"PhD candidate 'Language & Migration in Limburg'"

Job Summary

The PhD project aims to explore the linguistic and language-cultural diversity of Limburg and its changes due to societal developments such as labor migration, economic restructuring, workplace automation, Euregional integration, and evolving discourses about the past. It is part of an interdisciplinary research team at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS).

Responsibilities

Develop your own research focus within the broader framework, such as examining language-cultural practices of labor migrants, conducting linguistic-ethnographic case studies, or investigating sociolinguistic change. Use qualitative methods including ethnographic fieldwork, interviews, oral histories, and document analysis. Design an action research intervention for public engagement, such as organizing a conference, co-creating an exhibition, or hosting a workshop series. Dedicate ten percent of your time to teaching activities at FASoS.

Qualifications and Requirements

Hold a Master’s degree in a relevant humanities or social science field (e.g., anthropology, area studies, Dutch studies, European studies, history, journalism, linguistics, or migration studies). Have experience with qualitative research methods such as interviews, participant observation, and discourse analysis. Be fluent in Dutch and English, and willing to learn Limburgish if not already familiar. Demonstrate an interdisciplinary mindset, cultural sensitivity, and an open approach to working with diverse people. Knowledge of minority or border-regional languages (e.g., Arabic, Cantonese, Kurdish, Polish, Tarifit, Turkish, French, or German) is an advantage.

What the Employer Offers

Employment as a PhD candidate at Maastricht University, with a salary ranging from €3059 to €3881 gross per month based on a full-time employment of 38 hours per week. An initial 12-month contract with the possibility of a 3-year extension upon positive evaluation. Benefits include an 8.0% holiday allowance, 8.3% year-end bonus, flexible working hours, partial home working, 29 vacation days plus 4 additional public holidays, and opportunities for personal and professional development through training programs.