As a postdoc researcher you will be working in an interdisciplinary team, aiming to solve a timely and relevant problem. You will contribute to important transitions at the interface between healthcare and policy making. Are you interested in contributing to the optimal use of (expensive) medical technology? This is the job for you!

Health technology assessments (HTAs) are increasingly used to determine whether medical technologies provide (potential) value for money. However, many technologies can be used for a broad group of patients with varying indications and varying purposes, with consequently varying value for money. Traditional indication-specific decision models are not useful for addressing the decision dilemma for which indications to use technology to maximize value for money. A timely example of such a technology is the Magnetic Resonance Linear Accelerator (MR-Linac).

Several hospitals face the decision dilemma of selecting the appropriate treatment indications ensuring optimal use. In this project you will test the feasibility and usefulness of an exploratory, participatory and adaptive technology-specific modeling approach to inform the use of medical technology, using MR-Linac as a timely case. If successful, this approach can be used in any medical technology that can be used for more than one indication.

As postdoctoral researcher on this challenging project you will develop and apply new methodology, and you will assess its feasibility and usefulness in an extensive process evaluation. You will do this with a team of internationally renowned researchers from different fields of research, from Radboudumc, MUMC+, TU Delft and UMC Utrecht, also involving end users and other stakeholders. Together we will explore how we can help to make accountable decisions on the use of medical technology, to provide most value for patients and society. Eventually the project could result in new methodology that will be widely used for decision making on new medical technology.

Tasks and responsibilities
As a postdoctoral researcher on this project:

• You will develop and test new methodology in the field of Health Technology Assessment, that informs decision making on how medical technology can be used to provide most value.
• You will analyze both qualitative and quantitative data, and present your findings in (scientific) publications as well as on conferences and/or symposia.
• You work in an interdisciplinary team of researchers from different fields, also outside of healthcare, to pool expertise into a joint methodological solution.
• You expand your network by working together with (inter)national research groups.
• You can, if interested, contribute to teaching activities for (bio)medical students, and other relevant research projects of the group.

As a postdoctoral researcher on this project you need to be motivated to develop new methodology to find a practical and feasible solution. You are creative, efficient, realistic and you take initiative.

You have:

• Obtained or nearly obtained a PhD in the field of (bio)medical sciences, health sciences, science & technology studies or another relevant field.
• Experience with decision modeling and involving stakeholders.
• Excellent writing and verbal communication skills, at least in English and preferably in Dutch.
• Proven interest in developing new methodology, interdisciplinary collaboration, uncertainty and medical technology.
• The ability to collaborate with a team of people from different disciplines and backgrounds, but also to work independently.

Fixed-term contract: 18 months with a possible extension depending on the budget.

Starting date is 1 May 2023. Working at Radboud university medical center means that you are ahead of the curve and working together on the healthcare of the future. And there is more. Our secondary terms of employment are impressive. These are fully tailored to you thanks to our Employment Conditions Selection Model. At Radboud university medical center, you will be given trust, and you will take the responsibility to handle everything together.

• A gross monthly salary between € 3.230 and € 5.088 (scale 10) based on full-time employment.
• From 1 November 2023 the wages will increase by 4%.
• An annual vacation allowance of 8% and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.
• If you work irregular hours, you will receive an allowance.
• As a full-time employee (36 hours per week), you are entitled to approximately 168 vacation hours (over 23 days) per year.
• Radboud university medical center pays 70% of the pension premium. You pay the rest of the premium with your gross salary.
• You get a discount on health insurance as well: you can take advantage of two group health insurance plans. UMC Zorgverzekering and CZ collectief.
• We provide annual courses, both professional and personal.

In addition to our terms of employment, we also offer employees various other attractive facilities, such as childcare and sports facilities. Want to learn more? Take a look at the CAO UMC.

Radboudumc

You will be working in a motivated, interdisciplinary team, within the Health Technology Assessment group of the department for Health Evidence. The department for Health Evidence is an expert center for research methodology in health sciences. The disciplines Health Technology Assessment (HTA), epidemiology and biostatistics are represented in the department. Research programmes in for example oncology, reproduction and evaluation of complex medical interventions form the basis of education for Bachelor, Master and postgraduate students and for advising clinical researchers.

You are also closely collaborating with the department of Radiation Oncology. Here, yearly about 2600 cancer patients are treated with radiotherapy, making use of five conventional linear accelerators and a facility for HDR brachytherapy. To be able to provide MR-guided radiotherapy, we have adopted an MR-Linac in 2020. Our interdisciplinary department, with in total over 140 fte, continuously works together on innovative treatments, such as introducing new medical technology and new treatment strategies to further improve the care we deliver to patients. Since these innovations need to provide additional value, we have started a structural collaboration with the HTA group.

Radboudumc
Radboud university medical center is a university medical center for patient care, scientific research, and education in Nijmegen. Radboud university medical center strives to be at the forefront of shaping the healthcare of the future. We do this in a person-centered and innovative way, and in close collaboration with our network. We want to have a significant impact on health and healthcare. We want to improve with each passing day, continuously working towards better healthcare, research, and education. And gaining a better understanding of how diseases arise and how we can prevent, treat, and cure them, day in and day out. This way, every patient always receives the best healthcare, now and in the future. Because that is why we do what we do.

Read more about our strategy and what working at Radboud university medical center means. Our colleagues would be happy to tell you about it. #weareradboudumc