PhD Position at the Zero Hunger Lab at Tilburg University CentER Graduate School of Business

23 Feb 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Tilburg University

Research Field

Economics

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Netherlands

Application Deadline

25 Mar 2024 - 22:59 (UTC)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Not Applicable

Hours Per Week

40.0

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

This time of transition calls for people who can further advance the world and science forward. People who, in keeping with our values, are curious, connecting, caring, and courageous.  
 
As a PhD candidate, you can make a significant impact on Tilburg University and future generations. 

In this PhD project you will be using data science, mathematics or operations research to address worldwide food security. The hunger problem in the world is huge. Today, according to the United Nations (UN 2021), as many as 828 million people regularly go to bed hungry. Every three seconds a child dies of hunger somewhere in our world. Tilburg University’s Zero Hunger Lab uses data science to contribute to realizing global food security. We do this in collaboration with several organizations who work in the field of food security.

Research at the Zero Hunger Lab should not only lead to scientific publications: the impact of your research is equally important. Therefore this project will be in close collaboration with the Alliance of Bioversity & CIAT. The Alliance of Bioversity & CIAT delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives in a climate crisis. The Alliance is part of CGIAR.

The exact research topic is still open, and can be based on the candidate’s interests. We have two projects available:

• Recommending a crop variety to an individual farmer, based on their personal characteristics, environmental conditions and other circumstances..
• Data-driven decision making on market interventions to improve food & nutrition security, where the connection between consumer and producer is central

You will be supervised by researchers from both the Zero Hunger Lab and the Alliance of Bioversity & CIAT. For most of your time, you will be based at the Zero Hunger Lab, where you will be part of a team of around 15 researchers. You will also pay visits to the Alliance of Bioversity & CIAT in Montpellier. You should be open to spending research time in the region that the project focuses on, for example in Rwanda.

85-90% of the position’s time will be dedicated to the completion of your PhD research, which includes connecting research to impact, and 10-15% to the acquisition of academic skills through teaching courses and supervising master/bachelor theses within the department.

Requirements
Specific Requirements

An academic Master’s or MPhil/Research Master’s degree in business studies, economics, econometrics, operations research or another relevant field that is deemed an equivalent to the previous education profile.

Completed the previous degree with an excellent GPA (top 10% of class as guideline)

Proficiency in English to be proven by means of an IELTS score of at least 7.0, with no sub scores below 6.5, a TOEFL score of at least 100 (internet based) or 600 (paper based), a Cambridge CAE (at least B) or a Cambridge CPE. Exemptions can be provided upon request to native English speakers or to candidates who have obtained their bachelor’s and master’s degree in English in Europe, Canada, USA, Australia, or New Zealand.

A solid quantitative background, to be proven in one of the following ways:
1. candidates with a MSc or MPhil degree from a Research University in the European Union need to have at least 24 ECTS credits in quantitative and research methods courses during their BSc and/or MSc or MPhil programs. If this is not the case, but you would still like to be considered for admission, you are welcome to hand in a GRE or GMAT test score to show your quantitative competences.
2. candidates with a MSc or MPhil degree from a university outside the European Union: please provide a recent GRE or GMAT test score.

 

Additional Information
Benefits

Your valuable contribution will be rewarded with attractive benefits  and sufficient attention to work-life balance. Our offer includes:

• A position based on 1,0 fte (40 hours per week)
• An appointment for the total of 48 months. The selected candidate will initially be appointed for 18 months, with an extension for the following 30 months based on a positive evaluation. The evaluation will take place after about 14 months.
• A starting gross salary is € 2,770 per month (for a full-time appointment) in the first year, up to € 3,539 in the final year. 

In addition to your monthly salary, you will receive 41 vacation days (for a 40-hour work week), a holiday allowance (8%), and a year-end bonus (8.3%). We reimburse the full cost of sustainable commuting: walking, cycling, or public transportation. We have a moving expenses scheme that makes it attractive to live close to the university. You will be enrolled in the ABP pension fund through us. Our Options Model allows you to choose from a variety of facilities at a tax advantage. You can work in a hybrid manner: on campus and from home. Researchers from outside the Netherlands may qualify for temporarily a tax-free allowance of 30% (tax regulation may change as of January 1, 2024) of their taxable salary if they meet the relevant conditions. The university applies for this allowance on their behalf. 

Your work environment 
You will work in a pleasant working environment; a green campus with plenty of facilities. At a leading, entrepreneurial, and innovative university in the humanities and social sciences. The university employs 2,400 staff members and hosts 20,000 students of some 100 different nationalities. For nearly a century, this organization has worked together with a tradition aimed at contributing to society. We strive to be a community where differences in age, gender, orientation, and cultural and religious backgrounds are valued, with equal opportunities for colleagues and students and where, moreover, all decisions take into account the importance of preserving the Earth for future generations.  

Read more about the university here .

Your school
Tilburg School of Economics and Management (TiSEM) is one of Europe’s leading centers for research in business and economics, with research rankings consistently among’s Europe’s top 10 across various business domain. In addition to the strong research focus and collegial research climate, it offers a wide variety of educational programs at the undergraduate and graduate level, with about 7,000 students enrolled. The School is well-connected to both policy makers and industry in the region and internationally, providing ample opportunities for creating impact with research.
Tilburg School of Economics and Management

Increasing your value 
Tilburg University is rated among the top Dutch employers and has excellent terms of employment.
With us, you will find everything you need to maximize your potential and development. We offer excellent facilities and support for research, education, and making societal impact. In all three of these areas, we “recognize and reward” you in line with national university aspirations. With great opportunities such as collaborating in an academic collaborative center, or participating in our Connected Leading program. We attach great importance to team spirit and have a clear, shared vision of (personal) leadership (Connected Leading) . Developing qualities such as self-reflection, dialogue, and transparency are central to this. We expect managers to embrace this and continue developing in this respect. Read more about careers at Tilburg University and personal development here .   

Selection process

To apply for this position, please submit the following documents at your earliest convenience. We will start reviewing applications by March 25, when applications will be closed.  The only way to apply is online.  The final selection decision will be announced not later than mid May.

Letter of motivation, including research area/topics of interest.

Curriculum vitae.

Official copy of your university degree and grades (full transcripts of BSc and MSc).

A pdf copy of your master thesis or other research-oriented output (such as a Bachelor Thesis or a term paper).  This work must be single- or first-authored.  If you are currently working on your master thesis, feel free to submit your thesis draft.

The exact contact details of at least two references.

Proof of proficiency in English, or a request for exemption  

If applicable, a recent GRE or GMAT score.  

Course list and grades of your BSc and MSc programs.

Additional comments

If you have any further questions regarding this opening, please do not hesitate to contact Marleen Balvert at [email protected] .

Website for additional job details

https://www.academictransfer.com/338140/

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Tilburg School of Economics and Management

Country

Netherlands

City

Tilburg

Postal Code

5037 AB

Street

Warandelaan 2

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://www.academictransfer.com/en/338140/phd-position-at-the-zero-hunger-lab-…

Contact

City

Tilburg

Website

http://www.uvt.nl/

Street

Warandelaan 2

Postal Code

5037 AB

STATUS: EXPIRED