The Occupational & Organizational Psychology and Professional Learning (O2L) research group at KU Leuven is seeking two motivated PhD students to investigate the dynamics of “flat careers”—defined as long-term employment within a single organization characterized by high job security but limited internal mobility. This project aims to challenge the assumption that such career paths inevitably lead to stagnation and passivity.
Position Overview
| Detail | Information |
| Designation | PhD Researcher (Doctoraatsbursaal) |
| Research Area | Occupational & Organizational Psychology |
| Location | Leuven, Belgium |
| Duration | 4 years (subject to positive evaluation after 1 year) |
| Application Deadline | August 14, 2026 (23:59 CET) |
Research Area & Project Description
The project investigates the intersection of job design, security, and employability. You will address two core questions:
- Do jobs in flat career paths become passive over time, leading to a decline in learning and activation?
- Does job security undermine employability, resulting in career stagnation?
You will examine short- and long-term changes in job design, the trade-off between security and employability, and their impact on well-being, activation, career success, and retirement planning. You will be supervised by Prof. dr. Ilke Grosemans and Prof. dr. Nele De Cuyper. The role also includes limited teaching support duties.
Eligibility & Qualifications
- Education: Master’s degree in Psychology, Educational Sciences, Economics, Business Administration, Social Sciences, or a related field (or expected to graduate within this academic year) with excellent academic results.
- Interests: Strong affinity for career research and occupational psychology themes.
- Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication in both Dutch and English.
- Aptitude: A passion for communicating findings to both scientific and general audiences, and the ability to work independently.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit their CV, motivation letter, and at least one reference (whom the team may contact) via the official online application portal.
- Deadline: August 14, 2026.
- Selection Process: Following CV screening, interviews will be held in the first week of September. Candidates will be asked to prepare and present one research question related to the doctoral topic as a starting point for the interview discussion.
For further information, please contact Prof. Dr. Nele De Cuyper via email at nele.decuyper@kuleuven.be.
