PhD researcher scholarship in impact assessments for sustainable urban logistics

1. Working at the VUB

For already 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for freedom, equality and connectedness. These values are strongly present on our campuses, in our students as well as our staff. At the VUB, you'll find a diverse collection of personalities: pure innovators and espcially people who are 100% their atuthentic selves. With about 3.500 employees, we are the largest Dutch-speaking employer in Brussels, an international city with which we are all too happy to be connected, and around which our four campuses are located.

Our education and research are grounded in the principles of free research with an eye on human progress. We disapprove of every purely authoritative argument and guarantee the free formation of judgement that is necessary for this basic principle to be incorporated in the community.

The VUB is autonomous and managed democratically. As such, we guarantee fundamental freedoms within our university, as well as the right of the university community to be involved in making and checking university policy.

The mission of the university includes:

• the development, the transfer and the application of high-standing academic education and scientific research, free from any prejudice;

• community integration of this in a spirit of social compassion;

• critical development of everyone in light of the responsibilities borne in the community.

2. Position description

The Faculty Social Sciences & Solvay Business School, Department Business Technology and Operations, is looking for a PhD-student with a doctoral grant.

More concretely your work package, for the preparation of a doctorate, contains:

We are looking for an excellent graduate to work in the field of mobility and logistics. 

Role

PhD research within the research group MOBI in the interdisciplinary domains of sustainable mobility and logistics. The research and approach will be entirely embedded within the research projects of MOBI in line with the skills and knowledge background of the candidate.

Tasks

• The candidate will develop an expertise around the external costs of transport.

• She/he will work on different projects where his/her expertise will be required. For example, the candidate will assess the savings generated by the adoption of cargo bikes by families and companies in Brussels. The candidate will also assess the impact of e-commerce on the sustainability of the last mile.

• She/he will write research reports and valorise research results in popular and academic publications.

• She/he will present research results at workshops and conferences

• She/he will contribute to public dissemination activities

• She/he will organise workshops and conferences in line with the requirements of the her/his research project.

For this function, our Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene) will serve as your home base.

3. Profile 

What do we expect from you?

• A Master's Degree in Sociology, Psychology, Mathematics, Economics, Management, Commercial engineer (Handelsingenieur), Geography, Transportation, Urban Planning, Urban studies, Political science, or related discipline.
  
  Candidates that have not yet acquired their MSc degree can apply and participate in the selection procedure, but need to offer proof of registration in their MSc programme and need to have complied with all diploma requirements before starting their position at VUB-MOBI.

• The candidate should have

  • Interest in evaluation methods related to external costs.

  • Strong oral and written communication skills are essential. A good knowledge of Dutch and/or French is an advantage.

  • The ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of partners.

  • Good time management and planning skills, with the ability to meet tight deadlines and work effectively under pressure. 

  • Good knowledge of Microsoft Excel.

  • Additional software (i.e. SPSS, GIS, MATLAB, etc.) and solid statistics skills are also a plus.

• You have not performed any works in the execution of a mandate as an assistant, paid from operating resources, over a total (cumulated) period of more than 12 months.

4. Offer

Are you going to be our new colleague?

You'll be offered a full-time PhD-scholarship, for 12 months (extendable up to max. 48 months, on condition of the positive evaluation of the PhD activities), with planned starting date 01/10/2022.

You'll receive a grant linked to one of the scales set by the government. 

IMPORTANT: The effective result of the doctorate scholarship is subject to the condition precedent of your enrolment as a doctorate student at the university.

At the VUB, you're guaranteed an open, involved and diverse workplace where you are offered opportunities to (further) build on your career.

As well as this, you'll enjoy various benefits:

• Full reimbursement for your home-work commute with public transport according to VUB-policy, or compensation if you come by bike;

• Cost-free hospitalisation insurance;

• The space to form your job content and continuously learn via VUB LRN;

• Excellent facilities for sport and excercise;

• Ecocheques;

• Delicious meals at attractive prices in our campus restaurants;

• An open, family-friendly work environment where attention is paid to work-life balance, and exceptional holiday arrangements with 35 days of leave (based on a fulltime contract).

5. Interested? 

Is this the job you've been dreaming of?

Send us ONLINE and at the latest on 15/09/2022 your CV, letter of motivation and the highest degree you've attained (not applicable for VUB alumni). 

Do you have questions about the job content? Contact Prof. Dr. Koen Mommens / Philippe Lebeau at philippe.lebeau@vub.be or on +32 (0)2 614 83 24.

Would you like to know what it's like to work at the VUB? Go to www.vub.ac.be/vacatures and find all there is to know about our campuses, benefits, strategic goals and your future colleagues.