Employment
0.8 FTE
Gross monthly salary
€ 2,693 - € 3,636
Required background
Research University Degree
Organizational unit
Faculty of Social Sciences
Application deadline
01 September 2024
Apply now

Do you have a passion for research on parenting and perinatal health? Are you curious how hormones regulate parental care? If so, come and join our team as a research assistant.

Not all mothers instantly connect with their newborn infant. Mothers who suffer from postpartum depression are less attuned to the needs of their infant and their interactions with the infant can be poorly paced to the child's behaviour. Although research indicates that parental care is regulated by hormones, we know little about hormonal mechanisms underlying the disordered mother-infant relationship in postpartum depression. In this NWO-funded project, we will examine whether the hormone oxytocin plays a role in disturbances in synchrony between depressed mothers and their infants. As a research assistant, you will help us unravel this question.

You will help with coding video recordings of mother-infant interactions. You will be trained to code mother-infant synchrony with the Coding Interactive Behaviour (CIB) rating system for analysing social interactions. You will also contribute to literature searches relevant to the project.

Profile
You have a Master's degree in Pedagogics, Psychology or a similar discipline.
You have a keen interest in the perinatal period and parenting.
You have a good knowledge of SPSS or R.
You possess excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
A good command of spoken Dutch is considered a plus because of the coding of interactions of Dutch-speaking families.
You have good social skills and are interested in learning and thinking across disciplines.
You are a team player and enjoy collaboration, but are also able to work independently.
We are

You will be embedded within the Developmental Psychopathology research programme of the Behavioural Science Institute (BSI).

The Department of Developmental Psychopathology conducts fundamental and applied research on the development of psychopathology and well-being from infancy to early adulthood, focusing on family studies and social interactions. Our ultimate goal is to understand how children, adolescents, and young adults develop over time and in relationships with others and which factors can explain inter- and intra-individual differences. Our ambition is to conduct rigorous research, publish in high-impact scientific journals, present our findings at international conferences, collaborate both nationally and internationally, and disseminate our knowledge to the general public.

The Behavioural Science Institute is an interdisciplinary research institute where fundamental, applied, and translational research takes place, often with the aim of understanding important societal issues and contributing to their solutions. BSI is one of the three research institutes in the Faculty of Social Sciences at Radboud University. Our researchers collaborate across the boundaries of psychology, communication science, and pedagogical and educational science. Our mission for the upcoming years is to join forces in interdisciplinary research on the theme ’Empowering the Young’. We study the challenges that young people face in our current society and contribute to their empowerment.

BSI performs high-quality research with scientific and societal impact. To foster this, the institute provides excellent research facilities and has strong collaborations with non-academic partners. Moreover, BSI is known for its successful graduate school and strong dedication to open science and team science. We stand for a warm, inclusive and cooperative research environment in which our staff are well-supported in a work culture that promotes collaboration and respect.

Radboud University

At Radboud University, we aim to make an impact through our work. We achieve this by conducting groundbreaking research, providing high-quality education, offering excellent support, and fostering collaborations within and outside the university. In doing so, we contribute indispensably to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. To accomplish this, we need even more colleagues who, based on their expertise, are willing to search for answers. We advocate for an inclusive community and welcome employees with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. Will you also contribute to making the world a little better? You have a part to play.

If you want to learn more about working at Radboud University, follow our Instagram account and read stories from our colleagues.

Faculty of Social Sciences
At the Faculty of Social Sciences, humanity and society are our focus; we study how people behave, think and feel. Within this context, we look at themes such as human behaviour and the human psyche, education and upbringing, communication, society and culture. The faculty provides education to 6,000 students and employs 700 staff. Education is organised into six programme clusters: Psychology; Artificial Intelligence; Pedagogical Sciences and Educational Sciences; Communication Science; Sociology; and Cultural Anthropology and Developmental Sociology. Our research is carried out within three research institutes: the Donders Centre for Cognition, the Behavioural Science Institute, and Radboud Social Cultural Research.

We offer
We will give you a temporary employment contract of 10 months till 1 september 2025.
Your salary within salary scale 7 depends on your previous education and number of years of (relevant) work experience. The amounts in the scale are based on a 38-hour working week.
You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus.
You will be able to use our Dual Career and Family Support Service. The Dual Career Programme assists your partner via support, tools, and resources to improve their chances of independently finding employment in the Netherlands. Our Family Support Service helps you and your partner feel welcome and at home by providing customised assistance in navigating local facilities, schools, and amenities. Also take a look at our support for international staff page to discover all our services for international employees.
You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20.
Additional employment conditions

Work and science require good employment practices. Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions reflect this. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself. For example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports membership. And, of course, we offer a good pension plan. We also give you plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.

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Practical information and applying

You can apply only via the button below. Address your letter of application to Madelon Hendricx-Riem. In the application form, you will find which documents you need to include with your application.

The first interviews will take place on Thursday 12 September. You will preferably start your employment on 1 November 2024.

We can imagine you're curious about our application procedure. It describes what you can expect during the application procedure and how we handle your personal data and internal and external candidates. If you wish to apply for a non-scientific position with a non-EU nationality, please take notice of the following information.

Apply now Application deadline 01 September 2024