Refugee research assistant study digital technology and civic integration

Refugee research assistant for study on digital technology and civic integration (4x) (24548)

Tilburg University | School of Humanities and Digital Sciences (TSHD)

is looking for a

Refugee research assistant for study on digital technology and civic integration (4x)

Department:
Communication and Cognition

Location:

Tilburg

Contract size: 0.1 fte (4 hours per week)

Full-time gross monthly salary: € 3147,00

Intended start date:
November 2026

We are looking to hire people who have refugee status in The Netherlands and who are completing (or have recently completed) civic integration (inburgering) to join an academic research team at Tilburg University. In this project, we are interested in the ways that refugees use digital technologies (such as translation tools, government apps, and chatbots) to help manage the civic integration process, including the barriers and opportunities of technology.

As a research assistant, you will participate as an active team member, providing input and playing a role in key stages of the research process (design, recruitment, data collection, analysis). You will offer your insights as someone with firsthand experience of civic integration as well as contribute your interpersonal and language skills for recruitment and data collection. No previous research experience is required.

Why should someone apply for this job?In this position, you will gain experience conducting academic research, working on a professional team in The Netherlands, and contributing to solutions for technological challenges that refugees face during civic integration.

Why do we seek the expertise of refugees for this research? We believe we can better understand the challenges that refugees face in The Netherlands by working closely with people who have that firsthand experience. By hiring research assistants who have experience as refugees, we hope to identify more relevant questions, engage in more responsible ways with the community, and develop findings that more impactful for improving the lives of refugees.

Research assistant

• You are a person who has obtained refugee status in The Netherlands.
• You have permission to work (part-time) in The Netherlands.
• You are currently in the process of civic integration (inburgering) or have completed this in the previous 1 year.
• You have strong English language skills (spoken and written).
• You are native or fluent in a language in addition to English, such as Arabic, Turkish, Kurdish, Tigrinya, Dari, and/or Pashto (other languages spoken by refugee communities in The Netherlands will be considered).
• You have strong interpersonal skills, including confidence speaking in group settings and comfortability engaging with people you do not know in multi-cultural contexts.
• You have strong analytical skills, such as an ability to learn new processes and contribute to strategic conversations in a group setting.

• Attend orientation and training sessions on basic research skills (no previous research experience required).
• Participate in regular team meetings, weekly or every two weeks on average, in person in Tilburg (remote attendance possible on occasion).
• Contribute to the development of research questions and study design through feedback on proposed ideas and designs.
• Assist in recruiting participants through, e.g., distributing recruitment materials and helping contact potential participants through community organizations and refugee networks.
• Assist in data collection by serving as a co-moderator/co-interviewer for focus groups/interviews alongside the lead researcher, including providing translation as needed.
• Assist in analyzing data collected from focus groups or interviews through reading…