项目介绍

2026年4月8日

The Smart Industry faces major digital and green challenges. With Smart Skills@Scale, the Strategic Human Resource Management group is building a future‑proof and resilient workforce. Will you help us drive this breakthrough forward?

The Dutch industry needs a skilled workforce to keep up with and contribute to digital and green transitions. However, finding and retaining qualified employees is challenging, and skills quickly become outdated due to fast-developing technologies (AI, XR, robots). Currently, most Smart Industry companies lack human capital and knowledge to achieve their maximum potential. The Smart Skills@Scale project, which started in January 2024, connects five research universities, three universities of applied sciences, eleven Smart Industry communities, 450 SMEs and several social partners and educational partners in an eight-year programme to realise a major breakthrough aimed at creating a sustainably employable workforce. In a total of four work packages, we stimulate the development of human-centric production systems, smart workplaces, jobs and careers, and (regional) partnerships. With this integrated approach, we want to empower production employees and organisations to achieve a human-centric, resilient and sustainable Smart Industry sector. 

The Strategic Human Resource Management group is currently seeking an enthusiastic PhD who is committed to contributing to at the aim of safeguarding a robust and resilient workforce in the Smart Industry sector.

Your research will consist of three types of studies. First, you will conduct an integrative systematic literature review about labour market opportunities, transitions, supportive work environment characteristics and inclusive technology support (e.g. operator support systems) for workers with specific needs. The second study will use the outcomes of the literature study and translate these into a qualitative study among both employed and unemployed vulnerable workers (workers with a vocational qualification at Dutch MBO Level 1 and 2 and sheltered workers) to gain an in-depth understanding of their needs and requirements in transitioning to the Smart Industry. Subsequently, in Study 3, the knowledge about their needs and requirements will be translated into the final research activity, which will comprise the development of simulation and job redesign interventions.

You will work independently on your research while maintaining close connections with other researchers in the project and stakeholders from small and medium-sized enterprises. You will report and present your findings for both scientific and non-scientific audiences, such as at scientific conferences, in journal publications and during workshops for Smart Industry communities.

In this project, we embrace team science. The homebase for your research is at Radboud University in Nijmegen, but you will also be part of a larger research team of other PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers and senior researchers from multiple Dutch research universities and universities of applied sciences. Also, our research team involves experts who help disseminate findings, coordinate with our partners from practice and have expertise in building tools. Additionally, eight world-renowned researchers – members of our international scientific committee – will provide feedback on your work and might offer you opportunities for international experiences as well.

Your teaching load may be up to 10% of your working time.

Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to pursue a PhD at Radboud University? Visit the page about working as a PhD candidate.

Does this sound like you?

• You have a Master’s degree in Business Administration, Occupational Psychology, Management Science or in a related field in the Social Sciences.
• You have expertise or demonstrable interest in sustainable careers, HRM or organisational behaviour.
• You have strong methodological knowledge, specifically of qualitative research methods and action research.
• You preferably have a specific interest in the position of vulnerable workers (e.g. neurodivergent workers, workers far removed from the labour market or workers with disabilities) on the labour market and in production environments as sensitivity in co-creation and collecting data with this specific population is essential.
• You have an interest in the human capital challenges related to Industry 5.0 developments.
• You are able to connect with production workers and link your research to their values and interests.
• You have an excellent command of written and spoken Dutch and English and excellent communication skills.
• You have the ability to work both independently and in a team.
• You have a proactive, result-driven and flexible working attitude.
• You are able to finish your PhD thesis in time, which requires strong skills in project management, creativity, proactive behaviour, resilience and excellent academic writing skills. 

What we offer you

• We will give you a temporary employment contract (1.0 FTE) of 1.5 years, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, your contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4-year contract).     
• You will receive a starting salary of €3,059 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €3,881 in the fourth year (salary scale P).
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus. 
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20. 

Additional employment conditions

Work and science require good employment practices. Radboud University’s primary and secondary employment conditions reflect this. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself. For example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports membership. In addition, you receive a 34% discount on the sports and cultural activities at Radboud University as an employee. And, of course, we offer a good pension plan. We also give you plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.

Where you will be working

The Department of Business Administration consists of five chairs: Strategic Management; Organisational Design and Development; Marketing; Methods; and Strategic Human Resource Management. The Department of Business Administration is responsible for the BSc programmes in Business Administration (including a full track in English, and a track in International Business Administration) as well as eight specialisations within the MSc programme in Business Administration (all in English).

Our interdisciplinary research programme ‘The Responsible Organisation’ addresses the multiple values underlying organisational responsibility, the conditions required to realise those values and the interventions geared to the transition of organisations towards responsible organisations. We co-create knowledge with multiple stakeholders in the wider community to ensure the impact of our scholarly work. Our research activities fall under the responsibility of the interdisciplinary Institute for Management Research (IMR).

The research of the Strategic Human Resource Management (HRM) group focuses on topics such as sustainable careers, employability, leadership of human resources, entrepreneurship, high-performance work systems, flexible work, diversity and cross-cultural management. Members of the Strategic HRM group have published in high-impact journals such as the Journal of Vocational Behavior, Journal of Applied Psychology, Human Resource Management Journal, Human Relations, International Journal of HRM, Organization Studies, Journal of Management Studies, Research Policy, Journal of Applied Psychology and Academy of Management Annals.

Nijmegen School of Management
At Nijmegen School of Management, one of the seven faculties within Radboud University in the Netherlands, we have a clear aim: we enable students, institutions and companies, social actors, and governments to play their part in the transformations towards a sustainable society through high-quality scientific research and education. With more than 4,500 curious students and more than 450 dedicated employees, we form a dynamic community.

Our mission ‘Responsible governance for sustainable societies’ is driven by the ambition to make a difference in the world. At Nijmegen School of Management, we understand management as a broad concept referring to the collective and organised pursuit (responsible governance) of a better world (sustainable societies). We study and teach management at the level of public and private organisations. In this context, we examine how to balance economic, ecological, and social values in a sustainable way. This aim is in line with Radboud University’s mission to contribute through teaching and research to a ‘free, healthy world with equal opportunities for all’.

At Nijmegen School of Management, academic research and teaching are carried out in following areas: Business Administration, Economics and Business Economics, Political Science, Public Administration, Human Geography, Spatial Planning, and Environment. Our approach to teaching and research is evolving from multidisciplinarity, where we study societal challenges from different disciplinary backgrounds, to interdisciplinarity (integrating disciplinary perspectives for synergy) and transdisciplinarity (involving non-academic stakeholders).

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an important source of inspiration for our work. Our work focuses on the themes Social economy, Resilient society and Sustainable environment. At Nijmegen School of Management, we have our eyes on the world of the future, in which sustainability and responsibility are central values. Together we are creating a better world for everyone.

Radboud University
At Radboud University, we aim to make an impact through our work. We achieve this by conducting groundbreaking research, providing high-quality education, offering excellent support, and fostering collaborations within and outside the university. In doing so, we contribute indispensably to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. To accomplish this, we need even more colleagues who, based on their expertise, are willing to search for answers. We advocate for an inclusive community and welcome employees with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives.

If you want to learn more about working at Radboud University, follow our Instagram account and read stories from our colleagues.