PhD position: Framing of responsibility in the unhealthy food environment

Please note: This position requires a candidate with full professional proficiency in Dutch (C2 level), as the research involves analysis of Dutch-language media and political discourse.

Do you aim to contribute to a society in which healthy food choices become the norm? Are you interested in how communication shapes food policy and influences public support? In this position, you will examine how frames relating to individual responsibility and the role of the food environment emerge and circulate within media and political discourse, and how these processes shape public acceptance of policy. You will also investigate which (re)framing strategies may effectively shift the focus from individual behaviour change towards structural solutions.

Although there is broad consensus on what constitutes a healthy food environment, its implementation in practice remains limited. This PhD project is embedded within PREMIER-CVD, a large national consortium funded by the Dutch Heart Foundation. The consortium examines how financial and economic incentives, public support for policy measures, communication about the food environment, and legal frameworks may contribute to the development of healthier food environments. The overarching aim is to generate feasible solutions that promote healthier food environments and thereby contribute to the prevention and reduction of cardiovascular diseases. 

This PhD project focuses on how responsibility for healthy eating behaviour is framed in media and political discourse. Frames refer to the ways in which issues are presented and interpreted, thereby shaping understandings of causes, responsibilities, and solutions. When healthy eating is predominantly framed as an individual responsibility, structural and commercial determinants tend to receive less attention. This, in turn, reinforces the perception that policy interventions should primarily target individual behaviour change. Consequently, public and political support for policies aimed at structurally improving the food environment (e.g., the regulation of marketing practices or food supply) may be reduced. 

Within this project, you will examine how such perspectives emerge and are reproduced over time, how they influence policymaking processes and policy acceptance, and how alternative framing strategies may foster greater support for policies targeting the structural determinants of a healthy food environment. These insights will be translated into communication and advocacy (reframing) strategies aimed at strengthening efforts to promote healthier food environments and prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Your duties and responsibilities 

• Conduct analyses of Dutch media and political discourse, identifying dominant frames, interactions between these domains, and responses related to healthy eating and responsibility, with particular attention to the emergence and evolution of framing patterns, including the application of large language models;

• Examine the role of framing in health advocacy (e.g., by health organizations), drawing on insights from advocacy and communication professionals, stakeholders within the food system, and relevant academic literature;

• Investigate how different frames concerning healthy eating and responsibility influence public support for food policy, employing quantitative experimental methods;

• Translate empirical insights into practice through the organization of workshops aimed at co-developing framing strategies for public advocacy and political engagement concerning a healthy food environment;

• Collaborate within the consortium, including with junior and senior researchers affiliated with participating institutions (Erasmus MC, Amsterdam UMC, and UMC Groningen), as well as societal partners; Actively participate in the PREMIER-CVD talent development programme, with sustained attention to your academic and professional development.

You will work here 

You will be appointed within the Chair Group Consumption and Healthy Lifestyles (Dr. Maartje Poelman, health scientist). You will collaborate closely with, and be co-supervised by, researchers from the Chair Groups Strategic Communication (Prof. Rens Vliegenthart, communication scientist) and Health and Society (Dr. Marleen Bekker, policy scientist), as well as Dr. Coosje Dijkstra (nutrition scientist) from Amsterdam UMC. In addition, you will be embedded within the broader PREMIER-CVD consortium. 

             You have:

• A completed, or nearly completed, MSc degree in (political) communication science, political science, sociology, behavioural science research master, health sciences, or a related discipline, with a demonstrated interest in political communication, advocacy, framing, and public debate concerning eating behavior, responsibility, and policy; 

• Strong quantitative research skills, including experience with statistical analysis (e.g., R or Python), and an affinity for computational text analysis (e.g., natural language processing or the analysis of large text corpora), as well as an interest in experimental research; 

• Experience with, or willingness to develop expertise in, qualitative research methods, such as interviews, document analysis, or narrative reviews; 

• Strong analytical competencies and academic writing skills. 

  You also possess:

• A proactive and independent working style, combined with the ability to collaborate effectively within an interdisciplinary research team; 

• Willingness to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration and to contribute actively to the objectives of the PREMIER-CVD consortium; 

• Proficiency in Dutch at C2 level and in English at C1 level.

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 € 3.059,- per month rising to € 3.881,-  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. 

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.

For more information about the job, please contact dr. Maartje Poelman (Associate Professor), via 0317-482372 or email: maartje.poelman@wur.nl

Do you have questions about the procedure? Please contact Noorien Abbas, Corporate Recruiter, via recruitment.ssg@wur.nl . 

Ready to apply? 

Given the nature of the research in this position, proficiency in Dutch at C2 level is required. Accordingly, motivation letters must be submitted in Dutch, and interviews will be conducted in Dutch. Applications submitted in English will not be considered.

Please apply via the application button next to the vacancy on our website. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered. 

You can apply until 21 May 2026 (inclusive). The first round of interviews is scheduled for 15 June 2026. The second round of interviews is scheduled for 2 July 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.

​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.

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