Offer Description
This fully funded four-year PhD position is part of the Vidi project “The economy of digital influence operations”, led by Associate Professor Jon Roozenbeek. The project investigates the market infrastructure that supports disinformation and influence operations in digital environments. Through a series of studies, you will be mapping out the “online manipulation economy” where fake accounts, engagement, and even sophisticated bot armies are readily for sale. You will look at who the buyers and…
sellers are within this marketplace, conduct interviews with key players to understand their motivations, and build bespoke analysis pipelines of social media and financial data to understand the downstream consequences of the buying and selling of these services.
The PhD will be supervised by Associate Professor Jon Roozenbeek, who directs the Influence and Technology Lab at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and the University of Cambridge, along with Associate Professor Ivar Vermeulen (VU Amsterdam).
Your duties
As a PhD candidate, you will complete a cumulative dissertation within four years at one of the world’s leading Communication Science departments in Amsterdam. You will also have close links with Cambridge, where Dr Roozenbeek’s lab is partially based.
Working closely with your supervisory team, you will plan and execute empirical studies as envisioned in the project. You will design experiments, collect and analyse quantitative data (e.g., social media data, qualitative interviews), and publish your findings in top international journals, conference proceedings, and publicly accessible brief reports. You will also be responsible for building and maintaining public-facing outputs such as the Cambridge Online Trust and Safety Index (https://cotsi.org/).
You bring a strong foundation in experimental research within data science, quantitative psychology, or (behavioural) economics, and have experience with quantitative data analysis and scientific writing. Throughout the project, you will further advance these skills and refine your ability to report research according to international standards and open-science principles. All data and materials will be made reproducible and publicly available.
As a member of our vibrant, internationally renowned department, you will broaden your professional network and develop collaborations with scholars in related fields. As a PhD candidate, you will also take part in the Graduate School of Social Sciences (GSSS), which offers a wide range of courses for your further academic development (see website, ‘Starting your PhD trajectory’). More detailed information is available upon request.
Requirements
Specific Requirements
We are looking for a PhD candidate who:
- holds a completed (research) master’s degree in (Social) Data Science, Communication Science, Psychology, or Economics; excellent grades, particularly for final-year dissertations, are preferred.
- is deeply interested in understanding how information spreads in online environments, and the (market) infrastructures that enable the proliferation of inauthentic content (e.g., bots).
- has strong skills in designing and conducting quantitative empirical research, and is comfortable with advanced statistical analyses, including time series analysis (experience with Python and R is essential).
- possesses excellent academic writing skills in English. Knowledge of Russian and/or Mandarin is a plus.
- is sociable, open-minded, friendly, and communicative with colleagues, including other PhD students; is autonomous and responsible, taking ownership of research studies; and is diligent and conscientious in advancing research and publications. Note: the ability to work independently is particularly essential for this position, as Dr Roozenbeek spends parts of the year in Cambridge, which limits how many in-person meetings can be organised. Virtual meetings are, of course, an option.
- can collaborate effectively across disciplines and communicate clearly, both orally and in writing.
Additional Information
Benefits
We offer a rewarding, field-advancing PhD position within a vibrant, ambitious, and socially engaged department, home to internationally renowned communication science, media psychology, and computational social science scholars. Moreover, you will join the Influence and Technology Lab at Cambridge and VU Amsterdam, a friendly and collaborative environment with a strong track record of producing world-leading research.
At VU, you are embedded in an interdisciplinary environment that fosters substantial academic as well as professional development.
We offer:
- A salary of € 3,204 (PhD) and maximum € 4,051 (PhD) gross per month in the fourth year, for a full-time employment
- An employment contract of initially 1 year. After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, based on a portfolio including academic products as defined by the GSSS, the PhD-contract will be extended for a total duration of 4 years. Your dissertation at the end of the fourth year forms the end of your employment contract.
We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and arrangements. Some examples:
- A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
- 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
- Contribution to commuting expenses
- Optional model for designing a personalized benefits package
- A wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge.
Additional comments
Are you interested in this position? Please apply via the application button and upload your Curriculum Vitae and short application letter (in Dutch or English; maximum 2 pages) by Monday 14 September 2026 (23.59 hr.). Interviews (in Amsterdam or online) are expected to take place between 21-30 September. Preferred starting date is Monday 4 January 2027.
Applications received by e-mail will not be considered.
Acquisition in response to this advertisement is not appreciated.
Work Location(s)
Number of offers available: 1
Company/Institute: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Country: Netherlands
City: Amsterdam
Postal Code: 1081HV
Street: De Boelelaan 1105
Contact
City: Amsterdam
Website: http://www.vu.nl/
Street: De Boelelaan 1105
Postal Code: 1081 HV
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