Precarity
An estimated 80,000 labour migrants currently reside in Amsterdam, accounting for nearly nine percent of the city’s total population. The daily operation of the urban-regional economy depends significantly on these workers, who sustain vital sectors such as logistics, construction and hospitality. Yet, a stark contrast exists between the high productivity of these sectors and the pervasive employment and housing precarity experienced by labour migrants in the city. A significant portion of labour migrants face dual precarity: they are employed under flexible, fixed-term or misclassified independent contracts, while concurrently facing insecure housing conditions. Their accommodation often relies on informal networks in subsectors of the housing market or employment agency ‘package deals’ that link housing to employment, thereby rendering them vulnerable to homelessness upon contract termination. Some are also forced to find affordable housing in the broader Amsterdam Metropolitan Area (MRA), adding substantial commuting time.
This PhD project explores the critical yet underexplored nexus between labour and housing precarity across different industries and tenure forms in Amsterdam. The central question is how labour migrants experience, navigate, and challenge these intersecting forms of precarity within and across their (often changing) everyday geographies of work, home, social reproduction, and the travel between these spaces. The research aims to translate labour migrants’ lived experiences into practical recommendations for policy and governance at the city level and beyond.
To capture the everyday lived experiences of labour migrants in the context of labour and housing precarity, the PhD candidate is expected to deploy ethnographic research methods, such as in-depth interviews, participant observations, and focus groups. Finally, the ideal candidate should demonstrate a strong commitment to urban impact. They are expected to involve key stakeholders active in the field of precarious housing and labour. This may include national labour unions (such as FNV and CNV), policymakers of the municipality of Amsterdam, labour rights organisations (FairWork), and city-based social support groups (such as De Regenboog Groep).
The PhD project will be supervised by dr. Emil van Eck and dr. Fenne Pinkster.
To demonstrate their interest and suitability to the project, applicants are invited to develop a research proposal based on this project outline. In this proposal the applicant proposes how they would like to address the central research question posed in this advertisement and specifies the envisioned research focus. The template for the proposal can be found below (under “Application process and contact information”).
What you are going to do
- Conduct in-depth ethnographic fieldwork in Amsterdam to analyse the lived experiences of labour migrants alongside relevant local and national legislation;
- Collaboratively involve key stakeholders such as policymakers and social support organizations in both the research process and the sharing of project findings;
- Complete a PhD dissertation based on four peer-reviewed scientific articles in leading journals. Some of these articles will be in collaboration with the wider research team;
- Produce policy briefs and reports;
- Contribute to the teaching programme of the Geography, Planning and International Development department (approximately 10% of your time);
- Take active part in seminars and other activities of the Urban Geographies (UG) programme group and the department;
- Your primary residence will be within commuting distance of the University of Amsterdam for the duration of the PhD project.
What do you have to offer
We are looking candidates who have:
- A master’s degree in human geography, urban studies, anthropology, sociology or a related discipline;
- Robust methodological training in qualitative research methods, preferably experience with ethnographic fieldwork or action-based research;
- A strong affinity with labour geography, critical housing studies and/or migration approaches;
- Proven experience working alongside communities navigating precarious living conditions;
- Familiarity with the labour and housing landscape in Amsterdam;
- A commitment to engaging policymakers and civil society organisations throughout the project development and research process.
What do we have to offer
We offer a temporary employment contract of 38 hours per week for a maximum term of four years. The initial employment is for one year. Following a positive assessment, this term will be extended by a maximum of three years, which should result in the conferral of a doctorate. You will attend courses offered by the AISSR and the Graduate School of Social Sciences as part of the PhD program. In addition to doing research, publicizing your findings, and participating in academic events, you will be involved in teaching (roughly 10% of your time).
For this position the University Job Classification profile “Promovendus” applies. Your salary will be €3,059 gross per month in the first year and will increase to €3,881 in the final year, based on full-time employment of 38 hours per week and in keeping with the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities. We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary benefits, including 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.3%. The UvA offers excellent possibilities for further professional development and education.
In this department and team you will work
This PhD position is embedded within the Urban Geographies programme group, which is part of the Department of Geography, Planning and International Development Studies (GPIO) and the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR). The AISSR is the research school for faculty members and PhD candidates from the departments of GPIO, Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science. AISSR is committed to fundamental and engaged research that pushes the boundaries of the social sciences.
The PhD position is part of the AISSR Amsterdam Programme, which recruits eight PhD candidates across the four departments. The candidates will form a cohort and collaborate on innovative research methods that generate value for both the city of Amsterdam and the social sciences. All PhD candidates in the programme will receive doctoral training from the AISSR and be affiliated with the Centre for Urban Studies and the Urban Impact Lab.
