PhD position at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona funded by the TOUCH COFUND project

15 Mar 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB)

Research Field

Psychological sciences
Neurosciences

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Spain

Application Deadline

30 Jun 2024 - 23:59 (Europe/Madrid)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

H2020 / Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND

Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number

101126533

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

Topic: Psychopathic-traits and prosociality in a community sample of children: biological and emotional correlates.

A PhD position is available at the Neurobiology of stress and vulnerability to psychopathology Research Group -Institut Neurociències from the Universitat Autònoma Barcelona and Dynamics in Neural Networks Research Group from the Centre Recerca Matemàtica under the supervision of Silvia Fuentes , Roser Nadal (Psychobiology) and Alexandre Hyafil (Computational Neuroscience). We are looking for a highly motivated candidate that will investigate the biological/emotional correlates of potential psychopathic traits during school-age years.

Children displaying early-onset conduct problems face the risk of enduring long-term physical/mental/social challenges, particularly when these problems coincide with callous-unemotional traits (limited prosocial emotions). While callous-unemotional traits define the affective aspects of psychopathy in adults, other psychopathic traits manifest early in development.

The primary aim of this proposal is to characterize profiles and identify the psychological/biological correlates of the multidimensional psychopathy construct in children, including callous-unemotional traits, grandiosity, and impulsive need for stimulation. The study will be conducted in our ABCD community cohort. At age 8-9, a subsample selected based on sex and psychopathic traits (n=200) will undergo assessment for resting autonomic nervous system activity, cognitive/affective empathy, emotion recognition, attention to the eyes, changes in pupil responses to faces, and other factors related to oxytocin and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning.

Children at high risk, scoring high in all three dimensions, will be identified from a sex-dependent perspective. Advanced machine learning techniques will be employed to characterize the heterogeneity of the different profiles identified. This project carries significant preventive implications, offering personalized approaches for individuals within these profiles.

The TOUCH predoc will receive training in psychometrics, eye-tracking, respiratory sinus arrhythmia, biochemical and advanced data analyses. Additional opportunities may arise for extending training through participation in other group projects. The candidate's responsibilities will encompass conducting and analyzing data, drafting research papers, presenting results, mentoring undergraduates if needed, and active participation in group meetings.

The successful candidate will be enrolled in the Neurosciences doctoral program at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) in the framework of the TOUCH project. TOUCH (“Towards the next generatiOn of excellent yoUng doctoral researchers on mental health by developing an intersectoral & transdisciplinary approaCH”) is a new excellent doctoral programme co-funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) Actions of the European Commission and led by the UAB for the recruitment and training of 24 doctoral candidates in the field of mental health and wellbeing.

Dr Fuentes and Nadal belong to the Neurobiology of stress and vulnerability to Psychopathology Research Group and are part of the Human Lab UAB . The group has two co-PIs, Dr Nadal and Dr Molinuevo, involving multidisciplinary researchers at the Dept of Psychobiology/Methodology and the Dept of Psychiatry/Legal Medicine. The group includes 2 Full Prof, 2 Tenure Prof, 1 Assistant Prof and 4 grad students. In this proposal the team collaborates with the Dept of Cellular Biology, Physiology and Immunology. Our main strategic lines are the study of: 1) Conduct disorders and difficult temperamental traits in children/adolescents, 2) Biomarkers of vulnerability to developing these problems, including those related to stress response mechanisms, and 3) Adaptation/standardization of instruments for the diagnosis and psychological assessment of externalizing disorders.

Dr Hyafil belongs to the Dynamics in neuronal networks Research Group and the Computational Neuroscience Group at the CRM which includes 3 PIs, 4 postdocs and 5 grad students. The group focuses on unveiling the computational mechanisms that underlie perception, memory and decision-making. Centre de Recerca Matemàtica, that is a CERCA center (Generalitat de Catalunya) with the Maria de Maeztu distinction.

We are looking for candidates with an excellent CV, ahigh degree of ambition and motivation, and with good personal qualities to work in our Team. We offer a 3-year full-time contract (37,5 hours/week) and a gross salary of 2.375 €/month (the salary will be the same for the 3 years).

The candidates must fulfil the following eligibility criteria from the EC: Mobility rule: candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Spain for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately preceding the deadline for the programme call. Experience rule: researchers must be doctoral candidates at the date of recruitment, i.e. not already in possession of a doctoral degree at the deadline of the open calls. Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but have not yet formally awarded the doctoral degree will not be considered eligible. Candidates must hold a degree that allows admission to the official doctoral programme at UAB.

Additional requirements for a stronger application are:

Essential Criteria:

• MSc or equivalent in Experimental/Clinical Psychology, Neurosciences or related fields
• Since the research involves working with children/caregivers, the candidate must be proficient in Spanish from the outset of the program
• Proficiency in English (B2 level)
• Interest in learning computational methods
• Strong communication skills to effectively disseminate research results to diverse audiences
• Other skills: Ability to work in a team, critical thinking, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience in working with caregivers and children
• Training/experience in conducting and analyzing Experimental and/or Clinical Psychology studies
• Theoretical background in Psychobiology, Statistics and Computer Science
• Catalan oral understanding 

The team welcomes informal inquiries about the position or specific requirements ([email protected] ).

Interested applicants should apply through the TOUCH online platform by submitting a full CV, a motivation letter, two letters of recommendation and academic and English level certificates. The call will be open from the 1st of April to the 30th of June 2024. More information about the TOUCH project, the recruitment process, and the application platform are available on the TOUCH website .

 

Requirements

Research Field

Psychological sciences

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field

Neurosciences

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Languages

SPANISH

Level

Excellent

Additional Information
Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB)

Country

Spain

City

Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona)

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://webs.uab.cat/touch/

Contact

State/Province

Barcelona

City

Cerdanyola del Vallés

Website

http://www.uab.cat

Street

Campus UAB

Postal Code

08193

E-Mail

[email protected]

STATUS: EXPIRED