PhD Position in Social Sciences (VU University of Amsterdam)

Institution: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Faculty of Social Sciences Department: Political Science and Public Administration Contract Type: Full-time PhD, 4 years (initial 1-year contract extended to 4 years) Salary: €3,059 – €3,881 gross/month (scale PhD, full-time) Application Deadline: Not explicitly stated; interviews May–June 2026 Preferred Start Date: 1 September 2026 Research Focus The PhD is part of the VIDI project “Emotion-Infused Risk Regulation”, led by Dr. Dovilė Rimkutė and funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). Objective: Investigate how citizens’ emotions (e.g., anger, fear, anxiety) influence regulators’ responses and regulatory legitimacy across multiple EU and national regulatory domains (health, environment, financial regulation). Key Research Activities: Study when and how regulators respond to emotion-laden citizen concerns. Analyze regulatory discretion in emerging societal risk contexts. Employ mixed-methods research: survey experiments, semi-structured interviews with EU/national regulators. Disseminate findings through conferences, high-quality journals, and policy outputs. Lab: Regulatory Behavior Lab – participate in shaping research profile, collaborative projects, and bridging academia-practice knowledge. Candidate Profile Required: (Research) Master’s degree in public administration, political science, psychology, or related field by 1 September 2026. Interest in emotion’s role in regulatory governance. Skills or willingness to develop skills in quantitative (experiments, R) and qualitative research (elite interviews). Excellent academic English writing and communication skills. Autonomy, responsibility, diligence in research and publication. Fluency in English and at least one additional EU language. Desirable: Interdisciplinary collaboration and clear communication across teams. Commitment to diversity, inclusion, and innovative research. Responsibilities Conduct and analyze quantitative survey experiments and qualitative interviews. Complete a cumulative 4-year PhD dissertation (~6 chapters, journal-article style). Disseminate results at conferences and through policy reports. Engage with Regulatory Behavior Lab activities and co-organize workshops/events. Participate minimally (approx. 5%) in departmental teaching. Employment Conditions & Benefits Full-time 38-hour week; optional 40 hours with extra holiday leave. 232 hours annual holiday entitlement (pro rata for part-time). 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end bonus. Personalized benefits package options and contribution to commuting costs. Access to sports facilities and professional development. Application Procedure Submit a single PDF containing: Academic CV (max 2 pages) Motivation letter (max 2 pages) linking your expertise to the VIDI project BA and MA grade transcripts Names/contact details of two referees Interview Schedule: First round in May 2026; second round in June 2026. Contact: Dr. Dovilė Rimkutė – Associate Professor of Public Administration [Email contact provided in the listing] Location: VU Amsterdam, Zuidas business district, highly interdisciplinary environment. If you apply for this position please say you saw it on Academicoxy

Institution: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Faculty of Social Sciences
Department: Political Science and Public Administration
Contract Type: Full-time PhD, 4 years (initial 1-year contract extended to 4 years)
Salary: €3,059 – €3,881 gross/month (scale PhD, full-time)
Application Deadline: Not explicitly stated; interviews May–June 2026
Preferred Start Date: 1 September 2026

Research Focus

The PhD is part of the VIDI project “Emotion-Infused Risk Regulation”, led by Dr. Dovilė Rimkutė and funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO).

Objective: Investigate how citizens’ emotions (e.g., anger, fear, anxiety) influence regulators’ responses and regulatory legitimacy across multiple EU and national regulatory domains (health, environment, financial regulation).

Key Research Activities:

Study when and how regulators respond to emotion-laden citizen concerns.
Analyze regulatory discretion in emerging societal risk contexts.
Employ mixed-methods research: survey experiments, semi-structured interviews with EU/national regulators.
Disseminate findings through conferences, high-quality journals, and policy outputs.

Lab: Regulatory Behavior Lab – participate in shaping research profile, collaborative projects, and bridging academia-practice knowledge.

Candidate Profile

Required:

(Research) Master’s degree in public administration, political science, psychology, or related field by 1 September 2026.
Interest in emotion’s role in regulatory governance.
Skills or willingness to develop skills in quantitative (experiments, R) and qualitative research (elite interviews).
Excellent academic English writing and communication skills.
Autonomy, responsibility, diligence in research and publication.
Fluency in English and at least one additional EU language.

Desirable:

Interdisciplinary collaboration and clear communication across teams.
Commitment to diversity, inclusion, and innovative research.

Responsibilities

Conduct and analyze quantitative survey experiments and qualitative interviews.
Complete a cumulative 4-year PhD dissertation (~6 chapters, journal-article style).
Disseminate results at conferences and through policy reports.
Engage with Regulatory Behavior Lab activities and co-organize workshops/events.
Participate minimally (approx. 5%) in departmental teaching.