Are you interested in researching labour, housing, and urban precarity? Join this PhD project exploring how labour migrants in Amsterdam experience, navigate and resist precarious living conditions at the intersection of labour and housing. You will collaborate directly with labour migrants and key stakeholders to shape actionable policy improvements at both the city and national level.
Precarity
An estimated 80,000 labour migrants currently reside in Amsterdam, accounting for nearly nine percent of the city’s total population. The daily operation of the urban-regional economy depends significantly on these workers, who sustain vital sectors such as logistics, construction and hospitality. Yet, a stark contrast exists between the high productivity of these sectors and the pervasive employment and housing precarity experienced by labour migrants in the city. A significant portion of labour migrants face dual precarity: they are employed under flexible, fixed-term or misclassified independent contracts, while concurrently facing insecure housing conditions. Their accommodation often relies on informal networks in subsectors of the housing market or employment agency ‘package deals’ that link housing to employment, thereby rendering them vulnerable to homelessness upon contract termination. Some are also forced to find affordable housing in the broader Amsterdam Metropolitan Area (MRA), adding substantial commuting time.
This PhD project explores the critical yet underexplored nexus between labour and housing precarity across different industries and tenure forms in Amsterdam. The central question is how labour migrants experience, navigate, and challenge these intersecting forms of precarity within and across their (often changing) everyday geographies of work, home, social reproduction, and the travel between these spaces. The research aims to translate labour migrants’ lived experiences into practical recommendations for policy and governance at the city level and beyond.
To capture the everyday lived experiences of labour migrants in the context of labour and housing precarity, the PhD candidate is expected to deploy ethnographic research methods, such as in-depth interviews, participant observations, and focus groups. Finally, the ideal candidate should demonstrate a strong commitment to urban impact. They are expected to involve key stakeholders active in the field of precarious housing and labour. This may include national labour unions (such as FNV and CNV), policymakers of the municipality of Amsterdam, labour rights organisations (FairWork), and city-based social support groups (such as De Regenboog Groep).
The PhD project will be supervised by dr. Emil van Eck and dr. Fenne Pinkster.
To demonstrate their interest and suitability to the project, applicants are invited to develop a research proposal based on this project outline. In this proposal the applicant proposes how they would like to address the central research question posed in this advertisement and specifies the envisioned research focus. The template for the proposal can be found below (under “Application process and contact information”).
What you are going to do
- Conduct in-depth ethnographic fieldwork in Amsterdam to analyse the lived experiences of labour migrants alongside relevant local and national legislation;
- Collaboratively involve key stakeholders such as policymakers and social support organizations in both the research process and the sharing of project findings;
- Complete a PhD dissertation based on four peer-reviewed scientific articles in leading journals. Some of these articles will be in collaboration with the wider research team;
- Produce policy briefs and reports;
- Contribute to the teaching programme of the Geography, Planning and International Development department (approximately 10% of your time);
- Take active part in seminars and other activities of the Urban Geographies (UG) programme group and the department;
- Your primary residence will be within commuting distance of the University of Amsterdam for the duration of the PhD project.
What do you have to offer
We are looking candidates who have:
- A master’s degree in human geography, urban studies, anthropology, sociology or a related discipline;
- Robust methodological training in qualitative research methods, preferably experience with ethnographic fieldwork or action-based research;
- A strong affinity with labour geography, critical housing studies and/or migration approaches;
- Proven experience working alongside communities navigating precarious living conditions;
- Familiarity with the labour and housing landscape in Amsterdam;
- A commitment to engaging policymakers and civil society organisations throughout the project development and research process.
What do we have to offer
We offer a temporary employment contract of 38 hours per week for a maximum term of four years. The initial employment is for one year. Following a positive assessment, this term will be extended by a maximum of three years, which should result in the conferral of a doctorate. You will attend courses offered by the AISSR and the Graduate School of Social Sciences as part of the PhD program. In addition to doing research, publicizing your findings, and participating in academic events, you will be involved in teaching (roughly 10% of your time).
For this position the University Job Classification profile “Promovendus” applies. Your salary will be €3,059 gross per month in the first year and will increase to €3,881 in the final year, based on full-time employment of 38 hours per week and in keeping with the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities. We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary benefits, including 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.3%. The UvA offers excellent possibilities for further professional development and education.
If you recognise yourself in this profile and are interested in the position, we look forward to receiving your:
- CV (max. 2 pages)
- Motivation letter (max. 1 page)
- Research proposal. This should be based on this project outline and using this template
Please merge these documents into a single PDF.
You can apply via the red button until September 1st.
Interviews will take place on September 10, 2026.
For questions about the vacancy, you can contact: Dr. Emil van Eck (e.c.vaneck2@uva.nl)
