About this role
<p><img alt="" src="https://rmkcdn.successfactors.com/75f68c18/d637c2ae-7a41-47cc-b3b8-4.jpg" style="height:145.0px;width:779.0px"></p> <div><div style="padding:10.0px 0.0px;border:1.0px solid transparent"><div style="font-size:0.0px;word-wrap:break-word"><H2 style="font-size:1.0em;margin:0.0px">Offer</H2> </div><div><p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:28.0px"><span style="color:#0d3b65"><span style="font-family:Garamond"><strong>UCLouvain is hiring a <span style="font-size:28.0px"><span style="color:#0d3b65"><span style="font-family:Garamond"><strong>PhD in Political Science</strong></span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11.0px"><strong>Job Id : SF </strong> <strong><span style="font-size:11.0px"><strong>38752</strong></span></strong><br>Internal and external job posting until...</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18.0px"><strong><span style="font-family:Garamond, sans-serif"><span style="color:#0d3b65">For institute <span style="font-size:18.0px"><strong><span style="font-family:Garamond, sans-serif"><span style="color:#0d3b65">Political Sciences Louvain-Europe Institute</span></span></strong></span> of <span style="font-size:18.0px"><strong><span style="font-family:Garamond, sans-serif"><span style="color:#0d3b65">Social sciences and humanities sector </span></span></strong></span><br>Main campus : <strong> </strong><span style="font-size:18.0px"><strong><span style="font-family:Garamond, sans-serif"><span style="color:#0d3b65">Louvain-la-Neuve</span></span></strong></span></span></span></strong></span><strong> </strong><br><span style="font-size:18.0px"><strong><span style="font-family:Garamond, sans-serif"><span style="color:#0d3b65">Fixed-term, <span style="font-size:18.0px"><strong><span style="font-family:Garamond, sans-serif"><span style="color:#0d3b65">full-time</span></span></strong></span> (100%) contract, until 30 September 2030<br>Starting date : 1 October 2026</span></span></strong></span></p></div></div><div style="padding:10.0px 0.0px;border:1.0px solid transparent"><div style="font-size:16.0px;word-wrap:break-word"><H2 style="font-size:1.0em;margin:0.0px">Introduction</H2> </div><div><p> </p> <p>Political representation remains one of the central challenges facing contemporary democracies. This PhD position is part of the FNRS- and FWO-funded WEAVE project, Co-Designing Inclusive Political Representation, a bottom-up European research collaboration jointly conducted by UCLouvain and Vrije Universiteit Brussel.</p> <p>The project explores how political representation can be reimagined and redesigned from the perspective of people experiencing socio-economic precarity in Brussels.</p> <p><br>The project combines democratic theory, qualitative longitudinal fieldwork, participatory co-design and community-engaged research in Brussels. Participants from structurally underrepresented groups collaborate with researchers throughout the research process to analyze experiences of representation and co-develop proposals for democratic reform.</p> <p>The research follows an iterative abductive design, characterized by a continuous dialogue between empirical fieldwork and theoretical development.</p> <p>Within this broader project framework, the successful candidate will develop an original doctoral dissertation while contributing to an innovative and internationally connected research programme with both academic and societal relevance.</p></div></div><div style="padding:10.0px 0.0px;border:1.0px solid transparent"><div style="font-size:16.0px;word-wrap:break-word"><H2 style="font-size:1.0em;margin:0.0px">Job description</H2> </div><div><p>Supervision: Prof. Virginie Van Ingelgom, Prof. Karen Celis, and Dr. Kenza Amara Hammou.</p> <p><br>• Duration: 4-year fixed-term doctoral scholarship (48 months).</p> <p><br>• Start date: 1 October 2026.</p> <p><br>• Funding: doctoral scholarship in accordance with FNRS and FWO regulations; dedicated budget for fieldwork, conferences, training and dissemination.</p> <p> </p> <p><span style="text-decoration:underline">Main Responsibilities</span></p> <p><br>• Develop an original doctoral dissertation.</p> <p><br>• Conduct participatory qualitative fieldwork and facilitate panel discussions and codesign sessions.</p> <p><br>• Collaborate with local NGOs and community organizations.</p> <p><br>• Analyze qualitative data and contribute to academic publications.</p> <p><br>• Present research at national and international conferences</p> <p><br>• Contribute to societal outreach and dissemination activities, including engagement with local partners, policy stakeholders and broader public audiences, as well as theco-development of community-oriented and policy-relevant outputs.</p> <p><br>• Environment: enrolment in a collaborative UCLouvain-Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) doctoral programme leading to a joint doctoral degree; supervision by the UCLouvain and VUB supervisors; the first two years will be based at UCLouvain and the final two years at VUB; access to seminars, doctoral training and international research networks at both institutions.</p></div></div><div style="padding:10.0px 0.0px;border:1.0px solid transparent"><div style="font-size:16.0px;word-wrap:break-word"><H2 style="font-size:1.0em;margin:0.0px">Required qualifications and skills</H2> </div><div><p>Master's degree in Political Science or a related social science discipline (final-year students may apply).</p> <p><br>• Strong interest in political representation, democracy and qualitative research.</p> <p><br>• Interest in participatory, co-constructive and community-engaged research.</p> <p><br>• Excellent oral proficiency in French; Excellent English writing and speaking skills; Dutch is an asset.</p> <p><br>• Willingness to conduct extensive qualitative fieldwork in Brussels.</p> <p><br>• Intellectual curiosity, initiative and ability to work independently and collaboratively</p></div></div><div style="padding:10.0px 0.0px;border:1.0px solid transparent"><div style="font-size:16.0px;word-wrap:break-word"><H2 style="font-size:1.0em;margin:0.0px">Application process</H2> </div><div><p>Applicants are kindly requested to combine all application documents into a single PDF file where possible. Applications submitted as separate documents will also be accepted.<br>Please use the subject line: PhD Position (4 years) in Political Science - Co-Designing Inclusive Political Representation.</p> <p><br>-Cover letter (max. 2 pages)</p> <p>-Curriculum vitae.</p> <p>-Short statement of research interests and project ideas (max. 1 page).<br>-Master's thesis or writing sample.<br>-Diploma<br>Contact details of two academic referees (letters not required).<br>Applications submitted without the subject line mentioned above and/or submitted after the deadline will not be considered.<br>Shortlisted candidates will be informed during early September 2026. Interviews are expected to take place during the second half of September 2026. Preferred start date: 1 October 2026.</p> <p><br><span style="text-decoration:underline">Additional Information</span></p> <p><br>Project enquiries and questions: Dr. Kenza Amara Hammou</p> <p>[email protected]</p> <p> </p></div></div></div><p> </p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="color:#2980b9">Please apply online only, until August 31, 2026. </span></span></strong></p> <p> </p> <hr> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Contact: Chantal Herman - [email protected] </p>