Two PhD positions on dynamics in flat careers: Flat but not static KU Leuven in United Kingdom

KU Leuven is offering two PhD positions in the research area of dynamics in flat careers, titled “Flat but not static.” The positions are embedded in the Research Group Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology and Professional Learning (O2L), which studies the relationship between people and work with a strong sustainability focus. The group’s broader interests include well-being, employability, job insecurity, leadership, professional learning, and team learning, and it uses diverse methodological approaches.

The project challenges a common assumption that flat careers — long-term employment within a single organization with limited internal mobility and high job security — inevitably lead to passivity, stagnation, and reduced employability. Across two PhD projects, the team will examine whether jobs in flat careers become more passive over time, whether job security undermines employability, and how these dynamics shape well-being, activation, career success, and retirement intentions.

The successful candidates will work closely with a supervisory team led by Prof. Dr. Ilke Grosemans and Prof. Dr. Nele De Cuyper. The position also includes limited teaching-related support such as supervising student projects and administrative tasks, offering valuable experience in academic service and teaching. The project is well suited to candidates interested in work and organizational psychology, career research, and mixed-methods work that combines quantitative and qualitative approaches.

Eligibility is broad but academically strong: applicants should hold a master’s degree in psychology, educational sciences, economics and business administration, social sciences, or a related social science discipline, or expect to receive one during the current academic year. Excellent academic results are expected. Candidates should be comfortable working in Dutch and English, have strong writing ability, be motivated to communicate results to both scholarly and wider audiences, and be able to work independently.

This is a full-time PhD appointment for four years, with continuation after the first year conditional on positive evaluation. The opportunity is based at KU Leuven in Leuven, Belgium. Interested applicants should submit a CV, motivation letter, and at least one reference by 2026-08-14. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interviews in the first week of September and will be asked to bring one research question related to the PhD topic and explain how they would approach it. For more information, candidates may contact Prof. Dr. Nele De Cuyper at nele.decuyper@kuleuven.be.