PhD Position in Social Sciences

Your Function

Your project will be a part of the ORC-NWA consortium project “De-escalating Aggressive Encounters between Frontline Workers and Citizens.” The aim is to understand the mechanisms that drive escalation and de-escalation of aggressive encounters between frontline workers and citizens. The project involves academic and societal partners working together.

We are looking for three PhD’s for the project to analyze video recorded encounters between citizens and different types of frontline workers:

• PhD1: Law enforcement

• PhD2: Public transport

• PhD3: Service work

These multimethod projects involve participant observations, and both qualitative and quantitative analysis of video footage.

We are seeking candidates who are interested in learning or already have experiences with video analysis, have an affiliation with observational and statistical methods, and are passionate about working in an interdisciplinary team.

Your Duties

• Focus on one of the three types of frontline workers and carry out participant observations in that context

• Stay in close contact with societal partners and continuously communicate experiences (preferably in Dutch)

• Collect body-worn camera and CCTV video footage from your frontline worker context

• Develop a video observational measurement instrument and use this to conduct video analysis of the collected footage

• Carry out statistical analyses

• Pool data with the rest of the team to work on shared research output

• Present results at academic conferences and workshops, to societal partners and in practitioner-oriented settings

• Publish in academic journals and translate findings into fact sheets for practitioners

• Participate in and co-organize data sessions, joint research projects, workshops as well as communication and dissemination activities of the team

• Take relevant courses and training

• Join and actively contribute to the De-Escalation lab and the Social Change and Conflict group at the VU and participate in the intellectual life of the Department of Sociology

Your Profile

This position is a good fit for you if you have:

• A (Research) Master’s degree in Criminology, Sociology, Communication Studies/Science, Psychology, Crisis and Security Management, Behavioral Biology or a related social science field

• Excellent study results and academic skills

• Solid knowledge of and experiences with using qualitative research methods and statistical methods; experience with observations and video analysis is a plus

• Substantive interest in and knowledge of violence and conflict, especially interactional studies of aggression and conflict management

• Previous experiences with doing empirical research, during internships, research assistance or junior positions

• Willingness and ability to contribute to teaching in the BA and MA in Safety Studies and in supervising BA students in topics related to the PhD

• Ability to work independently, willingness to collaborate with other team members

• Excellent command of Dutch (B2) and English (C1) – this is an essential criterion for being considered for the position

What We Offer

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world.

• A salary of € 3.059,00 (PhD) and maximum € 3.881,00 (PhD) gross per month in the fourth year, for a full-time employment

• An employment contract of initially 1 year. If there is sufficient perspective, this will be extended to a total of 4 years. Your dissertation at the end of the fourth year forms the end of your employment contract

Additional benefits include:

• A full-time 38-hour working week with holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata

• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus

• Optional model for designing a personalized benefits package

• Contribution to commuting expenses

• Access to a wide range of sports facilities at a modest charge

All PhD candidates of the School of Social Sciences will be enrolled in the Graduate School of Social Sciences (VU-GSSS). Admission to the VU-GSSS is part of the hiring procedure.

About Us

You will become a member of the research group “Social Change and Conflict” which is a part of the Department of Sociology within the new Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at the VU. You will also take part in the interdisciplinary “VU De-Escalation lab” involving scholars within the VU community and international collaborators.

The Department of Sociology is a vibrant and international community of dedicated researchers and teachers specializing in contemporary societal developments—such as globalization, modernization, individualization, and multiculturalism—and their impact on cohesion, inequality, and identity. It offers Bachelor's, Master's, and Pre-master Sociology programs (in Dutch) and provides methodology courses for other Social Sciences programs.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact.

We are located on one physical campus, in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility. Over 5,500 staff work at the VU and over 30,000 students attend academic education.

Diversity

Diversity is the driving force of the VU. The VU wants to be accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs, preferences and worldviews. We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalisation contribute to the quality of education, research and our services.

Interested?

Are you interested in this position and do you believe that your experience will contribute to the further development of our university? We encourage you to submit your application.

Application requirements:

• An academic CV (include your language skills in Dutch and English)

• A motivation letter (please indicate your preference and suitability to study citizen interactions with law enforcement officers, public transport conductors or shop employees, and your motivation for this preference)

• A writing sample (for instance a chapter of your MA thesis)

Interviews: Between 6 and 13 November
Intended start date: 1 January 2026 (depending on your availability)
Pre-employment screening (references, diplomas) may be part of the selection procedure.

Applications received by e-mail will not be considered.
Acquisition in response to this advertisement is not appreciated.

Questions about the vacancy?
Please contact:
Marie Rosenkratz Lindegaard – Hoogleraar