How can we understand the mechanisms that influence the relations between digital media use and the development and opportunities of children and youth? Understanding this can help to reduce inequality. Would you like to play a part in this? We are offering three PhD positions: one is devoted to young children's digital media use and their cognitive development, the second to young children’s digital media use and their identity development, and the third to early adolescents' digital media use and their social development.

Today's children and youth are immersed in digital media in the full media landscape that surrounds them across contexts. The Covid-19 pandemic revealed inequal opportunities for children and youth to use digital media. There are differences in digital media access, motivation and skills to use digital media, and support of key persons, such as parents, teachers and peers. Understanding the mechanisms in children’s and youth's digital media use related to their development helps them and key persons to act in evidence-informed ways to reduce inequality. A better understanding of these factors is especially important during transition periods, such as going from kindergarten to primary school or the early years in secondary school. During these periods, deviations in development could strongly impact children’s and youth's opportunities. Our aim is that scientists, parents, professionals and children and youth themselves understand the mechanisms that influence the relations between their digital media use, their development and their opportunities. Furthermore, we want to develop skills and tools to support a positive impact of children’s and youth’s digital media use on the development and equality of opportunities.

The departments of Learning and Plasticity and Developmental Psychopathology at the Behavioural Science Institute at Radboud University is therefore offering three PhD positions: one on young children's digital media use and their cognitive development (project 1) , one on young children's digital media use and their identity development (project 2), and a third one on early adolescents' digital media use and their social development (project 3).

The position will also involve spending 10% of your working time on teaching.

• You hold (or have nearly completed) a Master’s degree in Educational Sciences, Educational, Cognitive, Social or Developmental Psychology, Pedagogy, or Communication Sciences, preferably in relation to media and development and learning, and equality of educational opportunities.
• You have experience with advanced statistical methods.
• You have social, organisational, and self-regulatory competencies.
• You possess good written and oral communication skills in Dutch and in English.
• You are creative, dedicated and enjoy working in multidisciplinary teams.

Fixed-term contract: You will be employed for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4 year contract).

• It concerns an employment for 1.0 FTE.
• The gross starting salary amounts to €2,541 per month based on a 38-hour working week, and will increase to €3,247 in the fourth year (salary scale P).
• You will receive 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• You will be employed for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4 year contract).
• You will be able to use our Dual Career and Family Care Services. Our Dual Career and Family Care Officer can assist you with family-related support, help your partner or spouse prepare for the local labour market, provide customized support in their search for employment and help your family settle in Nijmegen.
• Working for us means getting extra days off. In case of full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the legally allotted 20.

Work and science require good employment practices. This is reflected in Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself, for example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports subscription. And of course, we offer a good pension plan. You are given plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.

The Behavioural Science Institute (BSI) is a multidisciplinary research institute and one of the three research institutes of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Radboud University.

Our researchers collaborate across the boundaries of psychology, educational science, and communication science. Our mission is to strengthen people through understanding the foundations of human behaviour, by creating synergy between different paradigms and by facilitating craftsmanship, curiosity and connection in academic research.

BSI has seven research programmes covering three major research themes, namely human development, connection and health. BSI conducts fundamental as well as applied and translational research and has excellent facilities and support for lab and field research. Moreover, BSI is known for its successful graduate school and strong commitment to open science.

The JEDi Consortium is a consortium of five universities (Utrecht University, Maastricht University, the University of Twente, Radboud University and Leiden University), two universities of applied sciences (Fontys and Windesheim) and seven collaboration partners (Centrum Jeugd en Gezin, Stichting Lezen, Kids Connect, TNO, Nederlands Jeugd Instituut, Kennisnet and Lucas Onderwijs). Please see our website here.

This vacancy is part of an NWO project, which means that it aims to bridge science and society, using longitudinal studies, co-creation projects and experimental studies. For more information, click here.  

Radboud University
We want to get the best out of science, others and ourselves. Why? Because this is what the world around us desperately needs. Leading research and education make an indispensable contribution to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. This is what unites the more than 24,000 students and 5,600 employees at Radboud University. And this requires even more talent, collaboration and lifelong learning. You have a part to play!