3 Ph.D. positions on ERC-funded project Childcare Strategies

High-quality childcare greatly improves outcomes in later life. Yet childcare access and usage are distributed unevenly, leading to amplified inequalities in later life outcomes. Parents from low-income households are 50% less likely to use formal childcare services than high-income households, use them when the child is older, and use them less intensively overall. Research has shown that affordable and accessible childcare increases usage, yet policy solutions aimed at removing financial or accessibility barriers have not reduced inequalities. The ERC-funded CHILDCARE STRATEGIES will investigate why low-income households don’t use formal childcare. The project will reframe our understanding of childcare to identify barriers to uptake.

The research project utilizes linked network data derived from administrative records, survey data, and new computational methods. To this end, there are three Ph.D. positions available which will focus on the analysis of large-scale network data and agent-based modeling. The project utilizes ODISSEI, the Dutch National Infrastructure for Social Science, and its secure high-performance computing environments to analyze very large administrative and survey data files. Given this, Ph.D. candidates must have a grasp of advanced statistical methods and be willing to achieve proficiency in computational methods. Through the four years of the project, the Ph.D. candidates will receive further training in advanced methods with the aim of preparing them for a career in science or policy. Ph.D. candidates will also be able to adapt and develop the elements of the research project to their own aims and interests including through potential research secondments to other leading international institutes outside of the Netherlands.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

Conducting innovative research leading to a finalized dissertation;
Participating in advanced methods courses and training;
Participating in other activities of the project, such as bi-weekly colloquia, contributing to public debate, and organizing outreach activities of the CHILDCARE STRATEGIES project;
A small contribution to the teaching activities of the department and support in developing teaching skills;
Collaborate with other researchers within the consortium.
All candidates will be provided with an extensive training and development budget, a budget to cover publication fees, conference fees, and to cover the costs of travel to international conferences and workshops. The Ph.D. program is designed to prepare individuals for a successful career in science and will provide the necessary training, networking, and development support to achieve this.