PhD Researcher – Flows in the Construction Sector

About the role

The Faculty of Engineering at Vrije Universiteit Brussel seeks two PhD researchers to investigate the construction sector of Brussels as an urban‑environmental system driven by flows of people, materials and capital. The project, “Flows in the Construction Sector. Urban‑Environmental Histories of Labour, Materials, and Money,” examines how these intertwined flows have shaped the city’s built environment and continue to influence it today.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct interdisciplinary research on labour, material and financial flows within the Brussels construction sector.
• Develop a doctoral thesis in dialogue with supervisors from at least two research groups.
• Engage with historical, geographical and economic data sources.
• Present findings at academic conferences and publish in peer‑reviewed journals.
• Collaborate with scholars in construction history, financial geography, urban metabolism and related fields.

Required profile

• Master’s degree in engineering, history, geography, economics or a related discipline.
• Strong interest in interdisciplinary research and urban‑environmental systems.
• Ability to formulate a clear research proposal aligned with one of the project trajectories.
• Motivation to develop expertise across multiple disciplinary perspectives.

Required skills

What we offer

• Doctoral grant covering tuition and a living stipend.
• Supervision by an international, interdisciplinary team of senior researchers.
• Access to VUB’s research facilities, libraries and archives.
• Opportunities for networking within the EUTOPIA university alliance.