PhD candidate ‘Towards brain-protective ventilation in critically ill patients (BRAIN-VENT)’

Job description
Mechanical ventilation is a life-saving intervention for critically ill patients in the intensive care unit. While essential for survival, it is strongly associated with brain dysfunction, including delirium, dyspnea, and persistent cognitive impairment. To minimize these harmful effects, we urgently need novel brain-protective ventilation strategies. The mechanisms linking mechanical ventilation to brain dysfunction remain poorly understood. A critical, yet largely overlooked, factor is the modulatory role of breathing on brain activity. Physiological breathing rhythmically shapes neural oscillations and is fundamentally intertwined with cognitive and affective processes. Mechanical ventilation profoundly alters natural breathing dynamics, potentially disrupting respiratory–brain coupling and thereby contributing to brain dysfunction.

In this ZonMw Vidi-funded PhD project (BRAIN-VENT), you will work at the cutting edge of respiratory neurophysiology and intensive care medicine. The project aims to generate transformative insights into ventilator-induced brain dysfunction and to pioneer innovative strategies to restore respiratory–brain coupling in mechanically ventilated patients. By adopting a brain-centered perspective on mechanical ventilation, you will redefine mechanical ventilation practice and improve outcomes in critically ill patients.

As a PhD candidate, you will:

• Design and conduct experimental and clinical studies on respiratory-brain coupling.
• Develop novel neurophysiological biomarkers of respiratory-brain coupling.
• Acquire and analyze multimodal neurophysiological data, including high-density EEG and fMRI.
• Apply advanced signal processing and quantitative analysis techniques to characterize neural oscillations and brain–breathing interactions.
• Interpret experimental data and present findings at international meetings and conferences.
• Contribute to scientific publications and your PhD thesis.
• Collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary team, including technical physicians, intensivists and neuroscientists.

Profile
You are a highly motivated and analytically minded candidate with a strong interest in brain connectivity, quantitative methodologies, and translational research involving both patients and healthy participants. You combine curiosity with methodological precision and have a demonstrable affinity for complex neurophysiological data.

You are capable of working independently, taking ownership of projects from design through analysis and dissemination, while also functioning effectively within a multidisciplinary team. Strong organizational and communication skills enable you to manage research activities and collaborate across disciplines. Persistence, resilience, and a critical scientific mindset characterize your approach to research and problem-solving.

Essential qualifications

• A completed Master’s degree in (cognitive) neuroscience or a closely related discipline.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills, or a clear and demonstrable motivation to further develop advanced methodological expertise.
• Hands-on experience with EEG acquisition and/or analysis, including brain network or connectivity analysis.
• Programming and data analysis experience (e.g., Python, MATLAB, R) in a research context.
• Excellent command of spoken and written English.

Desirable qualifications

• Prior experience with MRI or multimodal neuroimaging data analysis.
• Proficiency in Python-based scientific computing (e.g., NumPy, SciPy, MNE, pandas, scikit-learn).
• Familiarity with multivariate statistical methods, network analysis, computational modeling, or machine learning approaches applied to neurophysiological data.
• Interest in respiratory physiology, intensive care medicine, and mechanical ventilation.

Well arranged
With us, you receive 8% holiday allowance, an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and – depending on your role – an irregular hours allowance ranging from 47% to 72%. In addition, you are entitled to 176 vacation hours per year (based on a 36-hour work week).

Compensation
You will receive a €0.18 per kilometer travel allowance. Public transport costs (2nd class) are fully reimbursed. If you work partly or entirely from home, you will receive €2.40 per home-working day. This way, everything is well arranged—wherever you work.

Flexible benefits scheme
With our flexible benefits scheme, you decide how to use part of your employment benefits. Purchase extra leave days or use your year-end bonus to buy a bicycle with tax benefits. You choose what suits you best.

Warm welcome
We believe a good start is important. Thanks to our onboarding app, you’ll be well prepared even before your first working day. During the introduction day, you’ll get to know your colleagues and our organization.

Changing allowance
If you are required to wear Radboudumc work clothing and change outside working hours, you will receive a changing allowance of €80 gross per month for a full-time position, provided this applies to your role.

Salary increase
At our organization, your work is valued. Your salary will increase in line with the collective labor agreement in two steps: by 3.5% as of July 1, 2026, and an additional 3.5% as of May 1, 2027. This means you’ll see a solid increase in your salary within a short period of time.

Work–life balance
We consider a healthy work–life balance essential. Through inspiring training sessions, mindfulness activities, and caregiver consultation hours, we support you in every phase of your life.

Growth and development
Our online learning environment offers a wide range of training courses, e-learnings, and educational programs—from professional specialization to personal development. This allows you to keep growing and make the most of your talents.

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.

Place of work
You will be embedded in the 'Respiratory Failure and Mechanical Ventilation' research group at the Department of Intensive Care, Radboud university medical center (Radboudumc) in Nijmegen, a leading center for patient care, biomedical research, and education. The 'Respiratory Failure and Mechanical Ventilation' research group is at the forefront of acute respiratory failure and mechanical ventilation research, spanning fundamental to large-scale clinical studies. The research group not only provides expertise but also offers mentorship, global collaboration opportunities, and technical guidance - making it an ideal environment for conducting world-class research in intensive care.

You will work in an environment where basic scientists and clinicians closely interact, enabling real translational impact. The team consists of motivated PhD candidates, postdocs, technicians, and clinician-scientists who support each other’s development and success.

Intensive Care
Bij de Intensive Care werk je in het hart van de acute, hoogcomplexe zorg. Je behandelt ernstig zieke volwassenen en kinderen bij wie vitale functies bedreigd of uitgevallen zijn. Je biedt intensieve bewaking en ondersteuning op de IC’s, Medium Care en High Care. In multidisciplinaire teams combineer je high‑tech zorg met teamwork, voortdurende ontwikkeling en optimale aandacht voor de meest kwetsbare patiënten.

• This position requires a Certificate of Conduct (VOG).

Want to know more?
We’re happy to provide more information!

Jonne Doorduin
📱 +31650155757
📧 Send an email