Doctoral fellow

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15.000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, as well as technical and social service provision on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities.
With its 11 faculties and more than 85 departments offering state-of-the-art study programmes grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students. More information: https://www.ugent.be/en/ghentuniv

YOUR TASKS

The candidate will work at the research group of Agri-Food Marketing and Chain Management (Department of Agricultural Economics – Ghent University), under the supervision of prof. dr. Hans De Steur, prof. dr. Joachim Schouteten and Dr Trang Truong (Centre of Agricultural Policy, Vietnam). The candidate will be embedded in a motivated and dedicated group of researchers with various backgrounds. More info on the research group: https://agecon.ugent.be/agri/.

The job will focus on different PhD research activities within the Belgian-Vietnamese, FWO-NAFOSTED project “Fostering inclusive and transparent deforestation-free supply chain. A socioeconomic approach”, which is a collaborative research project between the Department of Agricultural Economics at UGent (Belgium) and the Centre of Agricultural Policy (Vietnam). By using the implementation of EUDR in Vietnam as a use case, this project will study how small-scale farmers can be fairly included in deforestation-free supply chains, how consumers in both the EU and Vietnam perceive transparency and inclusiveness in supply chains and how governments in producing countries can adapt their policies to help local farmers, especially smallholders, meet EUDR requirements and similar future regulations.

The candidate will be a full permanent member of the research group Agri-food Marketing and Chain Management, working in their office in Ghent, but there will be mobility to Vietnam for data collection and other travel opportunities in view of conference / projects participation. As the FWO-NAFOSTED project is a 3-year project, the student will be involved in other research group activities and projects to complete a 4-year PhD trajectory. 

Your tasks

• Development of the PhD research framework and protocols, aligned with the project
• Collection and analysis of primary data obtained through quantitative research methods
• Active interaction and collaboration with other researchers and partners involved in FWO-NAFESTED project and the Department of Agricultural Economics
• Drafting of project deliverables related to the socio-economic research activities
• Traveling to Vietnam for data collection and project meetings
• Synthesizing research findings into peer-reviewed Web of Science indexed journal articles
• Presentation of results to academic and non-academic audiences, e.g. at national or international conferences, seminars, workshops
• Involvement in other research project activities of the research group Agri-Food Marketing and Chain Management

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• You hold a Master’s degree in (Applied) Economics, Rural Development, Social or Political Sciences, Bio-Science Engineering, Agri-food systems; or a similar, relevant field.
• Good MSc. results
• Excellent communication skills in English – both orally and written
• Excellent communication skills in Vietnamese language – both orally and written given local data collection
• Experienced in conducting socio-economic research in Vietnam or similar contexts
• Good understanding of quantitative/qualitative research methods, e.g. surveys, advanced data analysis, …
• Strong interest in applied social and economic research, and in the research project in particular.
• Academic or research mobility is considered an advantage.
• Proof of English Proficiency Accepted by Ghent University (B2 Level) or an exemption: see list below.
  • The following certificates and test results are accepted as proof of English proficiency at CEFR level B2:
    • TOEFL test with a minimum score of 4 to 4.5 or higher. Test participants must indicate institution code 2643 so that the results are sent directly to Ghent University.
      • Original IELTS Academic Test Report Form (TRF) with an overall score of at least 6.0.
      • ITACE for Students certificate with a CEFR B2 score, issued by the University Language Centre (UCT, Ghent University), Linguapolis (University of Antwerp), the Institute for Modern Languages (KU Leuven), or the Academic Centre for Language Education (ACTo, VUB).
      • B2 certificate issued by a university language centre.
      • Certificate of successful completion of the final examination of Practical English 5 or English for Written Academic Purposes at the University Language Centre of Ghent University (UCT).
      • Cambridge Assessment English B2 First certificate (formerly Cambridge English: First Certificate in English (FCE)).
      • Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) with a score between 59 and 75.
      • International Baccalaureate certificates in: English B (SL): levels 5, 6, or 7; English B (HL): levels 5 or 6; English A (SL): levels 5 or 6; English A (HL): levels 5 or 6.
      • Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Digital by Trinity College, with a score of at least 80.
      • Oxford Test of English (OTE) Advanced, with a score between 111 and 140.
  • Exemption: PhD candidates may also be exempted from the English-language proficiency requirements if they meet the following condition:
    • The PhD candidate has successfully completed at least one year of an English-taught programme, either in secondary education or at a higher education institution in Belgium or abroad. This corresponds to 60 credits successfully completed, which may have been obtained over one or more academic years.
    • A secondary education diploma awarded by an educational institution recognised by the Flemish Community.
    • A higher education diploma awarded by a higher education institution recognised by the Flemish Community.
    • A certificate of completion of the predoctoral training programme at Ghent University, provided that the programme consisted predominantly of courses taught in English. 

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• We offer a full-time position as a doctoral fellow, consisting of an initial period of 12 months, which - after a positive evaluation, will be extended to a total maximum of 48 months.
• Your contract will start on 01/11/2026 at the earliest.
• The fellowship amount is 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances. The individual fellowship amount is determined by Team Personnel Administration based on family status and seniority. A grant that meets the conditions and criteria of the regulations for doctoral fellowships is considered free of personal income tax. Click here for more information about our salary scales
• All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits.

INTERESTED?

As Ghent University maintains an equal opportunities and diversity policy, everyone is encouraged to apply for this position.
Interested candidates should submit an application as 1 single pdf, including a

1. motivation letter,
2. CV (including overview of grades),
3. proof of English Proficiency or proof of exemption (see list above),
4. copy of your master thesis (if not in English, proof of English academic writing skills), and
5. copy of your diploma,

no later than October 1st, 2026 by email to Hans De Steur (hans.desteur@ugent.be). 

We do not accept late applications.

• For further information about the vacancy, you can contact hans.desteur@ugent.be.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified (5th of October at latest) and interviewed.
• Intended starting date: Preferably, 1st of November, or earlier if possible.