Let’s shape the future - University of Antwerp
The University of Antwerp is a dynamic, forward-thinking, European university. We offer an innovative academic education to more than 20000 students, conduct pioneering scientific research and play an important service-providing role in society. We are one of the largest, most international and most innovative employers in the region. With more than 6000 employees from 100 different countries, we are helping to build tomorrow's world every day. Through top scientific research, we push back boundaries and set a course for the future – a future that you can help to shape.
The Department of Linguistics in the Faculty of Arts is looking for a full-time (100%) doctoral scholarship holder working on health communication in birth care, taking a linguistic ethnographic and interactional linguistic angle
Position
- You will work actively on the preparation and defence of a PhD thesis in Linguistics on communication and language in birth care. The central research question of this project is how people that are pregnant or have just given birth talk about and communicate when giving birth, in the socioculturally diverse context of the city of Antwerp. For this project, you will observe and interview participants during pregnancy and during and after labour and birth. You will analyse this data set using qualitative linguistic methods, under the supervision of prof. Jana Declercq.
- You will publish scientific articles related to the research project and will present your findings at national and international conferences.
- You will carry out a limited number of teaching and research support tasks for the department of Linguistics.
Profile
- You hold a Master degree in Linguistics (and Literature), Multilingual Communication, Translation and Interpreting, or other relevant fields (such as, but not limited to, communication studies or sociology), or you will have obtained it by the time you start work. If your degree programme is in a related field, please describe and highlight your experience doing language-focused/linguistic analysis, such as discourse analysis, in your motivation letter and CV.
- You have a strong academic record, as demonstrated by your academic transcript.
- You are fluent in Dutch and have strong academic English skills, both written and spoken. Additional language skills are an asset.
- Your research qualities are in line with the faculty and university research policies.
- You act with attention to quality, integrity, creativity and cooperation.
- You are able to work with a diverse and potentially vulnerable group of participants, and to manage highly personal and sensitive data. Inclusivity and empathy are central to your approach.
- You are able to both work individually and autonomously, and as part of a team.
What we offer
- We offer a doctoral scholarship for a period of one year. Following a positive evaluation, the scholarship can be renewed for another three years.
- The planned start date is 1 October 2025.
- Your monthly scholarship amount is calculated according to the scholarship amounts for doctoral scholarship holders.
- You will receive ecocheques, Internet-connectivity allowance, and a bicycle allowance or a full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting.
- You will do most of your work at the Stadscampus, in a dynamic and stimulating working environment.
- Find out more about working at the University of Antwerp here.
Want to apply?
- You can apply for this vacancy through the University of Antwerp’s online job application platform up to and including Tuesday 27 May 2025 (by midnight Brussels time). Click on the 'Apply' button and complete the online application form. Be sure to include the following attachments:
- a motivation letter
- your academic CV
- your (provisional) academic transcript
- an academic text that you have written in the context of a master's program or academic publication, which is a good reflection of your academic writing skills. This can be your master's thesis, or a paper for a master's course.
- The selection committee reviews all applications as soon as possible after the application deadline. As soon as a decision is made, we will notify you. If you are still eligible after the pre-selection, you will be informed about the possible next step(s) in the selection procedure. Please note the following date in your calendar: the selection interviews will take place on 11 June 2025.
- If you have any questions about the online application form, please check the frequently asked questions or send an email to [email protected]. If you have any questions about the job itself, please contact prof. dr. Jana Declercq, via [email protected].
The University of Antwerp received the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award for its HR policy. We are a sustainable, family-friendly organisation which invests in its employees’ growth. We encourage diversity and attach great importance to an inclusive working environment and equal opportunities, regardless of gender identity, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse characteristics to apply.
