PhD position on family formation among sexual minorities within the QPATHS project at NIDI-KNAW

Despite growing social acceptance and legal recognition of same-sex unions, many individuals in same-sex relationships still face major obstacles when trying to become parents. Funded by the European Research Council, QPATHS (Queer Pathways to Parenthood) studies the pathways and challenges sexual minorities face in achieving their family goals. The project focuses on LGB couples’ family formation, covering the full process from initial desires for parenthood to becoming parents. It examines the barriers that these couples face, such as complex legal and institutional procedures, experiences of discrimination and stigma, and high financial and practical costs.

The project’s central aim is to provide insights into how sexual minorities form their families and what factors aid or hinder their ability to do so. The PhD candidate will contribute to this agenda by combining large-scale demographic patterns with personal family formation pathways. They will work with two main data sources: 
(1) longitudinal population register data from the Netherlands documenting parenthood trajectories over time.
(2) a newly collected national probability-based longitudinal survey of individuals in same- and different-sex relationships in the Netherlands, drawn from population registers and linked to administrative data. Together with the PI and a postdoctoral researcher, the PhD candidate will be actively involved in the design and data collection of this survey.

Examples of research questions include:
• How do parenthood trajectories (entering parenthood and having additional children) differ between and within male same-sex, female same-sex, and different-sex couples, and which (socio)demographic factors shape these differences?
• How do parenthood desires and intentions translate into parenthood outcomes? What routes to parenthood do male and female same-sex couples follow?
• What role do emotional and practical costs (such as stigma, financial burdens, career disruptions, legal constraints) play at different stages of family formation?
• How do direct social networks (partner, family, friends) and wider environments (e.g., neighborhood context, LGBTQ+ organizations) support or hinder family formation? 

QPATHS has clear societal and policy relevance in addition to its academic contributions. The findings will inform debates on equal access to parenthood and will be shared with the general public, policymakers, and LGBTQ+ stakeholders through presentations, reports, and popular science outlets.

What you will be doing

In this four-year project, you will:
•    Carry out cutting-edge academic research within an international team of engaged researchers.
•    Publish national and international journal articles, resulting in a PhD thesis.
•    Participate in, and present at (inter-)national scientific meetings.
•    Contribute to the project, including dissemination and communication activities aimed at policymakers, stakeholders, and the general public.
•    Collect new survey data on family formation pathways among sexual minorities.

What you will be contributing

•    A (research) master’s degree in the social sciences. Examples of relevant disciplines are demography, sociology, gender and sexuality studies, population studies, epidemiology or public health, and social psychology.
•    A background in quantitative data analyses and skills in advanced statistical methods and programming (e.g., Stata or R).
•    Experience with longitudinal data, survey data, and/or administrative register data (or a strong interest in working with such data).
•    Intellectual curiosity, engagement with social questions, creativity, and analytical rigor.
•    The capacity to contribute thoughtfully to academic scholarship and societal debates.
•    Strong writing and presentation skills in English. Knowledge of Dutch is a plus.

What do we offer?

The PhD position offers close supervision, advanced training in quantitative methods, and a strong foundation for an academic or research-oriented career. As NIDI is affiliated with the University of Groningen, the PhD candidate will obtain their doctorate from the University of Groningen.

The project will be supervised by dr. Maaike van der Vleuten (PI) and prof. dr. Matthijs Kalmijn.

Your workplace 

The work climate is based on mutual respect, openness, and collaboration. The institute consists of about 80 employees of different levels of seniority.

NIDI comprises five thematic groups: (1) Families & gender, (2) Migrants & migration, (3) Demographic change and the labour market, (4) Health, ageing and mortality, (5) Data infrastructure and open science. Each group has approximately 10-15 members. 

Application procedure

Candidates are invited to submit their application in English or Dutch. Applications must include, in a single PDF file:
•    A motivation letter.
•    A full curriculum vitae
•    Full grade list of the (research) Master and Bachelor programs of graduation.
•    A writing example e.g. thesis or paper written during the MA
•    Names and contact information of 2 recommenders

The deadline for submitting your application is April 3, 2026. Please address your application to the director of NIDI, prof. dr. H.A.G. de Valk.

More information

For additional information you may contact Maaike van der Vleuten (vleuten@nidi.nl).

About NIDI
The Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI) is a leading European demographic research institute. NIDI is part of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and affiliated with the University of Groningen. It is located in the center of The Hague providing a unique and stimulating research environment in the broad field of population studies. Currently the staff of the institute consists of about 65 employees of different levels of seniority and organized in a rather horizontal structure within five thematic research groups. The working environment is highly international and NIDI provides ample opportunities for training and development.

Terms of employment
Depending on education and experience the minimum salary is 3.059 and the maximum salary is 3.881 gross per month for a full-time appointment (scale P cao Nederlandse Universiteiten/KNAW). This is exclusive of 8% vacation allowance, 8.3% year-end bonus, travel allowance, internet allowance, home working allowance and pension accrual with ABP.

The KNAW offers its staff an excellent package of secondary benefits. A package that meets the different needs of employees depending on their stage of life, lifestyle or career ambitions. For example, by working an extra two hours a week, it is possible to increase the number of days off from 29 to 41 days a year (with full-time employment). 

For a complete overview of the terms of employment, please refer to the web page: werken bij de KNAW.

Applying for a Certificate of Good Conduct can be part of the employment procedure.

Diversity & Inclusion
The KNAW considers a working environment in which everyone feels welcome and appreciated of great importance. A working environment in which attention is paid to individual quality and where development opportunities are paramount. Together we strive for an inclusive culture in which we embrace differences. We would therefore like to invite candidates who want to contribute to this through their background and experience. In the event of equal suitability, preference will be given to the candidate who thus enhances diversity within the Academy.

We will not respond to any supplier enquiries based on this job advertisement.