As a researcher at the Department of Conflict Studies of the Royal Military Academy, you will perform the following tasks:
conduct quantitative research on the narrative dynamics of online disinformation
develop novel machine-guided methods and conceptual frameworks to advance the field of research
disseminate the research findings through academic publications
distil policy implications from the research findings and disseminate these through policy papers, media contributions etc.
participate in and organize national and international conferences and workshops
provide guidance to junior researchers working on related topics at the RMA
establish close collaboration with various national and international research groups
establish and foster collaboration with other academic institutions
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
Degree(s) required / ideal degree(s): PhD in Communication, Social or Political Sciences, Media Studies, Computational Social Sciences, Linguistics and Literature, Digital Humanities, Data Sciences or a closely related field.
This position is open for senior profiles (ideally 8 years of experience minimum).
MUST HAVE- skills:
Extensive research experience as evidenced by a track-record of peer reviewed publications
Experience in applying digital and computational tools in humanities and social science research
Experience with interdisciplinary research and collaboration
Experience working in project consortia involving stakeholders from the disinformation research field
Proven ability to conduct research with minimal supervision
NICE TO HAVE - skills:
· Experience with management of project research, the acquisition of external research funding, as well as the ability to formulate (European) policy-relevant recommendations
· Demonstrated experience with the supervision of (junior) researchers
· Ability to communicate complex ideas to non-specialist audiences
· Experience in delivering keynote presentations to a large or broad audience
· International experience through past appointments and research stays outside of Belgium
Personal skills:
You conduct scientific research in an independent and upright way within a multidisciplinary environment.
You think in an innovative and creative way.
You communicate your results in a clear, concise and precise manner.
You are honest, loyal toward the institution and respect confidentiality.
Other skills:
The applicant shall have excellent knowledge of academic English (both oral and written).
Considering the centrality of language in the research, working knowledge of both Dutch and French and basic knowledge of German is essential.
SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
The researcher may be exposed to classified information and will therefore have to obtain the required security clearance. The candidate must consent with the background check required to obtain this clearance, which will be executed by Belgian Defense.
Only applicants with a nationality of a country that is both part of NATO and the EU will be eligible.
Working for the Patrimony requires living in Belgium for the duration of the study.
CONTRACT
Probable date of recruitment: From 1 April 2026, in consultation with the applicant.
Status: Full-time employment based on an open-ended contract with the Patrimony of the Royal Military Academy (you will not be a civil servant).
If needed:
Please note that your contract will be open-ended, but the financing of the contract will be tied to the funding project, which is guaranteed until 31 March 2030. The financing of your contract beyond that period is therefore not 100% guaranteed. However, the Patrimony has a policy to keep the good elements on board and the research focus of this job offer fits within our core research activities, so there is a high chance that we will be able to offer you follow-up projects beyond that date if you decide to stay.
Wage scale: class A2 (PhD in Communication, Social or Political Sciences, Media Studies, Computational Social Sciences, Linguistics and Literature, Digital Humanities, Data Sciences or a closely related field). RMA-Patrimony applies a merit-based research career track, allowing researchers to advance in wage scale based upon annual evaluations.
Holiday pay.
EXTRA LEGAL BENEFITS
Possibility to benefit from a bilingualism allowance (Dutch/French) following a SELOR test;
End-of-year bonus;
Free DKV hospitalization insurance. Possibility of additional affiliation for one or more persons living under the same roof: spouse, child(ren) (50% of the price per additional member);
Bike allowance / Free public transport (home-work commute);
Meal vouchers (6€ / day);
Free access to campus sports facilities outside working hours;
On-campus restaurant and cafeteria with democratic prices (discount on the daily menu);
Flexible working hours within the 38-hour week;
Teleworking possible with allowance (2 days / week max);
Holidays:
- 29 days holiday / year from the 1st year of contract (then from 45 years: +1 day holiday every 5 years)
- 1 week OFF every year between Christmas and New year's Eve (independent of the annual balance of holidays).
Advantages and interesting offers thanks to the Benefits@work card (discounts, vouchers...);
Entitlement to services offered by the `Office Central d'Action Sociale et Culturelle de la Défense' (OCASC): among others holiday centres, discount on travel organised by the tour operator...;
Possibility to benefit from the nursery funded by Belgian Defence (subject to availability).
WORKPLACE
Royal Military Academy, Avenue de la Renaissance 30, 1000 Brussels. Occasional travels abroad for scientific conferences, etc. may be required.
