PHD POSITION: STATIC AND DYNAMIC MULTI-OMICS PATHWAYS TO UNDERSTAND WELLBEING

Do you have experience with or interest in genetics, genomics, multi-omic methodology and/or wellbeing and would you like to work in a multidisciplinary team of professionals in an academic environment? Please apply at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Location: AMSTERDAM
FTE: 0.8 - 1

In light of major demographic trends, building and maintaining health and wellbeing amongst citizens is one of the most important societal challenges countries face. People who feel well, function better, are less susceptible to mental illness, and thus are better able to retain competitive advantage and expand human capital. People who feel well also facilitate social capital by enjoying stronger and more-lasting relationships. In this project, we, as a team, aim to define static and dynamic multi-omics pathways to understand the catalysing effects of wellbeing. We will combine longitudinal (multi-level) modelling and machine learning and will make use of data of the Netherlands Twin Register (

) and other sources, such as the UK Biobank.

This project is part of and NWO VICI project “The Power of Wellbeing: A multi-omics approach to build an integrative wellbeing framework”. For this project, a postdoc and another PhD student will be recruited, and you will work in a team of wellbeing researchers and international collaborators.

• A (research) master in biological psychology, positive psychology, genetics, psychometrics, artificial Intelligence, epidemiology or something along those lines
• Knowledge of statistical methods and statistical programming (R or Python)
• Experience with or interest in behaviour genetics and molecular genetic
• Experience with or interest in multi-omic methodology, including epigenome and/or exposome
• Experience in working with large datasets
• Interest in Wellbeing and Research
• Excellent English writing and speaking skills

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. The wellbeing team works in a team science fashion and supports open science. 

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), contribution to commuting expenses,
• optional model for designing a personalized benefits package

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 30,000 students. We employ over 5,500 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.

Are you interested in this position? Please apply via the application button and upload your curriculum vitae and cover letter until

Applications received by e-mail will not be processed.

Vacancy questions
If you have any questions regarding this vacancy, you may contact:

Name: prof.dr. Meike Bartels
Position: hoogleraar
E-mail: m.bartels@vu.nl

No agencies