Job Description
Job description
ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY
Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15.000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, as well as technical and social service provision on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities.
With its 11 faculties and more than 85 departments offering state-of-the-art study programmes grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.
For CESSMIR and the Department of Social Work and Social Pedagogy, we are looking for a m/f/x who is interested in scientific research on the perspectives of parents whose child migrated.
Doctoral fellow / PhD student
YOUR JOB
The ChildMove project (www.childmove.eu) has generated important and innovative insights into the experiences of unaccompanied minor refugees. However, this research focused primarily on the perspectives of the young people themselves, leaving the viewpoint of their parents largely unexplored.
This PhD project aims to shift the focus to the perspectives of parents whose child has migrated as an unaccompanied minor. These parents often still reside in the country of origin or in another country, separate from their child.
The specific research focus and context will be further developed in close collaboration between the PhD researcher and the supervisor. Preferably, within the first year of your PhD, you apply for further external funding for your study, e.g. to the FWO.
This project will lead to a PhD in Educational Sciences or Social Work, depending on the candidate’s background and the chosen research direction.
Job profile
We are looking for an enthusiastic, team-oriented, and highly motivated PhD researcher with the following profile:
- You hold (or will soon hold) a Master’s degree in Social Work, Educational Sciences or a related discipline (or an equivalent qualification). The degree requirements must be fulfilled by the start of the appointment
- You have a demonstrated affinity with the topic of unaccompanied minors and/or parenting in refugee families, for example through work experience, experiential knowledge, internships or academic papers.
- You have experience in conducting research with refugee populations or other populations in vulnerable situations, using qualitative and/or quantitative methods.
- You are a strong team player, you enjoy working in a collaborative and interdisciplinary research environment and are willing to actively contribute to the activities and tasks of CESSMIR and the Department Social Work and Social Pedagogy.
- You are open to giving and receiving constructive feedback, you value continuous learning.
- You are capable of working independently and taking initiative.
- You are able and willing to travel frequently outside Europe, including for extended periods.
- You are flexible and able to work in challenging fieldwork environments; strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills are essential.
- You are proficient in written and spoken English; knowledge of languages relevant to refugee communities is an asset.
- You possess excellent communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaborate effectively with NGOs, community organizations, and other stakeholders.
Working place: Ghent University – Department of Social Work and Social Pedagogy.
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WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
- We offer a full-time position as a doctoral fellow, consisting of an initial period of 12 months, which – after a positive evaluation, will be extended to a total maximum of 48 months.
- Your contract will start on October 1st, 2025 at the earliest.
- The fellowship amount is 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances. The individual fellowship amount is determined by Team Personnel Administration based on family status and seniority. A grant that meets the conditions and criteria of the regulations for doctoral fellowships is considered free of personal income tax. Click here for more information about our salary scales
- All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits.
How to apply
Send following documents in one pdf-file to ilse.derluyn@ugent.be:
- A motivation letter
- Your CV (1 to 2 pages)
- An outline of the proposed PhD study related to the above-mentioned theme (max. 3 pages, excluding references), including: (a) a brief literature review on the specific research topic, (b) the research questions you intend to investigate, and (c) the methods you propose to answer these research questions.
- Copy of your diploma (if already in your possession).
Deadline for applications is August 15th, 2025, 23:59 CET.
If selected for the next round, interviews will take place in Gent on September 2nd, 2025.
We do not accept late applications.
For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Ilse Derluyn (ilse.derluyn@UGent.be).For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Ilse Derluyn (ilse.derluyn@UGent.be).
