PhD in Design for Scarcity, Extreme Conditions and More-than-Human Cooperation

About the opportunity

Join the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) for a PhD position focused on how design research responds to scarcity, extreme conditions, and more-than-human cooperation. As part of the Horizon Europe project UnEXTRA, you will conduct justice-oriented, community-centered design research through fieldwork with diverse actors, including policymakers, design practitioners, and informal communities. You will be part of the ‘Making With’ cluster within the Department of Industrial Design, collaborating with an international consortium including the University of Bologna and the Oslo School of Architecture and Design.

Salary and benefits

• Monthly gross salary between €3,204 and €4,051 (Scale P) in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.
• Year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• Pension scheme, paid pregnancy and maternity leave, and partially paid parental leave.
• Allowance for commuting, working from home, and internet costs.
• Access to high-quality training programs and support for scientific researcher development.
• Unlimited access to the on-campus TU/e Student Sports Center at an affordable rate.
• On-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
• Staff Immigration Team and tax compensation scheme (Expat Scheme) for international candidates.

Who can apply?

• Master's degree in design, or a degree in other disciplines (e.g., humanities, education, social sciences, engineering, business) with a clear affinity for design research.
• Research-oriented attitude and strong interest in justice-oriented, community-centered design research.
• Experience with qualitative methods (e.g., interviews, workshops, observation, or thematic analysis).
• Ability to move between conceptual work and hands-on empirical design work.
• Interest in collaborating with creative industry, public-sector actors, informal communities, and interdisciplinary research partners.
• Fluent in spoken and written English at C1 level.
• Motivation to develop teaching skills and coach students.
• Previous experience with more-than-human actors is considered a plus.
• Proficiency in Dutch is helpful for fieldwork in the Netherlands.

Required documents

• Cover letter describing motivation and qualifications.
• Curriculum vitae (CV), including a list of publications if available and pertinent.

When to apply

• The vacancy was published on July 15, 2026.
• The application deadline is August 31, 2026.
• The vacancy will remain open until the position is filled.

How to apply

• Submit a complete application online via the apply button.
• Include a cover letter describing motivation and qualifications.
• Include a curriculum vitae, including a list of publications if available and pertinent.