项目介绍

2026年7月6日

The Research Group Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology and Professional Learning (O2L) studies the relationship between people and work, with strong attention to sustainability. Research themes are diverse and include well-being, employability, job insecurity, leadership, professional learning, and team learning. Methodological approaches are equally diverse. In addition, O2L is committed to innovative teaching.

Unit website

Project

Flat careers—long-term employment within a single organization with limited internal mobility and high job security—are common (e.g., civil servants, teachers). Despite their prevalence, they are often problematized. The underlying assumption is that flat careers lead to passivity and stagnation. These assumptions have not yet been empirically tested, but they do inform policy reforms with sometimes substantial consequences for employees (e.g., abolishing tenured contracts, introducing expert roles in education).

This project tests and challenges these assumptions by focusing on dynamics within flat careers. We address two key research questions:

1. Do jobs in flat careers become more passive over time, leading to reduced learning and activation?
2. Does job security undermine employability, leading to career stagnation?

Across two PhD projects, we examine short- and long-term changes in job design and in the trade-off between job security and employability. We study their impact on well-being and activation, career success, and retirement intentions.

You will be supervised by a team consisting of Prof. Dr. Ilke Grosemans and Prof. Dr. Nele De Cuyper. In addition, you will provide limited support in teaching activities (e.g., supervising student projects, administrative tasks).

Profile

• You hold a master in psychology or educational sciences, a master in economics and business administration, a master in social sciences, or a master in another social science discipline, with excellent academic results. Students who will obtain one of those degrees this academic year are also eligible.
• You have an affinity with and interest in career research and in work psychology.
• You have an interest in both quantitative and qualitative methodologies.
• You have good command of both Dutch and English.
• You enjoy writing and are skilled at it. You are motivated to communicate your results both in scientific outlets and to a broader audience.
• You can work independently. 

Offer

• We offer a full-time PhD position for a period of 4 years, conditional upon a positive evaluation after the first year.
• You will join a stimulating international environment with a high degree of autonomy.

Interested?

Do not hesitate to contact Prof. Dr. Nele De Cuyper (nele.decuyper@kuleuven.be) for more information. 

We expect your CV, motivation letter, and at least one reference who we may contact by August 14 at the latest. After CV screening, interviews will take place in the first week of September. For the interviews, we will ask you to formulate one research question related to the PhD topic and to explain how you would approach it. This will serve as a starting point for the discussion.
You can apply for this job no later than August 14, 2026 via the online application tool