Vacancy: Doctoral Researcher in the History of Midwifery

1 – Working at Vrije Universiteit Brussel

For more than 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for freedom, equality and solidarity, and this is very much alive on our campuses among students and staff alike. At the VUB, you will find a diverse collection of personalities: innovators pur sang, but above all people who are 100% their authentic selves. With some 4,000 employees, we are the largest Dutch-speaking employer, in the private sector, in Brussels; an international city with which we are only too happy to connect and where (around) our 4 campuses are located. Add to this our principle of free enquiry - in which self-reflection, a critical attitude and an open, creative mind around scientific and social issues are central - and you have a university that is fundamentally groundbreaking and pioneering in education and research. Moreover, the VUB is a member of EUTOPIA, an alliance of like-minded European universities, all ready to reinvent themselves.

The research group SHOC (Social History of Capitalism) within the Faculty of Languages and Humanities of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, is looking for a PhD candidate in the history of midwifery. SHOC is a young and vibrant research group that aims to study the social history of capitalism from a global and bottom-up perspective. The group is home to several large projects, spanning from migration in medieval Europe, over foraging practices in colonial Central Africa, to the dynamics of wealth inequality in the contemporary period.

2– Position

• You will work actively on the preparation and defence of a PhD thesis on the history of midwifery in 20^th-century Belgium at VUB. This PhD project is part of a larger FWO-funded project, which also includes a PhD project on the history of midwifery in the Belgian Congo to be carried out at the University of Antwerp. The project as a whole aims to generate fresh insight into the continuing importance of midwives in reproductive care in Belgium and the Belgian Congo between 1908 and 1960. Although women across the globe handled the lion’s share of deliveries and combined different reproductive care roles far into the 20th century, a comprehensive history of their variety of practices and roles still needs to be written. To this end, you will collaborate closely with the other PhD researcher, based at the University of Antwerp, to develop a practice-oriented methodology that prioritizes source material offering insights into midwifery practices and the perspective of midwives, and to examine the mutual influences between Belgium and the Belgian Congo. 
• You will publish your research in international peer-reviewed journals and will present your work at international conferences and workshops.
• You will participate in the activities (meetings, research seminars) of the SHOC (Social History of Capitalism) research group and carry out a limited number of teaching and research support tasks. 
• Regular attendance on the VUB Main Campus in Etterbeek (Brussels) is required.
• You will disseminate your research results to broader audiences through blog posts, opinion pieces and public lectures.

3 – Profile 

• You hold a master’s degree in history or another relevant field. Candidates who have not yet obtained their degree, need to obtain their degree by early July in the case of a foreign diploma and early September in the case of a Belgian diploma.
• You can demonstrate excellent study results.
• You act with attention to quality, integrity, creativity and cooperation. 
• You have a very good command of English, Dutch and French.
• You have strong communicative and intercultural competences. You are committed to conducting oral interviews with former midwives or people who can recall details about midwifery practices in the past.
• Experience with court archives or oral history is considered an asset.

4 – What we offer 

We offer a doctoral scholarship for a period of two years. Following a positive evaluation, the scholarship will be renewed for another two years. 

The planned start date is 1 November 2026 or as soon as possible after that date.

Your monthly scholarship amount is calculated according to the scales set by the Flemish government.

As a doctoral researcher, you will have access to a wide and varied range of courses through the Doctoral Training Programme at VUB.

At the VUB, you will also enjoy various other benefits:

• An open and informal working environment where attention is paid to work-life balance, and exceptional holiday arrangements with 35 days of leave (based on a fulltime contract), closure between Christmas and New Year and 3 extra leave days;
• An open and informal working environment where attention is paid to work-life balance;
• Cost-free hospitalisation insurance;
• Full reimbursement of your home-to-work commute with public transport according to VUB-policy, and/or compensation if you come by bike;
• A wide selection of meals in our campus restaurants at attractive prices;
• Excellent and affordable facilities for sport and exercise, a range of discounts via Benefits@Work (in all kinds of shops, on flights, in petrol stations, amusement parks, etc.) and ecocheques;
• Nursery near campus, discount on holiday camps;
• And finally: great colleagues with a healthy drive.
• Find out more about working at the VUB here.

Want to apply?

You can apply by sending the following documents as one integrated PDF file to SHOC@vub.be before June 1, 2026 (by midnight Brussels time):

• your motivation letter;
• your academic CV;
• diplomas of your completed bachelor’s and master’s programmes, including a full transcript of your subjects and grades, or a provisional transcript for a master’s programme still in progress;
• one letter of recommendation;
• two samples of previously written work (max. 10,000 words each) in English, Dutch and/or French (e.g. a PDF of a chapter of your master’s thesis, a paper, a publication).

The selection committee reviews all applications as soon as possible after the application deadline. We will notify you as soon as a decision has been made. If you are still eligible after the preselection, you will be informed about the possible next step(s) in the selection procedure. We kindly ask you to already keep the date of the selection interviews free in your agenda. These will take place in Brussels (or online for candidates outside Belgium) on July 7.

If you have any questions about the job content, please contact Jolien Gijbels, the main supervisor of the PhD project on the Belgian case, at jolien.gijbels@vub.be.