Refugee research assistant for study on digital technology and civic integration (4x)

Tilburg University via AcademicTransfer; Netherlands; On-site; EUR 3,500 - 5,900; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

0.1 FTE

Salary per month €314.70

9-month contract

Vacation pay 8%

Year-end bonus 8.3%

ABP pension

Inclusive work culture

Green campus

Job summary

Tilburg University invites applications for a part-time Research Assistant position (0.1 fte, 4 hours per week) to join a project on how refugees use digital technologies during civic integration in The Netherlands. No prior research experience required; you will contribute to design, recruitment, data collection and analysis, with translation support as needed.

Applicants must have refugee status, permission to work part-time, and ongoing or recent civic integration (inburgering).

Qualifications

• You have strong English language skills (spoken and written).
• You are fluent in an additional language (e.g., Arabic, Turkish, Kurdish, Tigrinya, Dari, Pashto).
• You have strong interpersonal skills and comfort in multi-cultural settings.
• You have strong analytical skills and can learn new processes.

Responsibilities

• Attend orientation and training on basic research skills.
• Participate in team meetings, in Tilburg (remote attendance possible).
• Contribute to research questions and study design.
• Assist in recruiting participants through community organizations and refugee networks.
• Assist in data collection as co-moderator/co-interviewer for focus groups/interviews, including translation.

Job description

Sociology » Social shaping of technology

Sociology » Societal behaviour

Communication sciences » Public relations

Organisation/Company Tilburg University Research Field Sociology » Social shaping of technology Sociology » Societal behaviour Communication sciences » Media studies Communication sciences » Public relations Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Application Deadline 16 Oct 2026 - 21:59 (UTC) Country Netherlands Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Not Applicable Hours Per Week 4.0 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

We are looking to hire people who have refugee status in The Netherlands and who are completing (or have recently completed) civic integration (inburgering) to join an academic research team at Tilburg University. In this project, we are interested in the ways that refugees use digital technologies (such as translation tools, government apps, and chatbots) to help manage the civic integration process, including the barriers and opportunities of technology. As a research assistant, you will participate as an active team member, providing input and playing a role in key stages of the research process (design, recruitment, data collection, analysis). You will offer your insights as someone with firsthand experience of civic integration as well as contribute your interpersonal and language skills for recruitment and data collection. No previous research experience is required.

Why should someone apply for this job?In this position, you will gain experience conducting academic research, working on a professional team in The Netherlands, and contributing to solutions for technological challenges that refugees face during civic integration.

Why do we seek the expertise of refugees for this research? We believe we can better understand the challenges that refugees face in The Netherlands by working closely with people who have that firsthand experience. By hiring research assistants who have experience as refugees, we hope to identify more relevant questions, engage in more responsible ways with the community, and develop findings that more impactful for improving the lives of refugees.

Your position Research assistant.

Job responsibilities include the following:

• Attend orientation and training sessions on basic research skills (no previous research experience required).
• Participate in regular team meetings, weekly or every two weeks on average, in person in Tilburg (remote attendance possible on occasion).
• Contribute to the development of research questions and study design through feedback on proposed ideas and designs.
• Assist in recruiting participants through, e.g., distributing recruitment materials and helping contact potential participants through community organizations and refugee networks.
• Assist in data collection by serving as a co-moderator/co-interviewer for focus groups/interviews alongside the lead researcher, including providing translation as needed.
• Assist in analyzing data collected from focus groups or interviews through reading transcripts and participating in team meetings to provide input on analysis.
• Contribute to communicating research findings to the public through feedback on the planning of, and/or participation in, community events or stakeholder meetings.
• Assist in communication with participants (i.e., translation) throughout the research process, including during recruitment, scheduling, and data collection.
• You are a person who has obtained refugee status in the Netherlands.
• You have permission to work (part-time) in the Netherlands.
• You are currently in the process of civic integration (inburgering) or have completed this in the previous 1 year.
• You have strong English language skills (spoken and written).
• You are native or fluent in a language in addition to English, such as Arabic, Turkish, Kurdish, Tigrinya, Dari, and/or Pashto (other languages spoken by refugee communities in The Netherlands will be considered).
• You have strong interpersonal skills, including confidence speaking in group settings and comfortability engaging with people you do not know in multi-cultural contexts.
• You have strong analytical skills, such as an ability to learn new processes and contribute to strategic conversations in a group setting.

Additional Information

Our offer

Tilburg University offers excellent benefits in a pleasant working environment:

• Employment of 0.1 fte (4 hours per week).
• The research assistant position will be ranked in the Dutch university job ranking system (UFO) as a research assistant 1.
• Salary of €314.70 gross per month for this 0,1 fte employment (UFO-profile Research Assistant 1, salary scale 5). Tilburg University uses a neutral remuneration system based on relevant work experience.
• This is a vacancy whose work is temporarily funded on the basis of temporary external funding or co-financing, in accordance with Article 2.3 paragraph 5 sub a CLA DU, namely NWO XS Grant “Participatory Approach to Digital Inclusion for Refugees in The Netherlands”. You will be given a temporary contract for the duration of 9 months.
• Vacation pay of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.
• Over 8 weeks of vacation leave.
• Reimbursement sustainable commuting: walking, cycling, and public transport.
• Options model for additional leave, pension, a bicycle or personal training.
• Pension through ABP.
• Inclusive work culture: everyone welcome, equal opportunities.
• A green, inviting campus that’s easily accessible by public transport.

The letter selection will take place shortly after the closing date. You will be notified as soon as possible thereafter. Interviews will take place in the week 43 or 44.

The selection of positions is made by Will Marler, assistant professor, Department of Communication and Cognition.

You will ideally start working for Tilburg University as soon as possible.