Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
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PhD in Labour Migration in Digital Industrial Policy Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in Netherlands
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Sociology
Funding
Fully funded four-year PhD position; salary €3,204 to €4,051 gross per month in the fourth year; initial 1-year contract extendable to 4 years.
Deadline
Dec 1, 2026
Country
Netherlands
University
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
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About this position
This fully funded PhD project examines how the European Union’s drive for digital autonomy is reshaping labour markets and labour migration policy across Europe. Hosted by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the position sits in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration within the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities.
The project is part of the ERC Starting Grant Migrant Labor in EU’s Pivot to Digital Autonomy, led by Dr. Julia Rone. It explores how the governance of labour migration intersects with digital capitalism and how the EU and member states position themselves as active “catching-up” actors in digital industrial policy.
The wider ERC project focuses on migrant labour across the digital stack, especially strategic sectors such as networks, semiconductor chips, cloud, and AI. It also investigates the roles of policymakers, firms, trade unions, and migrant workers in shaping digital labour regimes and workplace conditions across Europe.
The PhD will primarily contribute to the project’s work on how policy makers, employers, and trade unions define high-skilled, mid-skilled, and low-skilled migrant labour in the digital industrial sector and how rules and rights are assigned in different national contexts. The research uses cross-national comparative policy analysis, process tracing, and qualitative interviews, and it is intended to feed into a cumulative dissertation of four publishable journal articles.
The student will work closely with the supervisory team and within an ERC research group that also includes two postdoctoral researchers. The project offers participation in an active research environment, with opportunities to engage in conferences, workshops, collaborative project work, and research stays abroad through the project’s international network.
The broader intellectual setting is strongly interdisciplinary, linking political science, sociology, migration studies, and the political economy of digital capitalism in the context of the current AI boom.
Funding details
Fully funded four-year PhD position; salary €3,204 to €4,051 gross per month in the fourth year; initial 1-year contract extendable to 4 years.
What's required
Applicants should have obtained a (research) master's degree in Political Economy, Political Science, Sociology, Migration Studies, or a closely related field. They should have a strong interest in the political economy of digital capitalism and labour migration, be familiar with qualitative semi-structured interviews, and have experience with qualitative research, comparative research design, and process tracing. Excellent academic writing skills in English are required, along with the ability to work independently and responsibly, collaborate well with colleagues, and communicate effectively in interdisciplinary research environments.
How to apply
Apply through the VU Amsterdam application system by 1 December 2026. Upload a CV and a motivation letter of up to 2 pages explaining your fit, research approach, and what makes you stand out. Applications sent by email will not be considered.
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Prepare your application
Review drafts and confirm requirements with the university.
Make your next move.
Prepare your application
Review drafts and confirm requirements with the university.