项目介绍

2024年6月15日

We invite applications for a PhD position in the SCOOP research centre on sustainable cooperation. As a PhD candidate you will be working on a project entitled “Sticky Practices: The co-evolution of early years childcare, parental leave and women’s labour force participation” under the supervision of Sarah Carmichael, Robert Vonk and Tanja van der Lippe. The project aims to look at how the care of young children is arranged, and what this means for gendered division of labour.

Your job

Early childhood education and care is a topic that receives attention both for its contributions to improving later schooling and development outcomes of the children themselves, and as an essential service for working parents (as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic). Reliable and widely available childcare is also essential to enable women’s work in particular. However, how this is provided, what the uptake is and what the further impact is on parental working patterns differs across countries. Given current Dutch proposals to make childcare free or heavily subsidised, this topic is pertinent to assess policy. This project aims to look at how (pre-)school childcare institutions have co-evolved with norms around mother’s work, maternity and paternity leave, postnatal care, etc. You will compare several countries representing a number of different child-care provision regimes and parental leave arrangements over the long-term to determine how various critical junctures have affected outcomes today. This will be done by research into the historical evolution and path dependency of these norms and arrangements.

You will conduct research into the history of childcare services and norms using a variety of sources and case-studies but with the Dutch case as the point of departure. In practice this means you will:

• conduct research in archives in the Netherlands as well as abroad;
• establish a systematic collection of data on childcare norms, policies and financial arrangements;
• attend and prepare material for PhD training sessions offered via SCOOP external link as well as via the Posthumus institute external link;
• present research findings and national and international conferences;
• help with knowledge dissemination activities of the findings of the project both within and outside academia;
• publish peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters.

Your qualities

• You hold a Master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g history, sociology, economics, anthropology, political science or related discipline but with experience in historical research) at the time of taking up the appointment.
• You have excellent command of spoken and written English.
• Preferably you have a working knowledge of written Dutch in order to be able to conduct research on Dutch source material.
• Experience conducting historical archival research is an asset.
• Basic knowledge of statistics would be helpful but not a prerequisite.
• You are able to work independently as well as within a team setting and take initiative where needed.

Our offer

• a job for for 18 months starting 1 September 2024, with an extension to a total of four years upon a successful assessment in the initial period, and with the specific intent that it results in a doctorate within this period;
• a working week of 38 hours and a gross monthly salary between € 2.770,- and € 3.539,- in the case of full-time employment (salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU)); 
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus; 
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU. 

In addition to the terms of employment external link laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development external link, leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities external link, as well as discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University external link.

About us

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University external link, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes external link. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow external link.

The Faculty of Humanities external link has around 7,000 students and 1,100 staff members. It comprises four knowledge domains: Philosophy and Religious Studies, History and Art History, Media and Culture Studies, and Languages, Literature and Communication. With its research and education in these fields, the Faculty aims to contribute to a better understanding of the Netherlands and Europe in a rapidly changing social and cultural context. The enthusiastic and committed colleagues and the excellent amenities in the historical city centre of Utrecht, where the faculty is located external link, contribute to an inspiring working environment.

SCOOP external link is a research and training centre dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of sustainable cooperation as a key feature of resilient societies. The centre connects research groups from sociology, psychology, history, philosophy, public administration, research methods, and statistics. SCOOP is a joint initiative by the University of Groningen (Strategic Theme Sustainable Society) and Utrecht University (Strategic Theme Institutions for Open Societies), and also involves researchers from the VU Amsterdam, the Erasmus University Rotterdam, and Radboud University Nijmegen. This research information portal aims to synthesise SCOOP’s transdisciplinary, multi-method research into one site, in addition to fulfilling our Open Science and Open Access mandate.

More information

For more information, please contact Dr Sarah Carmichael external link at s.g.carmichael@uu.nl.

Candidates for this vacancy will be recruited by Utrecht University.

Apply now

As Utrecht University, we want to be a home external link for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute.

To apply, please send:

• your curriculum vitae;
• a letter of motivation;
• the contact details of two referees; and
• a writing sample

via the ‘apply now’ button.

The application deadline is 7 July 2024.