PhD position Stress inoculation (1.0 FTE) (V25.0099)

Do you want to contribute to groundbreaking research that pushes the boundaries of science? Are you looking for a PhD position in which you can turn your curiosity into concrete research results and a dissertation? In that case, the position of PhD in Psychology at the University of Groningen (UG) might just be what you are looking for!

As a PhD candidate in Developmental Psychopathology, you will have the opportunity to develop your own insights, collect data, and share your findings with both scientific colleagues and partners from professional practice worldwide. Under the guidance of a supervisor and together with a motivated team, you will work on meaningful solutions and contribute to the future of your field.

Stress disorders like anxiety and depression are among the most burdensome diseases in society. The current dominant approach to these disorders is treating people when they already suffer from severely disordered stress responses. It would be an enormous step forwards if we could develop a ‘vaccine’ or ‘inoculum’ for stress disorders, by priming people early in life with particular stressors and helping them to train adequate stress responses. This is the goal of the project STRESS INOCULUM: to develop and validate a theory of stress to enable effective prevention of stress disorders, based on how children develop healthy stress responses to daily life stressors. The candidate we are looking for has a background in developmental or clinical psychology, with expertise in the development of psychopathology, and ideally has expertise with systematic reviews, qualitative and/or quantitative analyses (including ambulatory assessments, time series analysis).

Why would you want to apply for this position?

1. To make an impact: in this role, you will directly contribute to scientific insights that address societal issues. Your research will not only translate into publications, but also into concrete solutions, ensuring a tangible impact.
2. Personal development: you will have the opportunity, with the support of experienced scientists, to develop yourself into an expert. This combination of research and teaching offers plenty of opportunities for professional and personal growth.

As a PhD candidate, you will perform the following duties

• You will conduct research that results in a dissertation and is consistent with the goals and requirements of the project.
• You will organize and execute systematic literature reviews and/or analysis on new data.
• You will publish research results in international scientific journals.
• You will present the research to a wide audience of both domestic and international fellow scientists and partners from the professional field.
• You will collaborate with fellow scientists in the larger project.
• You will contribute to a limited number of teaching activities in the psychology department, such as working groups and guest lectures.

This is where you will be working
The University of Groningen ranks among the top European universities and is internationally oriented. The university is socially engaged and actively involved in its environment. In a wide range of disciplines, researchers and teachers practice their disciplines out of scientific passion. Everyone is empowered to do their best. The talents, ambitions and performance of the 34,000 students and 6,500 employees of the UG are stimulated as much as possible.

The Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences is strong in research and teaching on human behaviour, thinking, learning, and coexistence. We work on social issues and problems that people experience in everyday life. Individual and societal resilience and how to increase it are central to our work. We focus on the topics of migration, environment and climate, health, parenting and education, the protection of vulnerable minorities, and sustainable partnerships. Over 650 employees work at the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences.

More information about the faculty can be found at the link https://www.rug.nl/gmw/ You will work in the Department of Developmental Psychology.

For this position, we are looking for someone who

• Has a Research Master or Master's degree in the field of clinical or developmental Psychology, or a related field.
• Has a good academic track record.
• Is enthusiastic about writing international publications and a dissertation.
• Has a good command of the Dutch and English languages.
• Possesses good academic writing, social and communication skills and is willing to collaborate with other team members.
• Is enthusiastic about translating scientific insights into practical guidelines and advice.
• Possesses good organisational skills and perseverance.
• Demonstrates competencies such as conceptual ability, presentation, planning, and monitoring progress.

We offer you in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities.

• A salary of € 2,901 gross per month in the first year to a maximum of € 3,707 gross per month in the last year when working full time.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end bonus based on annual gross income.
• Temporary employment of 1.0 FTE for a period of four years. You will first receive temporary employment for the period of one year. After a positive Results and Development Interview, the contract will be extended for the remaining period of three years.
• Based on a 38-hour work week (full-time), 232 annual leave hours. It is possible to choose a 36- or 40-hour work week. If you choose a 40-hour work week, you accumulate an additional 96 hours of annual leave. If you opt for a 36-hour work week, you will lose 96 leave hours per year.
• A good pension plan with the ABP pension fund.

Effective date: 1 September 2025

Does this sound like your dream job? In that case, we cannot wait to meet you. Apply quickly and who knows, you might become our new PhD candidate. Please send your application to us, by submitting the following documents:

• Letter of application.
• Curriculum vitae.

You may apply for this position until 16 March 11:59pm / before 17 March 2025 Dutch local time (CET) by means of the application form (click on "Apply" below on the advertisement on the university website).

Selection interviews will take place in the first week of April 2025.

The University of Groningen strives to be a university in which students and staff are respected and feel at home, regardless of differences in background, experiences, perspectives, and identities. We believe that working on our core values of inclusion and equality are a joint responsibility and we are constructively working on creating a socially safe environment. Diversity among students and staff members enriches academic debate and contributes to the quality of our teaching and research. We therefore invite applicants from underrepresented groups in particular to apply. For more information, see also our diversity policy webpage: https://www.rug.nl/about-ug/policy-and-strategy/diversity-and-inclusion/

Our selection procedure follows the guidelines of the Recruitment code (NVP): https://www.nvp-hrnetwerk.nl/nl/sollicitatiecode and European Commission's European Code of Conduct for recruitment of researchers: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/charter/code

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