PhD in Global Talent Interdependence and Europe’s Strategic Innovation Ambitions Utrecht University in Netherlands

Utrecht University is offering a fully funded PhD in Global Talent Interdependence and Europe’s Strategic Innovation Ambitions at the Faculty of Geosciences, within the Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning. The project sits at the intersection of economic geography, innovation studies, migration, and global talent mobility, and asks how Europe’s innovation future depends on the movement of highly skilled people, especially STEM PhD graduates.

The research examines how doctoral training, international mobility, geopolitics, migration restrictions, and institutional contexts shape where knowledge is created and where it is translated into technological and economic value. The PhD candidate will work with large-scale longitudinal data on PhD recipients and combine it with publication, patent, career, survey, administrative, and online data. The project is designed for someone who enjoys building datasets, applying quantitative and mixed-method approaches, and producing policy-relevant research on innovation systems and knowledge flows.

The position is based in the Economic Geography Section with close collaboration with the Innovation Studies Section at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development. The successful candidate will conduct independent research, write and publish papers, present at conferences, and contribute 10% teaching. Supervision is provided by Dr Burcu Özgün, Dr Giovanna Capponi, and Professor Carolina Castaldi.

Applicants should have a Master’s degree in economic geography, economics, sociology, innovation studies, development studies, or a related social science field. Strong quantitative and data-analysis skills are important, and experience with web scraping and large datasets is an advantage. The call also asks for excellent writing skills, a strong motivation for academic research, and English proficiency at C1 level. A writing sample such as a Master’s thesis is required.

The position is fully funded for four years, with a gross monthly salary of €3,059 to €3,881, plus holiday pay and a year-end bonus. The application deadline is 25 May 2026, and first-round interviews are scheduled for 17 June 2026. Applicants should submit a motivation letter, CV, writing sample, and two referees through the Utrecht University application portal.