PhD student, Research

LUCA School of Arts is a creative hub for almost 5,000 people: more than 4,000 students and 800 colleagues. LUCA offers them an educational and research environment to further develop their creative talent. We do this through higher education courses in the broad domain of the arts, and through artistic research, embedded within an associated Faculty of Arts at KU Leuven. LUCA has campuses in four cities: Ghent, Brussels, Leuven and Genk. LUCA School of Arts is a member of the KU Leuven Association and the European University Alliance FilmEU.

The expertise network Artistic Practices at LUCA School of Arts offers a position for a candidate interested in doctoral research in the arts, embedded in the expertise team Photography

You will work within the Research Cluster Photography Expanded.

More information

https://luca.kuleuven.be/english/research/research-unit-intermedia https://luca.kuleuven.be/english/research/research-unit intermedia/clusterphotographyexpanded)

The proposed start date of the research assistant position is February 01, 2027

Project

Under the supervision of Kai Ziegner, PhD you will undertake a 4-year PhD research project in which you will conduct artistic research relating to the aftermath of the severe social change in Eastern European countries after the fall of the Eastern bloc in the early 1990s and through lens-based research practices explore various repercussions which continue to shape the social development in these countries to this day.

Your assignment also includes a teaching assignment of 20%. You will teach in the BA and MA Photography program of LUCA School of Arts Brussels and will supervise students final projects and theses as well. The teaching assignment is embedded within the specialization of lens-based artistic research and experimental writing, but may also include administrative, support, and organizational tasks within the curriculum of LUCA School of Arts.

Profile

• You hold a master’s degree in photography or a related field of art.
• You have an active artistic practice or experience in lens-based art and artistic writing.
• You also have demonstrable experience with various strategies and methodologies within the field of artistic research, experimental writing and non-linear storytelling.
• You are capable of independently developing and documenting an artistic research project, both through artistic output and through written and oral reflection.
• You have demonstrable other research-oriented skills.
• Experience with teaching and art education is a plus.
• At LUCA School of Arts Brussels you can teach in either English or Dutch, and you are willing to develop strong proficiency in both languages if needed. LUCA offers the required Dutch-language training opportunities.
• You possess the necessary educational skills to hold seminars or workshops and supervise BA and MA students in the development of their final projects and theses.
• You collaborate constructively within an interdisciplinary team and actively contribute to an open research and learning environment.
• You have good organizational skills and can manage deadlines, planning, and the combination of research and teaching.
• You are willing to further develop your professional practice and expertise and take initiative within research groups, seminars, and presentations.
• You endorse the mission, vision, core values and pedagogical policy plan of LUCA School of Arts and contribute to an inclusive, respectful, and dynamic artistic-academic climate.
• You are willing to participate occasionally in international collaborations or working visits.

Offer

• A fixed-term appointment for 100% for a period of 4 years in the statutory position of a assistant with salary scale 502. More information on salary scales can be found on the website of the Flemish Department of Education (ond.vlaanderen.be).
• Commuting between home and work by public transport or bicycle is reimbursed by LUCA School
• A teacher’s card
• Discounts through collective purchasing
• The option to take out hospitalization insurance at a preferential rate
• Holiday leave in accordance with the academic calendar

Employment and contractual conditions

• Upon recruitment, a maximum of 10 years of relevant professional experience can be recognized, unless teaching experience exceeds 10 years, in which case all teaching experience will be recognized.

• Your appointment as a researcher can only start once your PhD proposal has been approved by the Doctoral Committee in the Arts (LUCA – KU Leuven). Approval by the Doctoral Committee in the Arts takes place after you have completed the procedure for this application.

Working at LUCA

You will be part of an environment where respect and integrity define our basic attitude, where we see sustainability and diversity as an asset, and where quality is our driving force.
LUCA aims to enable all talents to fully develop, regardless of gender, age, cultural background, nationality or disability. We therefore welcome all talented individuals who recognize the added value of diversity and wish to contribute to shaping an inclusive organization.

Interested?

The application consists of a dossier containing:

• A motivation letter
• An elaborated research proposal, see template research proposal for a doctorate in the arts
• A CV and portfolio of recent artistic research work, max. size 10 MB
• Diploma certificates (if applicable, an equivalence certificate of the required diploma)

Applications can be submitted until October 26, 2026 via the job application portal CV Warehouse. Only complete dossiers will be taken into consideration.

An initial selection will be made based on the applications. You may be invited for an interview in the week of November 23, 2026. During the interview, the invited candidates will be asked to present their research project and vision on education and research to the selection committee.

More information can be obtained from:

Kai Ziegner, PhD / Senior Artistic Researcher, Lecturer and PhD Supervisor, kai.ziegner@luca-arts.be

For further clarification regarding the application procedure,
please contact: personeelsdienst@luca-arts.be

After the interview, all successful candidates will be ranked. The candidate who scores highest will receive a job offer first. Other successful candidates will be included in our recruitment reserve for one year (with the possibility of a one-year extension).

Additional information can be found here.