PHD candidate

Hotelschool The Hague; Den Haag; On-site; EUR 43,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

13th month

Fringe benefits

Leave with salary 53 days

Personal development

Health insurance contribution

Group insurance discounts

Travel allowance

ABP pension

Job summary

Hotelschool The Hague invites applications for a PhD candidate position within our Research Centre, in close collaboration with Lector Alexander Schmidt and the VU Amsterdam. You will conduct applied research shaping hospitality education and practice, while pursuing your PhD.

You explore digital tools, VR, AI, data-driven decision-making, and related innovations, linking theory to real-world hotel operations and learning environments on our The Hague and Amsterdam campuses.

Qualifications

• Passion for latest developments in digital technology.
• Experience in applied research.
• Research mindset with hands-on mentality.
• Interest in technology and hospitality.
• Strong stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Design and organise workshops and learning experiences.
• Collaborate with IT and Maintenance for feasibility and scalability.
• Develop living labs and research on technology in hotel operations.
• Connect colleagues, departments and external partners.
• Enable evidence-informed decision making in the programme.

Skills

Digital technology

Applied research

Hands-on mindset

Stakeholder management

External partnerships

Education

PhD candidate

Tools

VR-based classes

AI applications

Data-driven tools

Job description

General Function Description

In this unique opportunity as a PHD candidate you will be conducting applied researchin the Research Centre of Hotelschool The Hague in close collaboration with our Lector Alexander Schmidt, while being guided as PHD candidate by our colleagues of the VU Amsterdam.You will conduct applied research relevant to our almost 100 year old institute, a beacon in hospitality business, while obtaining your PHD.

A key aspect of this position is your curiosity and ability to explore and apply applied research in a practical context. You continuously investigate emerging digital tools, analyse their relevance for the hospitality industry and educational practice, and assess their pedagogical impact. Through applied research and evidence-informed experimentation, you identify opportunities for innovation and support well-founded decision-making within the programme.

You design and organise engaging workshops and learning experiences for students, connecting digital and technological developments to real-world hospitality contexts. Examples include VR-based classes, immersive learning environments, AI applications, data-driven decision-making tools, and other innovative formats that prepare students for a rapidly evolving industry.

As a true connector, you actively connect colleagues, departments, and ideas. You collaborate closely with the IT and Maintenance Departments to realise and implement your ideas in the classroom, ensuring technical feasibility, sustainability, and scalability. You will further develop HTH living labs in the Real life learning environment by setting up and conducting research on technology in hotel operations

You are an entrepreneur within our organisation: someone who spots opportunities, takes initiative, experiments responsibly, and turns innovative ideas into concrete educational impact.

Candidate Profile

You have/are:

• A strong passion for the latest developments in digital technology
• Experienced in (applied) research
• A research mindset combined with a hands -on mentality: you get things done
• A passion for both technology and hospitality
• Excellent stakeholder manager
• Able to touch base with technology providers and industry partners
• able to deep dive into matters
• Willing to do field visits: this project is not conducted from behind your desk only, but aims to connect with external partners & stakeholders.

Remuneration

Hotelschool The Hague offers a salary based on scale 10 of the labour agreement of Universities of Applied Science (CAO HBO) with a range between € 3.826,54 and € 5.699,76 per month, depending on your professional experience and qualifications. The duration of the contract will be 4 years.

In addition, Hotelschool The Hague offers:

• A 13th month;
• An excellent package of fringe benefits;
• Employees with a 40-hour working week are entitled to 428 hours (53 days) of leave annually with retention of salary;
• Excellent opportunities for further personal development;
• Compensation towards your health insurance expenses;
• Option to make use of group discounts for multiple insurances;
• Travel allowances for commuting to and from work;
• A pension plan through ABP;

Most importantly you would work for an organisation that strives to have a positive impact on society, helping to develop future leaders in the hospitality industry.

Additional information

Hotelschool The Hague works with a 40-hour workweek. The starting date for this position is as soon as possible depending on the notice period of the applicant.

You will be working on both our campuses The Hague & Amsterdam.

An English language proficiency test may be part of the selection procedure. Upon receiving an offer, a certificate of conduct (VOG) is required.

Interviews will take place Wednesday 30 September.