PhD position in Social Science Genetics – VU Amsterdam & Amsterdam UMC

Applications are invited for a PhD position in Social Science Genetics, a joint appointment at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam UMC. Eligible candidates may start their studentship between July and September 2026.

Your function

The Doctoral Network

ESSGN brings together eight Universities with a shared interest in social science genetics, i.e., in incorporating genetic information to improve our understanding of age-old questions in the social sciences, such as the origins of inequality, the ‘nature versus nurture’ debate, and the extent to which the interplay between environments and genes is important in shaping life chances. The consortium consists of an interdisciplinary group of academics, spanning demography, economics, epidemiology, genetics, political science, psychology, sociology, and statistics, as well as seven non-academic partners experienced in and committed to using data science to better understand inequalities in life chances. The partners include government bodies (GO Science UK), policy research institutes (RAND Europe, Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute [NIDI]), charities (the Health Foundation), data infrastructure networks (CentERdata-ODISSEI) as well as economics consulting (Prometeia).

ESSGN creates, nurtures, and maintains a stimulating and world-class training environment in the interdisciplinary study of social-science genetics and geno-economics. Training will be provided through:

1. courses in the biological foundations of genetic inheritance;
2. practical training in cutting-edge, multidisciplinary methods in social science genetics, including in state-of-the-art computational and bioinformatics methods for analysing big data and in statistical techniques for empirical research; and
3. cutting-edge academic research, to prepare the doctoral student to be a successful research scientist, but also for the professional job market in industry, technology and policy.

We will coordinate and support skill development as well as monitor well-being and progress towards the PhD.

The PhD projects will jointly contribute to answering a key research question that has occupied social scientists for decades:

To what extent do inequalities in life chances arise from genetic variation, environmental factors, and their interplay, and what can we do about it?

The PhD project will go beyond the state-of-the-art by (i) using Europe’s largest and most comprehensive multi-generation databases to separate direct genetic effects from parental genetic and socio-economic factors that shape the rearing environment; and (ii) by exploiting the large toolbox of causal inference methods used in econometrics and statistics to estimate how environmental contexts causally protect individuals with genetic risk.

We will incorporate genetic information into the social sciences to explore how genetic and environmental characteristics jointly shape inequalities in life chances by:

1. analysing to what extent genetic (‘nature’) and environmental (‘nurture’) factors contribute to inequality of opportunity and intergenerational mobility; and
2. establishing how nature and nurture jointly shape inequalities in life chances.

Your profile

Applicants for VU Amsterdam can be of any nationality and must not have a doctoral degree at the date of recruitment. They must not have resided or carried out their main activity (study, work, etc.) in the Netherlands for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the recruitment date.

• Applicants must have obtained (or be about to obtain) an MSc/MRes/MPhil (or equivalent) in an appropriate area of social science (e.g., demography, economics, epidemiology, political science, psychology, sociology, statistics) or medical science (e.g., genetics, epigenetics). We are looking for students with strong quantitative skills. Professional experience is a plus, but not a must.
• Comply with the mobility rule, meaning that they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the Netherlands for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date.
• Comply with the doctoral candidate criteria, meaning that at the time of recruitment they have not been awarded a doctoral degree.
• Fulfil the requirements to be enrolled in a doctoral programme at VU Amsterdam and AUMC.
• If English is not your first language you will need to meet the English language requirements of VU Amsterdam.
• When checking compliance with the mobility rule, the refugee procedure will not be considered as a period of residence in the country where the candidate is applying. When all scores and evaluation criteria are equal, preference will be given to candidates from under-represented groups, for example women, and candidates with disabilities or those from refugee backgrounds.

What do we offer?

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

• An employment contract of initially 1 year, to be extended to a total of 4 years depending on performance.
• The EU studentship is jointly funded through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) at VU Amsterdam and by Amsterdam University Medical Centre (AUMC). Funding consists of tuition fees (if applicable), as well as a Doctoral Stipend. Additional research, travel and support funding is also available.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• Contribution to commuting expenses.
• Optional model for designing a personalized benefits package.
• A wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge.

After 18–22 months, AUMC will take over the employment. From that date onward, the employment conditions of AUMC will apply.

About us

School of Business and Economics

We at the School of Business and Economics (SBE) at VU Amsterdam bring together socially relevant teaching and research in the areas of business administration and economics. We focus on real-life issues that have a huge impact on society, economics and ecology: from robotics to big data, and from job market participation to change management.

Are you interested in joining SBE? You will work in a stimulating, dynamic and international environment with motivated colleagues dedicated to helping society make informed choices.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research.