Vacancy number: 16601
Job type: Academic staff
Contract hours min: 38
Contract hours max: 38
Location: Leiden
Applying is possible up to and including: 18 juni 2026
Postdoctoral Researcher Position on Evaluating Open Science Impact and Research Culture Change
Open science initiatives receive significant public investment promising enhanced transparency, collaboration, and accessibility. Yet understanding of whether these programs deliver their promised cultural and social outcomes remains limited. At CWTS/Leiden University we are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to lead a two-year innovative research project examining how open science contributes to research culture change through values mapping and impact pathway analysis. The project, entitled ‘Mapping the Value of Open Science: Developing an Evaluation Framework for Research Culture Change’ is funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) under its OS-NL Research on Open Science funding instrument.
What you will do
The purpose of this position is to conduct original research developing theoretical and empirical insights into open science’s contributions to research culture transformations.
The research will entail:
- Conducting three in-depth case studies of open science programs in the Netherlands, examining how articulated values translate into practice and tracing pathways from interventions to culture change outcomes.
- Leading comprehensive qualitative research including 25-30 semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and participant observation to understand value negotiation, impact planning processes, and organizational change dynamics.
- Mapping relationships between stated open science values and observed outcomes, identifying where values-practice alignments and misalignments occur and what factors enable or constrain value realization.
- Tracing and analysing pathways linking open science activities to outputs, outcomes, and broader cultural transformations.
- Producing research outputs and conference presentations, while engaging with practitioners through workshops and stakeholder validation sessions.
You will work closely with Dr. Alex Rushforth (PI) and Louise Bezuidenhout (senior researcher).
Where you will work
The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences consists of five institutes: the Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology, Education and Child Studies, Political Science, and Psychology. The faculty is home to approximately 7,000 students and 1,000 staff members. Our institutes are dedicated not only to education but also to groundbreaking research that pushes the boundaries of our understanding of human behavior and societal structures. What makes our faculty unique is the diversity of research topics, the variety of teaching approaches, and the way professional support is structured. This provides you with the opportunity to explore and develop your interests and expertise. For an introduction to our faculty, visit our website: Welcome to the Leiden Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences – Leiden University.
The Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) at Leiden University is a renowned research institute in the field of science studies. Our mission is to enhance the way science is practiced, organized, and serves society. We conduct pioneering research, utilizing large datasets to analyze researchers’ activities, their outcomes, and the impact of these results. Additionally, we support research organizations by providing advanced data-driven analyses and research intelligence solutions. For more information, visit our website: CWTS – Leiden University.
The appointed candidate will join an interdisciplinary team of researchers in the Evaluation and Culture Focal Area of CWTS.
What you bring
- An interest in theoretically-informed empirical social science research.
- Fluency in English language.
- PhD degree in sociology, science, technology, and innovation studies, organization studies, information studies, or related relevant discipline.
- Experience using qualitative methods.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Impeccable project management and time management skills.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Ability to contribute to an open, safe, and inclusive working environment.
- Commitment to fostering an open, safe, and inclusive working environment.
- Willingness to actively engage with the Evaluation and Culture Focal Area, contributing collaboratively to its intellectual community and strategic development.
If you immediately recognise yourself in this profile, or if do you not quite meet all the requirements, but you believe that this is the right job for you, we look forward to your application!
What we offer
Our goal is to work together to create a transparent and inclusive work environment in which everyone feels welcome and appreciated. Our organisation is always evolving, and we need your ideas for improvement and innovation to take us further. We want to devote attention to your personal development.
You can expect an enjoyable job within the socially relevant world of education and research. The University's challenging and international work environment is located just steps away from Leiden’s lively city centre or the bustling city centre of The Hague. We also want to work with you to devote attention to your health and vitality, for example with the fun activities we organise through Healthy University.
We also offer:
- An employment contract for 38 hours per week for the duration of 24 months. This contract falls under the CLA of Dutch Universities;
- A salary between €4728 - €6433 gross per month, based on a full-time appointment (38 hours) (Scale 11);
- A holiday allowance (8%), an end-of-year bonus (8,3%), and an attractive pension scheme at ABP;
- Flexible working hours: as a standard, you are entitled to a minimum of 29 leave days on the basis of a full-time working week of 38 hours; you can also save for extra leave, for example by working 40 hours a week, and in this way accrue an extra 96 leave hours, or exchange 96 leave hours for a 36-hour week.
- Lots of options when it comes to secondary employment conditions; we can, for example, discuss options for a sabbatical or paid parental leave. Within our terms of employment individual choices model, you can exchange leave days and/or salary for benefits such as an advantageous sports subscription and bicycle scheme;
- If your work allows it, hybrid working is possible within the Netherlands;
- A home-working allowance (day and internet allowance) and attention for good workplaces. The University will also provide you with a laptop and a mobile telephone.
For more information about employment conditions, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at/job-application-procedure-and-employment-conditions
What we find important
Promoting an inclusive community is central to Leiden University’s values and vision. Leiden University aims to be an inclusive community in which all students and staff members feel valued and respected and are able to develop to their full potential. Diversity in experiences and perspectives enriches our teaching and strengthens our research. High-quality education and research means inclusive education and research.
Want to apply or find out more?
If you want to apply straight away, click the application button.
If you would like more information about what the job entails, please contact Alex Rushforth, assistant professor, at [email protected]. You can apply until June 18; applications will be processed immediately.
To help us get to know each other better, we follow a number of steps in the application procedure. For more information, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at/job-application-procedure-and-employment-conditions
- We believe mobility is very important. That is why we are also publishing this vacancy internally. In case of equal suitability, we will give priority to the internal candidate.
- A pre-employment screening (references, diplomas, certificate of good conduct (VOG)) may be part of the selection procedure.
- Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated. If you nevertheless choose to send us CVs, no rights can be derived from this. #LI-Hybrid
