What are the biological pathways for health decrements in shift workers? Can we determine which shift workers are most at risk and why? If you get excited about these questions, we are looking for you: an ambitious postdoc to join our multidisciplinary project team!

Shift work is an essential part of our modern 24-hour society. It is estimated that approximately 1.3 million people in the Netherlands work occasionally or regularly at night. Working at night is linked to a higher risk for sleep disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes. Our research line `Sleep and Circadian Science for Occupational Health' aims to understand underlying mechanisms behind health decrements in shift workers by exploring biomarkers associated with circadian disruption and sleep disturbances. A comprehensive understanding of biological pathways, will help design tailored interventions to mitigate health risks and enhance well-being among shift workers. Furthermore, shift workers differ significantly in their tolerance towards working at night. Relevant factors for this so called 'shift work tolerance' are age, gender, lifestyle, working conditions, and socio-economic background. Yet, use of objective measurements to map related physiology is still scarcely applied in the field. Here, we aim to identify and validate new biomarkers, essential to gain more insight into determinants of shift work tolerance.

You will become a postdoc within the research line 'Sleep and Circadian Science for Occupational Health' under the supervision of assistant professor Heidi Lammers-van der Holst. You will have the ability to work independently as well as to perform effectively within a team.

Your primary tasks will consist of: execution and coordination of biomarkers research, contribute to teaching activities and co-supervision of PhD student, actively involved in acquisition of new research funding and strengthening collaborations within and outside Erasmus MC. You will have the opportunity to work on ongoing epidemiological studies on shift workers, such as Shift2health and BioClock projects, and have the ability to explore biomaterials form known prospective cohort studies (Biobanks).

The position is offered to a researcher who holds a PhD Chronobiology, Sleep or Circadian Science or other relevant field. Expected educational background is Biomedical Sciences, Health and Life Sciences, Molecular Biology, Neuroscience or related discipline.

Your qualifications:

• You are rigorous, committed and highly motivated, with demonstrable experience in biomarkers research.
• You have strong experimental and analytical skills, ideally in human research and/or circadian biology, and a record of publications in this area.
• You have a teamwork mentality: you enjoy collaborating to develop high-quality research outputs.
• You have excellent organizational, communication, and scientific writing skills.
• An excellent command of English, and ideally also in Dutch, both oral and written. Knowledge of/and or willingness to learn Dutch is an advantage.
• As a clinical researcher, you are required to complete the Basic course on Regulations and Organisation for clinical investigators (BROK® ) during your appointment time.

Please upload a motivation letter, CV and list 2 professional references.

• The gross monthly salary amounts a maximum of € 4.187 (scale 10), depending on your level of education and relevant experience, based on a full-time working week of 36 hours.
• Excellent fringe benefits, such as a 13th month that is already paid out in November and a individual travel expense package.
• An International Office which aids you in preparing for you arrival and stay.
• Pension insurance with ABP. We take care of approximately 2/3 of the monthly contribution.
• Special benefits, such as a incompany physiotherapist and bicycle repairer. And there is also a gym where you can work on your fitness after work.

Erasmus MC

A healthy population and excellence in healthcare through research and education. This is what Erasmus MC stands for. Conducting groundbreaking work. Pushing boundaries and leading the way. In research, education, and healthcare. We are practical people with a high level of expertise, working hard to improve and renew the healthcare of today and the public health of tomorrow.

You will become a part of the research team at the Department of Public Health, where we are dedicated to improve population health at local, national, and international level through excellent research and education. Our research is characterized as highly multidisciplinary and is focused on the development and use of innovative methods. Collaboration with and direct impact on practice and policy are at the heart of our work.

Your specific research group, Occupational Health, is committed to contribute to an inclusive and sustainable labour market. Employment is an important determinant of health. We strive to improve sustainable employability, among all social groups and promote life-long working in good health. You will work in the research line focused on sustainable health and employability of shift workers; developing lifestyle interventions, identifying and validating biomarkers to quantitatively assess shift work-related circadian and sleep disturbances.