Operate at the exciting intersection between fundamental and applied mental health research! We are looking for an ethusiastic and talented postdoc researcher for the Work-It-Out project. This project (NWO VIDI grant) aims to strengthen depression treatment through physical exercise. Will you join this unique opportunity?

Translating mechanistic findings in big datasets to innovations in care for depressed patients is what Work-It-Out is all about. This also means that you and the to-be hired PhD student on the project will collaborate with (inter)national researchers and clinicians. This project is a true team effort!

Specifically, you will work with ambulatory data (i.e. from wearables and Experience Sampling Method (ESM)) linking it to clinical parameters and biomarkers for neuroplasticity both in existing data and to-be-collected data in depressed patients within the specialized mental healthcare.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Applying state-of-the-art statistics to existing and to-be-collected data (i.e., from the Healthy Brain Study and clinical study) and reporting findings in scientific papers. To-be used data are from: ESM items on mood and memory, activity tracker, heart rate watch, neuropsychological (computer) tasks, questionnaires and clinical details (e.g., relapse of depression).
• Together with PhD student and students design intervention study in depressed patients with mental healthcare partners.
• Supervise (PhD) students.
• Active participation (and perhaps organisation of) in multidisciplinary research meetings.
• Collaboration with both fundamental researchers, a broader ESM network, as well as clinicians within mental healthcare.
• Present research findings at international meetings.
• (Co)write grant applications in due time.

Our new postdoc has a PhD degree in the fields of psychology, behavioral sciences, health sciences, (bio)medical sciences, bioinformatics, computer sciences, or a related discipline. Candidates close to the thesis defence are encouraged to apply. You have experience in working with ambulatory data in the context of the behavioral or life sciences and experience with and/or a strong interest in related (complex) statistical analyses (e.g., multilevel modeling, computational models, machine learning, etc.). Ideally you'll have a strong background in statistical programing languages (R, Python).

In addition you possess the profile below:

• Affinity and proven experience with writing research papers.
• Excellent (English) conversation and presentation skills.
• Communication and social skills; being a valued collaborator, someone who can/wants to create fun and cohesion within the research group, and values diversity and transparency.
• Interest in supervision of (PhD) students.

Fixed-term contract: 1 year with prospect of extension.

Working partly remotely is possible as (some) meetings can be held online and data analysis can be conducted via the Digital Research Environment. At Radboud university medical center, you build on your future. We are committed to providing the best care, education, and research. And we are true to our word, because we help you develop and seize opportunities and give you the room to grow. As an employer, we believe that employees should feel vital and happy at work in all stages of life. We are also committed to creating a healthy and safe working environment. Our employment conditions contribute to that. What we offer:

• A gross monthly salary in scale 10 between €3,359 and €5,292 (for a full-time appointment). You will also receive an 8% holiday allowance, an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and a 47% to 72% bonus for working unsocial hours.
• Plenty of opportunities for personal development. You can take a variety of courses in our online learning environment. You can also share knowledge with colleagues through digital learning spaces – perfect for getting inspired and inspiring others.
• Your well-being and vitality are our priorities. For instance, you can enjoy a 40% discount on a sports subscription at the Radboud Sports Center along with access to the Healthy Professionals program designed to assist you in managing your energy. If you are going through a life-changing event, our Company Support Team and a personal coach are there to help you.
• Support in achieving a good work-life balance at every stage of your life. This includes advice and training courses (from ‘Millennial Dilemmas’ to ‘Your Career After 57’), activities at our own mindfulness center, and informal caregiving consultations if you have questions about juggling work and caregiving responsibilities at home.
• 168 holiday hours per year (23 days) based on a 36-hour working week.
• 26 weeks of parental leave, nine of which are paid.
• Pension accrual with the ABP Pension Fund. Radboudumc pays 70% of the pension premium.
• Discounts on health insurance and ten other types of insurance, from home insurance to legal assistance.
• An allowance for your travel expenses or a working-from-home allowance of €2 per day.

Radboudumc

You will be part of the Mental Fitness research group. This multidisciplinary group is embedded in the Radboudumc Psychiatry department, through which you will be affiliated with the Donders Institue for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour. Through the co-appointment of Dr. Janna Vrijsen, the group is also well-embedded at Pro Persona Mental Healthcare with a close link to the social sciences faculty (Behavioural Science Institute, BSI).

This rather unique position of the group makes for a diverse team of researchers who are collectively able to translate fundamental insights to clinical innovations as well as questions arising in clinical practice to research designs. This translational approach to positive cognition and mental health is what the group is all about. Currently, the research group consists of 2 post-docs, 10 PhD students, a reseach assistant and research nurse as well as students.

Practically, you can make use of expertise and research facilities within the Radboudumc, Donders Institute, Pro Persona and BSI. Furthermore, the Work-It-Out project is conducted in close collaboration with 'exercise experts' from the USA (Texas, Alabama), facilitating international visits.

You will have the possibility to shape your future based on your ambitions, as advancing the career of young researchers is one of the missions of the Radboudumc.

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.