s thesis);
• evidence of good English language skills (copy of a certificate of language competency [see specific requirements above] or copy of English language Master’s Degree);
• your diploma (not applicable for VUB alumni).

 

Do you have questions about the job content? Contact Prof. Dr. Imre Keseru at Imre.Keseruvub.be or on +32 (0)2 6148323.

 

Would you like to know what it’s like to work at the VUB? Go to jobs.vub.be , and find all there is to know about our campuses, benefits, strategic goals and your future colleagues.

 

Would you like more information about EUTOPIA? Go to eutopia-university.eu , and read more about the role of the VUB in the development of the EUTOPIA alliance.

DO YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS VACANCY?

You can contact the person mentioned in the job description.