PhD position in psychology (100%, 4 years) from April 2022

The Centre for Chronobiology (head: Prof. Dr. Christian Cajochen) is part of the University of Basel's Transfaculty Research Platform Molecular and Cognitive Neurosciences (MCN) at the Faculty of Psychology. At the Centre for Chronobiology, an interdisciplinary group of researchers studies human chronobiology and sleep using state-of-the-art methods. A special research focus is the effects of light.

Your position
The position will be within the Swiss National Science Foundation's (SNF) Ambizione project awarded to Dr. Christine Blume (project title: «Beneficial effects of daytime light exposure and physical activity on the human circadian clock and sleep [DayCiS])». In this project, we will study the effects of specific characteristics of daylight as well as physical activity (i.e., hiking) on human chronobiology and sleep. The project will combine laboratory and field assessments. A range of methods including light and hormone measurements, physical activity assessment, as well as polysomnography to evaluate sleep will be used.

Your profile

• Curious and highly motivated personality with a strong sense for key research skills: systematic, exact, and focused working as well as careful observation and interpretation of results
• Excellent master's degree (or equivalent) in psychology, biology, or a related field
• Strong interest in human sleep and chronobiology
• Very good data analysis and statistical skills and interest in further developing them
• Programming skills or strong interest in acquiring them (e.g., R, Python, Matlab)
• You like being outdoors and specifically hiking (during data collection you will go hiking with the participants for several hours)
• Excellent command of English and good command of German (at least B2 level in the common European framework of reference for languages)
• Strong academic writing skills
• Strong team player capabilities in an interdisciplinary and international research group setting

We offer you

• A timely and highly relevant research project
• Affiliation with the Graduate School of Psychology at the University of Basel
• A contract (100%; salary between CHF 47'040 and 50'040 (before tax), increase after years 1 and 2) that covers the full 4 years of the project
• Funding for conference attendance
• Being part of a stimulating and interdisciplinary international research team
• Opportunities for professional development at the University of Basel and in programmes of the SNF

Application / Contact
Salary and employment conditions will be according to the terms of the University of Basel and the SNF. Please note that the contract will initially be for a probation period of one year and will be then be renewed for an additional 3-year period.
Your application should include your CV, an overview of prior research experience including methods and skills you acquired, and copies of your Bachelor's and Master's degrees with grades. Additionally, please provide a motivation letter and an academic writing sample (e.g., chapter of your thesis). Please also name two references whom we can contact.
In accordance with the values of the University of Basel, candidates regardless their age, religion, gender, cultural heritage, sexual orientation, or disability will be considered.
For further information, please email Dr. Christine Blume ([email protected] ) or visit the web page of the Centre for Chronobiology (www.chronobiology.ch ). Please submit your application as a single PDF with your name to [email protected] .
Dr. Christine Blume
University of Basel
Centre for Chronobiology
Wilhelm-Klein-Strasse 27
CH-4002 Basel
Switzerland
www.unibas.ch