PhD Student

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.

YOUR JOB

The GeoAI Research Center (https://geoai.ugent.be/) and UGent Crime Lab (https://research.ugent.be/web/result/organisation/b566d29e-1b9f-11f0-937e-e33ba6a1388c/details/en) of Ghent University, Belgium are looking for a full-time PhD student in the field of Geospatial AI (GeoAI) and Geography of Crime. The joint research team hosts more than 30 researchers, focusing on GeoAI, spatio-temporal data analysis, location based services (LBS), urban analytics, and spatio-temporal and quantitative criminology. The position will start on 01 Oct 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter.

The selected PhD student is expected to contribute to a FWO research project on geographic patterns of crimes and their environmental determinants, developing and employing (new) GeoAI and quantitative research methods . More specifically, the candidate will focus on 1) developing (new) GeoAI methods to enable fine-grained spatial data modelling of street environments, 2) elucidating the contribution of geographic environment to crimes and crime diversity, 3) large-scale spatio-temporal analysis based on big geospatial data. The PhD student will work closely with Prof. Haosheng Huang (https://users.ugent.be/~haohuang/) and Prof. Christophe Vandeviver (https://ircp.ugent.be/researchers/christophe-vandeviver/).

JOB PROFILE

• Highly motivated to obtain a PhD and has a passion for scientific research
• A master’s degree (preferably) in relevant fields, e.g., geography, computer science or quantitative criminology; The diploma requirements must be met by the time of appointment.
• Intermediate programming skills (e.g., Python or R), as well as a willingness to develop these further
• Familiarity with GIScience and/or quantitative criminology; knowledge of AI is an advantage.
• Creativity and a good sense of initiative are highly desired in this position.
• Excellent communication skills in English and in Dutch (orally and written).

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

We offer the following:
• 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. For more about PhD studies at Ghent University, please see https://www.ugent.be/phd/en and https://www.ugent.be/en/work/phd/bursaryabc.htm.
• An exciting research environment at the intersection of theory and application in the interdisciplinary field of GeoAI and Criminology.
• Regular supervision, coaching, and feedback throughout the PhD trajectory.
• The possibility to participate in international collaborations and conferences;

• Your contract will start on 10/01/2025 (mm/dd/jjjj) 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.

How to apply

The application must be sent via email to Prof. Haosheng Huang (haosheng.huang@ugent.be) and Prof. Christophe Vandeviver (christophe.vandeviver@ugent.be) as a single PDF file by 1 September 2025, with the subject mentioning “GeoAI_Criminology_PhD”. Early application is highly recommended. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed at the first two weeks of September.

The application should be in English and has to include: 1) A cover letter (max. 2 pages) to introduce yourself and highlight the reasons why you fit with the position; 2) A CV, with contact details of one referee (preferably your supervisor or colleague closely associated with your recent work); 3) Academic degree and transcripts (both bachelor and master), or interim document if pending; 4) a one-page description of your master thesis or your recent research work . Only complete applications will be considered. Please contact Prof. Huang or Prof. Vandeviver in case of questions.