PhD Position: Inherited Networks

1. Introduction

Would you like to contribute to understanding how social network connections and resources are transmitted from parents to their children? In this project, you will examine the role of social networks in reproducing (dis-)advantage across generations.

2. Job description

This PhD project focuses on the intergenerational transmission of social networks and is part of the broader NWO-funded research programme SHINE: SHaping unequal futures through Inherited Networks. SHINE collects multigenerational quantitative and qualitative data to study how parents’ social network connections and resources shape their children’s career outcomes.

As a PhD candidate, you will work on your own project within the SHINE programme. The aim is to understand how and under which conditions social networks are transmitted across generations, and how this contributes to persistent social inequality. In particular, the project examines the similarities between parents’ and children’s networks, the mechanisms through which network connections and resources are inherited, and whether these processes differ across socioeconomic groups.

You will analyse both existing panel data and newly collected survey data (e.g. with multilevel regression and longitudinal panel analysis). We will refine existing network measures to better capture inherited networks, with a primary focus on network size, composition, resources, and overlap. In addition, you will work closely with the SHINE postdoctoral researcher to collect qualitative data aimed at understanding the mechanisms underlying intergenerational network transmission. Proficiency in Dutch is therefore required for this project.

As part of your PhD position, you will also contribute to teaching and will have the opportunity to work on components of your University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) portfolio.

You can find a detailed project description in the attachment at the bottom of this vacancy.

Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to pursue a PhD at Radboud University? Visit the page about working as a PhD candidate. 

3. Profile 

• You are a highly qualified candidate who has graduated or will graduate shortly in Sociology, the broader Social Sciences such as Psychology, Political Science, Educational Sciences, Economics, or a related discipline.
• You have an interest in and experience with analysing quantitative survey data, e.g. multilevel regression and longitudinal panel analysis, using SPSS, Stata, or R.
• You have an excellent command of Dutch (for collecting research data) and strong academic writing skills in English.
• You are interested in conducting in-depth interviews. Experience with such qualitative methods is an asset.
• Preferably, you have demonstrated interest in issues of social inequality and intergenerational processes.

4. We are

You will be appointed within the Department of Sociology. As a PhD candidate in the Department of Sociology, you will be part of Radboud Social Cultural Research (RSCR) and the Interuniversity Center for Social Science Theory and Methodology (ICS).

The Department of Sociology conducts research on key themes such as inequality, family and social relationships, and processes of inclusion and exclusion. This project is embedded within the department’s research programme on inequality. The department comprises approximately 25 staff members and offers a supportive and collegial working environment. You will participate in seminars and research meetings, gaining broad insight into sociological research at Radboud University, and will contribute to teaching within the Sociology programme.

The research will align with the research on ‘persisting structures of inequality’ of the Radboud Social Cultural Research (RSCR) institute. RSCR is a research institute at the Faculty of Social Sciences and consists of the groups Sociology, Cultural Anthropology and Development Studies, and Gender and Diversity Studies. The overall aim of RSCR is to improve the understanding of (the processes leading to) inequalities in various societies through investigating the societal phenomena of social inequality and inclusion.

The ICS is an internationally renowned Research Center and Graduate School in the field of Sociology, located in The Netherlands at the Universities of Amsterdam (UvA), Groningen, Nijmegen and Utrecht and forms the graduate school you will join. Together with other candidates starting in September 2026, you will form the new ICS PhD cohort, following the graduate school’s educational track (fully taught in English) and beginning on 1 September 2026.

5. We offer

• We will give you a temporary employment contract (1.0 FTE) of 1.5 years, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, your contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4-year contract).     
• You will receive a starting salary of €3,059 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €3,881 in the fourth year (salary scale P).
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus. 
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20. 

6. Practical information and applying

You can apply only through the ICS graduate school website. Please click on the apply button below. There you will find which documents you need to include with your application. We look forward to receiving your application.

Interviews will be conducted on 13 and 14 April 2026 in Nijmegen or online. ICS will not cover travel costs for an interview. Invitations for interviews will be sent by email after 24 March 2026.