PhD Student

Last application date
Sep 01, 2025 00:00
Department
WE12 - Department of Geography
Contract
Limited duration
Occupancy rate
100%
Vacancy type
Research staff

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.