Postdoc in Social Inequality and Internationalization Activities at Tilburg University Tilburg University in Netherlands

Postdoc opportunity in social inequality, internationalization activities, and qualitative research at Tilburg University.

Tilburg University’s School of Social and Behavioral Sciences is recruiting a Postdoc for the SEPIA project: Social Inequality in Students’ Participation in Internationalization Activities. The role is based in the Department of Sociology and focuses on understanding social inclusion barriers and enablers in higher education internationalization.

The successful candidate will conduct and analyse 24 in-depth interviews with students and one focus group with internationalization officers and student support staff in the Netherlands. The work includes transcription, translation if needed, qualitative analysis, and reporting findings in collaboration with partners in Norway and Spain. The project is part of an Erasmus+ funded international collaboration involving institutions in the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Belgium.

Research themes: social inequality, international higher education, sociology of higher education, internationalization activities, qualitative methods, interviews, focus groups, and cross-national comparative research.

Eligibility highlights: applicants must have or soon receive a PhD degree; strong experience in qualitative research is required; semi-structured interviews and focus groups are a plus; strong Dutch and English are required (Dutch at CEFR C1, English at C2); knowledge of Norwegian and/or Spanish is an advantage; a publication record in higher education or qualitative research is also beneficial.

Funding and contract: 0.8 FTE for 6 months, with a full-time gross monthly salary of €3,546–€4,901, plus vacation pay, year-end bonus, and standard Dutch university employment benefits.

Application deadline: 25 May 2026. The intended start date is 1 September 2026. Apply online via the Tilburg University vacancy page and address the cover letter to Christof van Mol.