PhD: Leveraging Adolescent Agency to Improve Food Environments at School

Your job

Are you a development or behavioural economist interested in how young people make decisions about their health and nutrition? Would you like to conduct experimental research on adolescent nutrition and school food environments in Indonesia?

Adolescent nutrition in low- and middle-income countries remains a critical yet understudied determinant of health and development. While policy attention has traditionally focused on early childhood, adolescence constitutes a second window of opportunity for nutritional improvement. It is also a period of substantial emotional, cognitive and social change, in which growing agency and decision-making capacity increasingly shape health behaviours.

This PhD position is part of a research project examining how adolescent agency can be leveraged in school-based nutrition interventions in Indonesia. The research focuses on food preferences, dietary intake and purchasing behaviour and brings together insights from development economics, behavioural economics and public health nutrition.

As a PhD candidate, you will be involved in field experiments that explore behavioural mechanisms through which agency may affect food preferences of adolescents. You will conduct extensive fieldwork in Indonesia and work closely with an international and multidisciplinary research team.

Your duties and responsibilities in this project :

• conduct co-creation sessions and focus group discussions with local stakeholders;
• contribute to the design and implementation of a behavioural experiments and large-scale randomized controlled trial in secondary schools in Indonesia;
• manage and analyse experimental and survey data using rigorous econometric methods, and prepare pre-analysis plans, research reports and academic papers;
• communicate and collaborate local research partners and stakeholders, and contribute to dissemination meetings, policy briefs and academic conferences.

You will work here

This position will be based at the Development Economics Group at Wageningen University and Research (WUR). You will be co-supervised by dr. Robert Sparrow (WUR), prof. dr. Matthias Rieger (Erasmus University Rotterdam), and prof. dr. Tri Mulyaningsih (Universitas Sebelas Maret).

The project brings together researchers from Wageningen University & Research, Erasmus University Rotterdam and Universitas Sebelas Maret. You will collaborate closely with researchers across these institutions throughout the project.

The empirical research will take place in and around Solo, Central Java. You will therefore spend a considerable amount of time in Indonesia, where you will be hosted by the Faculty of Economics and Business at Universitas Sebelas Maret during fieldwork. You will also spend time at Erasmus University Rotterdam to engage with the wider research team.

Your qualities

You are an enthusiastic and motivated researcher with a strong interest in applied research in development and behavioural economics. You enjoy combining rigorous quantitative research with extensive fieldwork and engagement with research participants and stakeholders. You are able to collaborate effectively within an international and multidisciplinary research team, and have strong organisational and communication skills.

You also possess:

• a master’s degree in economics, development economics, behavioural economics, health economics, or related fields;
• strong econometric skills, preferably including experience with experimental or impact-evaluation methods;
• first experience with original data collection, field research, or behavioural experiments, preferably in a low- or middle-income country;
• the ability to collaborate effectively with international research partners and engage with schools, local stakeholders, and research participants;
• excellent communication skills in Bahasa Indonesia is strongly desired.

For this position your command of the English language is expected to be at C1 level. Sometimes it is necessary to submit an internationally recognised Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language. More information can be found here.

We offer

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• Partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed year-end bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will receive a fully funded PhD position and you will be offered a course program tailored to your needs and the research team.
The gross salary for the first year is € 3,204,- per month rising to € 4,051,- in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours. We offer a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well.

We encourage development and internal mobility within our organisation. Our recruitment and selection policy sets out the conditions that apply specifically to you as a (former) employee. If you have any questions, we are happy to help.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment.

Coming from abroad

Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.

Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account, dual career programs or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.

Important information

For more information about the position, please contact Robert Sparrow, Associate Professor, via robert.sparrow@wur.nl
Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Noorien Abbas, Corporate Recruiter, via recruitment.ssg@wur.nl

Ready to apply?
You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered.

To apply, please send the following documents (max. 3 pages in total ):

• Complete and up-to-date curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages);
• Motivation letter (max. 1 page).

The maximum length of the documents must not exceed 3 pages. If it exceeds, applications will not be considered. Additional files such as grades and transcripts are not required during this stage and will not be considered.

You can apply up to and including 5 October 2026. The first interviews are scheduled for mid-October 2026.

Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.

We are

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch the video below to get an idea of our green campus!

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.