PhD Emotional Resources for Daily Cognitive Functioning

Project description
The research project seeks to explore the interaction between emotional resources, cognitive performance and the work environment across the lifespan. It is known that cognitive performance fluctuates from day to day and is influenced by stress experiences, with emotional resources, potentially compensating for cognitive deficits. Positive emotions and emotion regulation strategies have shown promise in enhancing cognitive performance and promoting resilience to stress. The project aims to investigate whether positive emotions and emotion regulation strategies are linked to daily fluctuations in cognitive performance within a dynamic workplace context.

Drawing from Job-Demands-Resources Theory and Conservation of Resources Theory, the research aims to examine how emotional resources can buffer the impact of cognitive job demands on (cognitive and job) performance. Using experience sampling in a work context, the project aims to combine daily cognitive tests with practical work performance outcomes. Additionally, the project aims to develop a personalized training intervention to enhance the utilization of emotional resources. This intervention will consist of targeted emotion regulation exercises based on an individual's cognitive performance and emotional resource linkages. Through a combination of experimental and intensive-longitudinal approaches, the research aims to assess the effectiveness of the intervention on daily cognitive functioning and the growth of emotion regulation strategies over time.

The exact planning of the PhD research will be decided in collaboration with the prospective PhD candidate. The preliminary plan includes three studies that utilize preexisting data, experience sampling in a work context, designing a workplace intervention, and testing its effectiveness, respectively. 

Job description 
The PhD project is multidisciplinary and part of a collaboration between the Department of Developmental Psychology, and the Department of Human Resource Studies, funded by the Herbert Simon Research Institute at Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences. For the first two years, the PhD candidate will be physically located at the Department of Developmental Psychology. After two years, the PhD candidate will join the Department of Human Resource Studies.

Responsibilities are: 

• Planning and executing data collection, independently conducting complex longitudinal data analyses (e.g., multilevel modeling)
• Designing a workplace training intervention and testing its effectiveness
• Active participation in the research team involved in this project and in the Departments (e.g., by attending departmental meetings)
• Writing international scientific publications 
• Presenting at national and international scientific conferences and disseminating findings to a non-scientific audience (e.g., policymakers and mental health care professionals)
• Teaching and supervision (e.g., supervision of bachelor theses and POP groups, max 0.2 FTE) in both departments in consultation with the chairs of the departments

Job requirements and qualifications of the candidate
We are looking for a highly motivated, inquisitive, enthusiastic, proactive, and result-driven PhD candidate. Applicants must have a relevant Master’s degree (preferably a research master), for example in cognitive, developmental, personality, social or organizational psychology, human resource studies, sociology, or social/health sciences. 

• Interest in conducting high-quality research on cognitive functioning in a work context
• Interest in open science, preregistration, and team science
• Excellent research skills and data analytical abilities, including in-depth knowledge of statistical programs (e.g., SPSS, Mplus or R) 
• Interest in learning and applying advanced statistical methods
• Excellent project management and organization skills 
• Excellent communication and cooperation skills and the willingness to work in a team 
• Proficiency in English (Dutch is an asset but not necessary)
• Interest in providing small-scale education, such as working groups and bachelor thesis supervision 

The PhD candidate will be employed by Tilburg University, which is among the top of the Dutch employers and has an excellent policy concerning terms of employment. The appointment is intended to lead to the completion of a PhD thesis. The PhD appointment begins with a period of 12 months. Continuation of the appointment with another 36 months will be based on performance evaluation. The gross salary for the PhD position amounts to € 2.770,- per month in the first year, rising to € 3.539,- per month in the fourth year, based on a full-time appointment (38 hours per week).

Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (TSB) is a modern, specialized university. The teaching and research of the Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences are organized around the themes of Adaptive societies, organizations, and workers, Healthy life span, Personalized prevention and care. The School's inspiring working environment challenges its workers to realize their ambitions; involvement and cooperation are essential to achieve this.

Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Tilburg University is a modern, specialized university. The School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (TSB) has an inspiring working environment that challenges its employees to realize their ambitions; involvement and cooperation are essential to achieve this.
Tilburg University offers a bachelor’s and several master’s programs in psychology, including the research master “Individual Differences and Assessment” and “Social and Behavioral Sciences”, and a bachelor’s and master’s program in HR Studies.
For more information about the Departments of Developmental Psychology and Human Resource Studies please visit: 

• https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/about/schools/socialsciences/organization/departments/developmental-psychology
• https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/about/schools/socialsciences/organization/departments/human-resource-studies