Last Updated on April 20, 2026 by Scholar Idea
Apply for Funded PhD Positions at Utrecht University in AI, Climate, and Life Sciences. Join a top-tier Dutch university with competitive pay and benefits.
The Utrecht University (UU) in Netherlands is a world-renowned institution consistently ranked among the best in the Netherlands and Europe. Situated in the heart of the Dutch knowledge corridor, UU offers a vibrant academic ecosystem organized around four strategic themes: Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences, and Pathways to Sustainability. For researchers, the university provides not just a job, but a professional platform for growth, supported by the national Collective Labour Agreement (CAO) for Dutch Universities.
Why Pursue Your Research Career at Utrecht?
- Comprehensive Compensation: Researchers at UU are university employees with a full range of benefits. Under the current Dutch academic pay scales, gross monthly salaries typically follow these ranges:
- PhD Candidates: €3,050 – €3,880 (with annual structural increases).
- Postdoctoral Researchers: €3,540 – €5,530 (depending on scale and experience).
- Unique Employment Benefits: Beyond the base salary, researchers receive a 7.6% – 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus (13th month). The Dutch system also offers excellent social security, pension schemes (ABP), and generous parental leave.
- Open Science Leadership: Utrecht is a global pioneer in Open Science, moving away from traditional impact factors to evaluate researchers based on collaboration, transparency, and societal impact.
Below is the regularly updated list of verified academic vacancies at Utrecht University. These listings cover all faculties, including Science, Veterinary Medicine, Geosciences, and Social and Behavioural Sciences.
Funded PhD Positions at Utrecht University
Postdoc Position in the Science of Hybrid IntelligenceJoin our exciting project on the science of Hybrid Intelligence!PhDFaculty of ScienceDepartment: Department of Information and Computing SciencesApplication deadline: 13 May 2026Job details: Postdoc Position in the Science of Hybrid Intelligence
PhD Position in the Role of Cell Identity in Shaping Plant Stress ResponsesJoin our team and help us define the role of cell identity in shaping plant stress responsesPhDFaculty of ScienceDepartment: Department of BiologyApplication deadline: 10 May 2026Job details: PhD Position in the Role of Cell Identity in Shaping Plant Stress Responses
PhD position in Spatial PlanningA PhD position in an international research project on urban densification, investigating how discourses around land rent shape (un)sustainable urban futures.PhD|Education|Research, development, innovationFaculty of GeosciencesDepartment: Department of Human Geography and Spatial PlanningApplication deadline: 8 May 2026Job details: PhD position in Spatial Planning
PhD position in AI and Human Centered Decision MakingResearch how AI and data shape real-world decision-making, combining explainable AI, analytics, and collaboration with external organisations.PhDFaculty of ScienceDepartment: Department of Information and Computing SciencesApplication deadline: 5 May 2026Job details: PhD position in AI and Human Centered Decision Making
PhD position in Condensed-Matter Theory of Magnetic TopologyAre you fascinated by the link between physics, topology, and applications? Join us as a PhD candidate in Condensed-Matter Theory of Magnetic Topology.PhDFaculty of ScienceDepartment: Department of PhysicsApplication deadline: 8 May 2026Job details: PhD position in Condensed-Matter Theory of Magnetic Topology
PhD Political & Digital History: The Development of Crisis Narratives since 1800Strengthen the Adapt! project with digital-historical research into the big history of crisis!PhDFaculty of HumanitiesDepartment: Department of History and Art HistoryApplication deadline: 26 April 2026Job details: PhD Political & Digital History: The Development of Crisis Narratives since 1800
PhD Position in Sequential Decision-MakingJoin the DECIDE project to design AI systems that support decision-making and empower democratic participation.PhDFaculty of ScienceDepartment: Department of Information and Computing SciencesApplication deadline: 15 May 2026Job details: PhD Position in Sequential Decision-Making
PhD Position in Statistical Physics & Data-Driven Viral EvolutionUse genomic data, stochastic modeling, and epidemiology to build a predictive theory of evolution for rapidly evolving viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and influenza.PhDFaculty of ScienceDepartment: Department of PhysicsApplication deadline: 23 April 2026Job details: PhD Position in Statistical Physics & Data-Driven Viral Evolution
PhD Position in Algebraic GeometryThis PhD position is part of the NWO Vici Grant “Real and logarithmic counting invariants — new connections”. Join us in this exciting project!PhDFaculty of ScienceDepartment: Department of MathematicsApplication deadline: 22 April 2026Job details: PhD Position in Algebraic Geometry
PhD position: Global soil mapping with process-informed machine learningIn this role, you develop novel process-informed soil mapping and advance hybrid AI tools that integrate expert-knowledge. Curious? Check the vacancy!PhD|Education|Research, development, innovationFaculty of GeosciencesDepartment: Department of Physical GeographyApplication deadline: 10 May 2026Job details: PhD position: Global soil mapping with process-informed machine learning
PhD position on queer writers and artists of the European HIV/AIDS crisisDo you want to delve into the archives of writers and artists involved in queer and trans movements during the HIV/AIDS crisis in Europe? Come join our team!PhDFaculty of HumanitiesDepartment: Department of Media and Culture StudiesApplication deadline: 24 April 2026Job details: PhD position on queer writers and artists of the European HIV/AIDS crisis
PhD: Environmental Exposures and Early Onset Breast Cancer (HER-Care, MSCDN DN)Help uncover how environmental exposures shape breast cancer risk while training in an international PhD network at the forefront of exposome research.PhDFaculty of Veterinary MedicineDepartment: Department Population Health SciencesApplication deadline: 30 April 2026Job details: PhD: Environmental Exposures and Early Onset Breast Cancer (HER-Care, MSCDN DN)
2 PhD positions in StatisticsAre you ready to bridge the gap between science and society?PhDFaculty of Social and Behavioural SciencesDepartment: Social SciencesApplication deadline: 26 April 2026Job details: 2 PhD positions in Statistics