Job Utrecht University, Faculty of veterinary medicine - PhD researcher: Risk factors for hand eczema in the construction industry (1,0 fte)

Construction workers are at a high risk for developing skin disorders as a result of exposure to a wide variety of allergens and irritants. The social and economic impact of occupational contact dermatitis is high, because prognosis is poor, and changing jobs is sometimes the only option for affected workers. Besides exposure to irritants and allergens, individual susceptibility may influence the risk to develop occupational contact dermatitis. In spite of the impact and high prevalence of contact dermatitis in various occupations, actions to reduce the risk of skin disorders in the construction industry have thus far been restricted to a few hazardous agents. The PhD candidate will conduct an epidemiological study that investigates risk factors for occupational contact dermatitis in the construction industry at large. New insights in risk factors will be used to develop tools that will help to reduce the burden of skin disease among construction workers.

The candidate will organize the field work of the proposed study. A questionnaire-based database will be established which will be used to analyze risk factors for the presence of contact dermatitis, and a diagnostic model will be developed to be able to screen workers for an elevated risk of contact dermatitis. In a second phase of the study, a validation study will be conducted to assess the performance of the diagnostic model, and an in-depth study on risk factors in specific high-risk occupations will be performed. Analysis of host factors (genetic variants and allergic sensitization) that may influence the risk of contact dermatitis will also be part of the study.

You will work in a multidisciplinary research team with epidemiologists, occupational physicians, occupational hygienists, and immunologists. This research team will collaborate closely with experts from the construction industry, branch organizations etc. Your activities will include data collection, data analysis and modeling, and all activities around implementation and evaluation of the diagnostic model. The candidate will publish the findings as papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals. These papers will form the basis of the PhD thesis.

We are looking for an enthusiastic graduate at the MSc level with a background in the field of health sciences, epidemiology, or equivalent training. The candidate should have strong organizational, communication and writing skills (in Dutch and English). We are looking for a team player who is able to work independently. Experience in epidemiological data analysis or occupational health will be an advantage. Candidates from the European Union are eligible for this position.

The IRAS of Utrecht University can offer you a temporary full-time appointment of one year with the prospective of prolongation with another 3 years. The gross salary starts with € 2,042.- per month in the first year and increases to € 2,612.- per month in the fourth year of employment (salary scale P Collective Labour Agreement of the Dutch Universities).

Secondary benefits based on the Collective Labour Agreement  of the Dutch Universities are excellent in general and include e.g. a pension scheme, flexible employment conditions, and salaries are supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8% and a year end bonus of 8,3% per year. Travel costs for international conferences are also included.

The Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences of Utrecht University is an interfaculty research institute within the faculties of Veterinary Medicine and Medicine. The mission of IRAS is to provide education and research on the human health risks of exposure to potentially harmful agents in the environment, at the workplace and through the food chain.

The research is performed in three divisions

• Environmental Epidemiology (EEPI)
• Toxicology
• Veterinary Public Health

Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained from Prof. dr. Dick Heederik tel. +31 (0)30  253 9480, e-mail: d.heederik@uu.nl.