Post-doc Spiritual care and psychedelic treatment (0.5 FTE)

The University of Groningen is a research university with a global outlook, deeply rooted in Groningen, City of Talent. Quality has had top priority for four hundred years, and with success: the University is currently in or around the top 100 on several influential ranking lists. The Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society is one of the founding faculties of the University of Groningen (1614). Being part of a public university, it aims to perform cutting-edge research and teaching in a wide variety of disciplines in the fields of theology and religious studies. We investigate religions as cultural phenomena and social forces in diverse contexts in the past and present. By generating and sharing scholarly knowledge, the faculty aims to create impact and to contribute to a sustainable society, offering the public and government credible resources for reflection on religion and society.

The faculty offers two Bachelor’s Programmes, five one-year Master’s Programmes, a two-year Research Master’s Programme, a PhD programme, and several post-academic courses. We host one research institute and 5 research centres and participate in various networks.

The post-doc will conduct research in a large project (PsyPal 2024-2027) funded by the European Union (Horizon Europe) to study psilocybin to treat psychological distress in people with progressive incurable illnesses requiring palliative care. The trial coordinated by the University Medical Centre Groningen in the Netherlands, and in collaboration with HumanKindLabs, will investigate whether psilocybin therapy can help ease psychological and existential distress in patients suffering from one of four different progressive diseases: COPD, MS, ALS (also known as MND), and atypical Parkinson’s disease. This postdoc position addresses the spiritual care component, a subtopic led by the UG as one of the nineteen partners in the consortium.

The post-doc will focus on how spiritual care is been seen, conducted and experienced by the different stakeholders involved: participants, therapists, informal caregivers and researchers, based on mainly qualitative and additional quantitative data like questionnaires, interviews, recorded therapy sessions (and possibly journaling) directly related to the trial. Next to that, literature study and if needed and possible in time external qualitative data will be conducted to get more information on (good) spiritual care in comparative situations (mystical/transformative experiences) like the psychedelic experience in this trial.

We invite strong researchers whose expertise fit the main research line. The postdoc is expected to work together in interdisciplinary sub teams and to submit at least two articles (based on the pilot-data) in collaboration with other RUG team members/partners next to other output contributions like the final training manual and other project reports on spiritual care, and if possible, some guest lectures. Also, involvement in further (joined) grant proposals is stimulated.

Candidates for this postdoc position:

- Have finished a PhD in the fields of humanities, spiritual care, psychology.
- Have a strong affinity with/record in interdisciplinary work.
- Have a record in both qualitative as well as quantitative methods, including qualitative data collection.
- Have affinity with spiritual care in psychedelic treatment as research subject.
- Have a strong academic record as evinced by curriculum vitae and list of publications.
- Have an international network.
- Have concrete and creative idea for additional grant proposals, which fits the project and the faculty’s profile.
- Have organizational skills, an independent attitude and ability to work in a team.
- Have excellent proficiency in written and spoken Dutch and English.
- Preferably have some teaching experience.

We offer you in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities:

- Depending on qualifications and work experience, a salary of € 4,020 to a maximum of € 5,278 (salary scale 10) gross per month for a full-time position. The UFO profile is Researcher 4.
- A holiday allowance of 8% gross annual income an 8.3% end-of-the-year allowance.
- Attractive secondary terms of employment; the position is classified in accordance with the University Job Classification (UFO) system.
- A temporary contract of 0.5 FTE for a period of 3 years.