PhD position Social and familial nuances of psychiatric epidemiology

Understanding the causes and factors involved in psychiatric traits is important for identifying individuals at high-risk for adverse outcomes, as well as for designing interventions that help individuals bounce back quicker. Gene finding studies have implicated many genetic variants, and epidemiological studies have similarly identified environmental exposures and risk factors associated with psychopathology. Additionally, environmental effects may be influenced by genetic factors, leading to confounding as a result of gene-environment interplay. Family-based designs have a crucial role to play in furthering our understanding of psychiatric epidemiology as they can account for various sources of confounding that may underlie psychiatric traits. In this project we aim to leverage family-based data in both molecular and non-molecular genetic designs in order to further clarify the epidemiology of psychiatric traits including bipolar disorder and ADHD. We will make use of data from multiple large population-based cohorts including the UK Biobank, the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study, and the Netherlands Twin Register (www.tweelingenregister.org), among others. You will work within an interdisciplinary team of researchers and international collaborators.

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. The salary will be in accordance with university regulations for academic personnel and amounts €2,541 (PhD) per month during the first year and increases to €3,247 (PhD) per month during the fourth year, based on a full-time employment. The job profile: is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for at least 0.8 FTE.

The appointment will initially be for 1 year. After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, the contract will be extended for a duration of 4 years.
Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

• a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment, 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus, solid pension scheme (ABP), hybrid working enables a good work-life balance

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. We strive to be a university where personal development and commitment to society play a leading role. A university where people from different disciplines and backgrounds collaborate to achieve innovations and to generate new knowledge. Our teaching and research encompass the entire spectrum of academic endeavor – from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 31,000 students. We employ over 5,000 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible and located in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
We are an inclusive university community. Diversity is one of our most important values. We believe that engaging in international activities and welcoming students and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds enhances the quality of our education and research. We are always looking for people who can enrich our world with their own unique perspectives and experiences.

Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences
The Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences focuses on the broad domain of behaviour and health. Our teaching and research programmes are devoted to current developments in society, from healthy aging to e-health, from juvenile crime to dealing with depression, from training for top athletes to social media as a teaching tool. We are unique in that we combine three academic disciplines: psychology, movement sciences and education.

Working at Behavioural and Movement Sciences means working in an ambitious organization that is characterized by an informal atmosphere and short lines of communication. Our faculty offers tremendous scope for personal development. We employ more than 600 staff members, and we are home to around 3,400 students.

About the department
The department of Biological Psychology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is a world-renowned research and education centre focused on understanding the genetic and biological underpinnings of individual differences in cognition, behaviour, and health. We maintain the Netherlands Twin Register, a unique resource for research on the interplay of genes and environment on brain development, cognitive abilities, personality, behavioural problems, psychiatric disorders, and health and well-being.