PHD candidate

AcademicTransfer; Netherlands; On-site; EUR 43,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

13th month

Fringe benefits

53 days leave with salary retention

Personal development opportunities

Health insurance support

Group discounts for insurances

Travel allowances

ABP pension

Job summary

Hotelschool The Hague invites a PHD candidate to conduct applied research within the Research Centre, in collaboration with Lector Alexander Schmidt and VU Amsterdam colleagues. You will explore digital tools, assess their educational impact, and design innovative learning experiences bridging technology and hospitality.

You will connect with external partners, contribute to the Real-life learning environment, and help develop living labs across campus in The Hague and Amsterdam.

Qualifications

• Experience in (applied) research.
• A passion for latest developments in digital technology.
• Hands-on mentality: you get things done.

Responsibilities

• Design and organise engaging workshops and learning experiences for students.
• Collaborate with IT and Maintenance Departments to implement ideas in the classroom.
• Conduct applied research relevant to the Hotelschool The Hague institute and partner with external stakeholders.

Skills

Applied research

Digital technology interest

Collaboration

Communication skills

Education

Master's degree in relevant field

Tools

Educational technology tools

Job description

Organisation/Company Hotelschool The Hague Research Field Educational sciences » Education Educational sciences » Teaching methods Technology » Communication technology Technology » Information technology Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) First Stage Researcher (R1) Application Deadline 16 Oct 2026 - 00:00 (UTC) Country Netherlands Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Not Applicable Hours Per Week 40.0 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

In this unique opportunity as a PHD candidate, you will be conducting applied research in the Research Centre of Hotelschool The Hague in close collaboration with our Lector Alexander Schmidt, while being guided as a 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 the 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, analyze 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 organization: someone who spots opportunities, takes initiative, experiments responsibly, and turns innovative ideas into concrete educational impact.

Candidate Profile

• 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
• Able to touch base with technology providers and industry partners
• 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 organization 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.