PhD Student

Job description

GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is an internationally renowned, open, pluralistic, and socially engaged university in Belgium. We strive to make science better and through that science, we also make the world better. Our credo is “Dare to Think”: we are a haven for courageous thinkers, including more than 50.000 students and 15.000 employees. As a caring and committed employer, our talent-driven HR policy is rewarded with the European “HR Excellence in Research” quality label.

RESEARCH PROJECT

Within the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration and the research group HRM and Organizational Behavior, Professor Greet Van Hoye is looking for a motivated PhD student to carry out a four-year research project on how non-diverse organizations can recruit qualified ethnic minority job seekers.

Despite increasing efforts from organizations to hire a more diverse workforce, ethnic minorities are still underrepresented in many industries and companies. Prior research on diversity recruitment showed positive effects of pro-diversity statements and showing diversity in pictures. However, if a company is currently not yet ethnically diverse, these diversity cues might come across as inconsistent and dishonest and might actually decrease attraction among ethnic minorities. In this project, we aim to resolve this counterfeit diversity paradox by investigating how diversity cue inconsistency is processed by qualified ethnic minority job seekers and how it can be overcome. To this end, multiple quantitative research methods will be applied (e.g., experiments, experience sampling study).

The project has already received funding from the Special Research Fund (BOF) and will be co-supervised by Professor Edwin van Hooft from the University of Amsterdam. Although the general aim and approach of the project are defined, there is still plenty of room for your personal input.

YOUR JOB

• This position is primarily dedicated to carrying out the proposed research project, with the aim to write a doctoral dissertation consisting of academic articles that are publishable in international peer-reviewed journals.
• You will be able to collaborate internationally with the co-supervisor Professor Edwin van Hooft, including a research stay at the University of Amsterdam. You will also present our research at international scientific conferences.
• You will also reach out to experts and organizations in the field to discuss ideas, get feedback, collaborate on data collection, and translate our research findings into actionable advice.
• You will provide some limited teaching support, such as guiding Master’s thesis students on a topic related to the research project.

Job profile

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• You are almost or recently graduated with a Master’s degree relevant for the research project and including a research-based Master’s thesis. Final-year students are thus also strongly encouraged to apply. Examples of relevant degrees are a (Research) Master in HRM/Organizational Behavior or Work/Organizational/Social Psychology. For diplomas awarded outside the European Union, a certificate of equivalence (NARIC) must be submitted. The degree requirements need to be fulfilled at the start of your appointment.
• You’ve performed well academically, as demonstrated by your study results (grades), Master’s thesis, and/or publications.
• You are highly interested in the described research project and strongly motivated to obtain your PhD.
• You possess good methodological and statistical skills, and are willing to develop those further. You have experience with SPSS or R.
• You have good scientific writing and speaking skills, both in English and Dutch (surveys and stimulus materials will be in both languages, writing will be mostly in English, contact with participants and organizations will be mostly in Dutch).
• You are analytical, a problem-solver, and eager to learn.
• You are conscientious, reliable, and quality-oriented. Your work is structured and consistent. You can keep a general oversight focusing on priorities but also have an eye for detail. You plan your work efficiently and can handle deadlines, both in the short and long term.
• You take initiative and can work independently. You are open to feedback, which you proactively seek.
• You have good social and communication skills, and work well within a team.
• You are resilient and can cope with stress and setbacks.
  
  

WHAT WE OFFER YOU

• We offer a full-time, four-year position as a PhD student, enabling you to follow a doctoral training program and obtain a PhD in Business Economics. The contract starts with an initial period of 1 year, which – after a positive evaluation – will be extended with another 3 years.
• Your contract will start on 1 September 2024 at the earliest, in consultation with you.
• The fellowship amount is 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances. The individual fellowship amount is determined by the Department of Personnel and Organization 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
• You will have the opportunity to work in a stimulating, dynamic, and open research environment “daring you to think”. Your (co-)supervisors have strong academic performance records, both in terms of publications and successful PhD’s. The research group houses many other PhD students allowing for ample social interactions and learning opportunities.
• You will be able to conduct state-of-the art research on ethnic minority recruitment, a topic with great societal and practical relevance.
• We offer many training and development opportunities, allowing you to further extend your methodological and statistical knowledge needed for the project, but also to acquire transferable skills supporting your further career (e.g., communication, project management).
• We offer autonomy and flexibility, as well as multiple international experiences.
• All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as 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 (in Dutch).

How to apply

Please send your application in a single pdf document to greet.vanhoye@ugent.be by 2 June 2024 at the latest.

Your application should include:

• A motivation letter and CV highlighting how you match the profile we look for.
• Copy of your diploma (if already in your possession) and grade lists for each year in your study curriculum.
• An English summary of your Master’s thesis (1-2 pages).
• Two reference contacts, preferably including the (co-)supervisor of your Master’s thesis.
  
  

Candidates who are invited for the next selection round will be notified by 11 June 2024. On-site interviews will take place on 2 July 2024 in Ghent.

As Ghent University maintains an equal opportunities and diversity policy, everyone is encouraged to apply for this position.

If you have any further questions about this vacancy, feel free to contact Professor Greet Van Hoye (greet.vanhoye@ugent.be). If you would like to talk to a (former) PhD student of Professor Van Hoye, you can also reach out to post-doc researcher Hira Kanwal (hira.kanwal@ugent.be) or current PhD student Lucas Dierickx (lucas.dierickx@ugent.be).