PhD Student Circular Collaboration and Impact Measurement

Context

Nyenrode Business Universiteit is seeking a full-time PhD Student  with a research interest in circular collaboration and impact measurement. The PhD program is a four-year fully-funded program. The PhD student will join the Center for Entrepreneurship, Stewardship and Governance (ESG). Under the supervision of Prof. dr. Tineke Lambooy LL.M., Dr. Diane Zandee RC and Dr. Ingrid Koning LL.M., and advisory role of Prof. Dr. Jack van der Veen.

The PhD student will perform theoretical and empirical research on circular business models, collaboration between North-West European municipalities, the Dutch Rijkswaterstaat and companies in the context of public procurement and impact measurement.

We are looking for candidates with a Masters in Law or a Master of Science in Business Administration, (ecological) economics or/and sustainable development. Candidates must have strong analytical and research skills and a genuine interest in the topic. In addition, they should possess solid academic writing skills, solid communication skills, flexibility in terms of travelling to the participating partners, and a profound command of English.

Circular Economy

The current mode of cooperation in value chains is unsustainable in the long term due to waste, high raw material consumption and high CO2 emissions. Six of the nine Planetary Boundaries for a safe operating space for humanity have been transgressed (Stockholm Resilience Centre). It is therefore essential to shape the circular economy, which will require the formation of alternative business models and value chains. This will entail the development of local value chains, the use of innovative design and reusable raw materials, and longer product life cycles (Ellen MacArthur Foundation)

The Circular SHIFT project, which is being undertaken in collaboration with 10 partners across five European countries, aims to foster circular contracting, cooperation between partners and companies and between best practice companies themselves, and achieve significant reductions in landfill waste, biodiversity and ecosystems loss, water pollution and scarcity, chemicals discharge, CO2 emissions, and other environmental, social and financial impacts. This project, for which INTERREG EU funding has been raised, will both research opportunities to accelerate the circular economy from the procurement demand of public organizations and develop educational and practical materials to support organizations in circular cooperation. The participating partners are frontrunners in the field of including circularity in their procurement practices.

The research is at the intersection of procurement, legal issues, business models, financial reporting, and impact reporting. Part of the research is to provide insight into the methods and techniques available for impact measurement, cooperation in platforms and networks of frontrunners in circular economy, and to develop new methods where there is a lack of methods for large-scale application. In addition, experiments will be carried out in procurement processes, and it will be investigated what works in the tendering and contracting phase of a collaboration.

Research
We are interested in candidates with a clear academic research ambition and a background in both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Candidates must have the ambition to publish in international peer reviewed academic journals, and to develop a high-quality and original research portfolio that is relevant to academia and the business community. The objective is that the research project results in several high-quality, original academic research papers, suitable for publication in peer-reviewed academic journals. We expect that academic studies also lead to popular writing that can make an impact in practice.

Teaching
This fulltime PhD position involves research, teaching, and contributing to the academic community. The teaching responsibilities will include teaching sessions in sustainable transition, sustainable development, ESG reporting and purpose-driven organizations, grading and thesis supervision.  

Who are we?

Nyenrode Business Universiteit offers a combination of sound theoretical knowledge, practical experience and personal development. Nyenrode aims to achieve a diverse mix of researchers and teaching staff with international experience, to optimize research and the education that is offered and to reflect the university’s distinguished status. Nyenrode is a small-scale private university, founded in 1946 for and by business, with an international orientation. Nyenrode offers degree and executive education programs in business, management, accountancy and controlling, and conducts research in these disciplines. The mission of Nyenrode is: ‘Serving society by shaping responsible leaders for a sustainable future’. Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Stewardship are the core values, embedded in all the education programs offered at Nyenrode Business Universiteit.

The Nyenrode PhD School
As a PhD candidate you will be part of the Nyenrode PhD School that offers courses, guidance on article writing and opportunities for participation in scientific conferences and seminars. The candidate will work to produce a doctoral dissertation, which is to be written in English.

Who are you? 

You hold an LL.M., MSc, MA or MPhil degree in a relevant discipline from an accredited university, preferably in the fields of business administration, (ecological) economics or/and sustainability. You have excellent results in your graduate study. You have a genuine interest in and a strong motivation for academic research. 

What do we offer? 

The PhD project is a salaried position (EUR 3095 – 4096, scale 8) monthly salary), which means that the appointed PhD candidate is employee (Promovendus) of Nyenrode Business Universiteit. A holiday allowance, end-of-year allowance, and vacation days are part of employment conditions. 

Interested? 

We would like to receive your application package, consisted of:

• A university degree of minimum five years (300 ECTS credits) within the field of business (Master of Science), (ecological) economics or equivalent education, of which at least two years (120 ECTS) at the master level that includes a master thesis as the final academic accomplishment
• Curriculum Vitae + Motivation letter + two academic reference letters
• A manuscript of master thesis
• Proof of excellent grades from the Master of Science degree or equivalent education (average of B or better and the same for the master thesis, or equivalent level in a different grading system)
• Proof of excellent English written and oral language skills. Applicants from non-European countries where English is not the official language must present an official language test report
• Good analytical skills and knowledge about research methods relevant for the proposed project

Qualified applicants will be ranked according to the following criteria:

• Grades
• Quality of the master's thesis
• Applicant's description of motivation for the doctoral dissertation
• Relevant experience from research work
• Flexibility to travel
• Teaching potential.

The application package should be sent to jobs@nyenrode.nl Please refer in the subject to 2025-681: PhD Student Circular Collaboration and Impact Measurement. In addition to the formal requirements, the selection will be based on interview(s) with the supervisors, Prof. dr. Tineke Lambooy LL.M., Dr. Diane Zandee RC, and Dr. Ingrid Koning LL.M. Screening of applications begins immediately and will continue until the position is filled.