PhD positions in RePIM MSCA Doctoral Network

Organisation/Company Vrije Universiteit Brussel Department imec-SMIT Research Field Communication sciences » Media studies Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country Belgium Final date to receive applications 31 Jan 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Brussels) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 1 May 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number  Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

RePIM – Revisioning Public Interest Media – is a four-year Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network dedicated to reimagining how Public Interest Media can remain relevant, sustainable, and impactful in a rapidly changing, data-driven and platform-dominated environment.

The network unites leading European universities, Public Interest Media organisations, and industry partners to train 12 Doctoral Candidates (DCs) working across media content innovation, infrastructure transformation, organisational change, audience analysis, and policy development. RePIM offers an interdisciplinary, international, and cross-sectoral training environment, including secondments, summer/winter schools, scenario-building workshops, and close collaboration with non-academic partners.

We are now recruiting 12 fully funded PhD researchers, each employed for 36 or 48 months (project-dependent) at one of the participating universities across Europe.

All positions are full-time, fully funded according to Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network regulations, including living allowance, mobility allowance, and, when applicable, family allowance.

Open PhD Positions (12 Doctoral Candidates)

Applicants may apply for up to three positions and must clearly specify their first choice.

• You hold a Master’s degree in a relevant field of communication science or a related discipline in the social sciences;
• You are motivated to pursue a doctoral degree through an individual research project;
• You demonstrate a strong academic track record;
• You have a solid scientific background
  , possibly with prior relevant research experience;
• You are proficient in written and spoken English;
• You are open to international mobility
  , in line with the MSCA-DN framework, and are willing to relocate to the host university’s country, as well as attend international trainings, internships, and academic exchanges.

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Not already hold a doctoral degree.
• Not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies) in the host university country for more than 12 months in the 36 months before the recruitment date (MSCA mobility rule).

Please refer to the RePIM website for project-specific requirements.

Languages:

ENGLISH Level Excellent

Research Field:
Communication sciences, Computer science, Sociology, Management sciences, Cultural studies, Political sciences

• Employment at a leading European university with full social security coverage
• A competitive salary in accordance with the MSCA Call
  2025 regulations for Doctoral Researchers, paid from the relevant monthly gross allowances: living allowance, mobility allowance, family allowance (only if applicable)
• International secondments at partner universities
• Paid internships at relevant media organisations
• A comprehensive training programme including three Summer Schools (Brussels, Copenhagen, Salzburg),
  three Winter Seminars (online), and cross-sector training in research skills, data management, ethics, policy, management and leadership
• A final RePIM Scenario-Building Symposium & Career Days in Brussels
• Close supervision by world-leading academics and Public Interest Media experts
• A vibrant interdisciplinary research community spanning content, infrastructure, organisation, audiences and policy.

• Fellow definition: All researchers recruited in the Doctoral Network must be Early-Stage Researchers, i.e. not already in possession of a doctoral degree, nor already be involved in obtaining one at the date of the recruitment (unless you are willing to forego that…