PhD student RSV education

You will develop yourself into an educational expert in the field of paediatrics and public health. With the arrival of new RSV prevention products, there is a rapidly growing interest in the education of healthcare professionals and the general public on the subject of RSV. However, little is known on the best methods of RSV education for different target groups. At the ReSViNET Foundation, our goal is to decrease the global burden of RSV. Awareness of RSV is an essential first step towards decreasing the disease burden, thus providing education is an important part of our work. We work with different formats and target groups (e.g. healthcare providers, medical specialists, the general public, patients and parents). In this PhD project, you will be part of the team that creates educational materials, and improves their quality and reach, by adding scientific value to the educational content and studying the best ways to maximize learning.

You will write a PhD thesis (based on scientific publications) on educational practices and innovations aimed at healthcare professionals and the general public, with a focus on RSV. Your research projects will include evaluating how to maximize scientific and educational value of various educational modalities like online education materials aimed at health care professionals and general public. A specific interest will be studying the utility of innovative educational materials to increase vaccine preparedness. This includes studying the additional value of a generative AI driven chatbot and the utility of disseminating educational materials for the general public on social media.

During your project you will regularly present and share knowledge of educational activities and outcomes in the RSV field during various meetings. In addition, you will work on your professional development, for example by attending and presenting at conferences and attending courses at the Graduate School of Life Sciences or by involvement in teaching activities and/or working towards obtaining a university teaching qualification; you will also contribute to the Medical Humanities courses at the Faculty of Medicine.

We are looking for a candidate with a master of science (MSc) in education, social sciences, health or a related domain, with an interest in educational research. A team-player who demonstrated strong communication skills in the past. Being creative, flexible, and independent and having experience with (educational) research as well as the ability to speak and write Dutch is an advantage.

You have a master's degree in education, health education, health communication, , psychology, health sciences, or science and technology studies
You are excited about working at the crossroads of education, engagement and medicine
You communicate effectively and enjoy sharing knowledge with diverse audiences using different formats (for example: presentations, social media)
Experience with qualitative empirical research methods is highly valued
You have proficient oral and writing skills in English or are willing to develop your language skills within the first year of your PhD
You thrive in an international, multidisciplinary environment

Please include in your application: a motivation letter in which you explain your interest in the position, Curriculum Vitae and when applicable, an overview of past and current research (publications) and teaching activities. We encourage applicants to include examples of non-academic dissemination of research (e.g. blog, infographics, videos) and non-academic teaching activities (for example workshops for patients or members of the community) in their CV.

The deadline for submission is 12 december. The date of interviews will be determined after completion of the application selection process. The appointment will be for a total of 48 months. The initial appointment will be for a period of 12 months, which will be extended upon a positive evaluation.

The maximum salary for this position (32 - 36 hours) is € 3.824,00 gross per month based on full-time employment.

In addition, we offer an annual benefit of 8.3%, holiday allowance, travel expenses and career opportunities. The terms of employment are in accordance with the Cao University Medical Centers (UMC).

The ReSViNET Foundation

You will be supervised by dr. De Vrankrijker (co-promotor) and prof. Bont (promotor). You will have a work place at the Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital, UMC Utrecht as well as the ReSViNET Foundation office in Zeist. You will be part of the RSV Research Team at the Wilhelmina Children’s hospital and the team of ReSViNET Foundation. The ReSViNET Foundation is the internationally leading non-profit organisation committed to reducing the global burdens of RSV infection, officially founded in 2018. In the past years ReSViNET has built strong partnerships with many stakeholders in order to raise awareness about RSV infection and to tackle the challenge of RSV infection prevention and treatment.

You will join a small team of devoted colleagues who work together at ReSViNET. We currently offer a multitude of educational activities: we host a bi-annual international conference focused on RSV, organise quarterly webinars, and develop podcasts and micro-learnings. Moreover, we are actively involved in real-world evidence studies, hosting several RSV dashboards. Our RSV Patient Network is an important factor in conveying our message to the general public, and will be essential in organising educational activities for patients, parents and the general public.