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.
Within the Centre for Sustainability Studies (CDO) of the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences, we are looking for a m/f/x
Doctoral fellow
YOUR JOB
The Centre for Sustainable Development (www.cdo.ugent.be) is looking for a motivated PhD researcher for a four-year research project on responsible innovation from a narrative perspective. The project starts from the hypothesis that the way we talk about innovation matters: stories are not a side issue but help shape how technology takes shape and which futures are imagined and considered desirable.
We are looking for a researcher who is interested in how language, storytelling, and imagination contribute to the ways in which people and societies engage with science and technology. The precise case and focus of the project will be determined in consultation, within the broader field of emerging technologies or scientific developments (such as artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, climate engineering, …).
The project is grounded in an interpretive social science research design, in which methods such as interviews, ethnographic fieldwork, and discourse analysis play a central role. The research aims to result in scientific publications and ultimately culminates in a doctoral dissertation.
Your PhD will be embedded in an interdisciplinary and engaged research group that approaches sustainability issues from a critical social science perspective. Within CDO, you will be part of a vibrant line of research on Responsible Research and Innovation, with a focus on imagination, narrative, and societal reflection in science and technology.
Job profile
- You hold (or will soon obtain) a Master’s degree in sociology, philosophy, anthropology, political science, communication studies, or a related field.
- You are highly motivated to conduct academic research and to write a PhD dissertation as part of this project (including following a PhD training).
- You are intrigued by questions at the intersection of science, technology, and society, in particular the role of language, storytelling, and imagination.
- You have an inquisitive mindset, enjoy conceptual thinking, and are eager to engage with theoretical work.
- You are open to interdisciplinary collaboration and do not shy away from working with, for instance, engineers or designers.
- You are familiar with – or willing to engage with – interpretative and qualitative research methods such as interviews, participant observation and discourse analysis.
- You have strong English language skills, both spoken and written.
- You enjoy working independently but also value sharing ideas and contributing to an engaged research environment.
- We welcome applicants with atypical or non-linear backgrounds. What matters to us is your curiosity, your ability to think critically, and your willingness to immerse yourself in a research project.
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 01/12/2025 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
Please send your application no later than 30/09/2025 to gert.goeminne@UGent.be. Your application should include:
- a CV, including your academic results;
- a copy of your Master’s degree (or a statement confirming you will obtain your degree soon);
- a motivation letter;
- a short outline of a possible research proposal (max. 500 words), in which you sketch an initial idea for a case, perspective, or research question you would like to explore within the framework of this PhD.
Preferably, all documents should be combined into a single PDF file.
For questions about this position, you can contact prof. Gert Goeminne at gert.goeminne@UGent.be.
Job interviews will take place in the second half of October.
