PhD for project using machine learning and causal inference to understand dynamics of mother, father, and baby night interactions and sleep

We are looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate within the project Nightly dance – Dynamics of mother, father, and baby night interactions and sleep. This 4-year project is financed by ZonMw and focused on the transition to parenthood. The birth of a child is a period of adaptation for parents that mostly entails sleep disruptions. In this project we will follow couples from pregnancy until the baby is six months, using small wearable devices that automatically register nightly baby crying, parent-baby proximity, and parents’ sleep and stress. Are you our new PhD candidate?

We will employ innovative machine learning and causal analyses to map night-time caregiving behavior, how it changes over time, and whether it predicts long term health problems. We will develop machine learning algorithms to understand these dynamics during the infant’s first six months, uncovering statistical associations and casual factors. To this end we will build on and extend state-of-the-art methods for detecting statistical associations (e.g., Bayesian timeseries models and recurrent neural networks). We will then probe the causal relations underlying these statistical associations using causal inference from time-series data (e.g. using Bayesian Constraint-Based Causal Discovery; BCCD and Partial Convergent Cross Mapping with Information Criteria; PCMCI) for causal discovery from time-series with latent confounders.

The project is a collaboration between Radboudumc, Radboud University, and University of Twente and this PhD project will be embedded within the groups of prof. Andre Marquand (Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour) and associate professor Tom Claassen (Institute for Computing and Information Science, Faculty of Science). The broader team consists of senior researchers, a postdoc and two PhD students, as well as advisors from perinatal practice and parents. As a PhD you will be part of the wider research ecosystem at the Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour.

We offer a challenging position in an innovative project within a team of dedicated colleagues. Our collaboration is characterized by creativity, collegiality, teamwork, and responsibility. You are being part of dynamic, enthusiastic, collaborative, and ambitious research groups specialized in the development and application of advanced machine learning tools for biomedical data. See for more information our webpage.

Our ideal PhD candidate has a masters level degree in a numerate discipline such as AI, machine learning, data science, statistics, mathematics, physics or similar study and a strong interest in multidisciplinary research, especially on the interface between AI/ML and developmental psychobiology. You have a high level of competence in computer programming (e.g. python, R, C++).

Furthermore, you recognize yourself in the profile below:

• Excellent analytical and communicative skills- organizational and data management skills.
• A proactive attitude and is eager to learn and develop academic skills.
• Combines an independent working style with a collaborative spirit, and flourishes within team science.

Your ideal start date is 1 September 2025. 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:

• The salary depends on education. Scale 10 will be offered to MSc medical graduates; you will start at scale 10, step 0(€ 3.493 full-time). Those holding degrees in other disciplines will be offered scale 10A: upon commencement of employment, you will start at scale 10A, step 0 (€ 3.017 full-time). 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.
• From 1 July 2025 an increase in salary with 3%.
• 176 vacation hours per year based on a 36-hour working week.

Your place of work will be the Radboud university medical center (Radboudumc) at the Medical Neuroscience department. This is part of the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior ('the Donders'). The Donders is a world-class research network with over 1,000 scientists dedicated to advancing brain, cognitive, and behavioral sciences. The institute enables access to the most advanced research facilities, fosters interdisciplinary collaborations, and trains new generations of researchers. Research into stress and stress-related disorders is an important area of attention.

Radboudumc
Welcome to Radboud university medical center (Radboudumc), where our research groups strive for innovative solutions that make impact on health and healthcare. We challenge the status quo to overcome current and future health challenges. Our goal is to shape the future of healthcare for generations to come. Our focus is on prevention, sustainability, and meaningful care, which we achieve through our in-depth understanding of disease mechanisms, clinical science, public health research, medical technology and data science. Our approach is centered on breakthroughs that can truly enhance personalized healthcare and public health.

At Radboudumc, a comprehensive range of research programs provide the compass for our research efforts. Each program has a clear goal, where collaboration within and outside our organization is highly valued. We integrate care, education and research in partnership with our patients to ensure that our research programs have significant impact on health and healthcare. We invite you to join us in our mission to create a healthy future for all.