Employment: 1.0 FTE

Gross monthly salary: €2,770 - €3,539

Required background: Research University Degree

Organizational unit: Faculty of Social Sciences

Application deadline: 11 August 2024

Are you passionate about becoming an expert in the unique research field focusing on alcohol-free beverages? Do you want to join an interdisciplinary team that includes members from academia, policy, and practice? Are you excited to conduct research using innovative methodologies? If so, we are looking for you!

We are launching an exciting project to explore the effects of online and offline marketing of alcohol-free beverages. Given the recent emergence of alcohol-free beverages, there is limited understanding of their impact and how their marketing influences alcohol consumption. While the marketing of alcoholic products is known to lead to earlier and increased consumption, resulting in (partial) restrictions, there are currently no such limitations for alcohol-free product marketing. The presentation of alcohol-free beverages often closely resembles that of alcoholic drinks, potentially influencing alcohol consumption patterns.

You will collaborate closely with the project team at Radboud University and the University of Amsterdam, taking a leading role in several objectives. You will examine the exposure of young people to offline alcohol-free beverage marketing and the effects on behavior, as well as mechanisms that explain these effects. As a PhD candidate, you will initiate, develop, and execute several studies, writing scientific papers that culminate in a PhD thesis at the end of your employment contract.

As part of the BSI Graduate School PhD programme, you will complete courses related to the basic professional skills of scientific researchers, such as presentation skills, scientific integrity, and data management. We also encourage you to attend and present your work at relevant workshops and conferences. Your PhD position includes a 10% teaching task, providing an opportunity to start building your teaching portfolio for University Teaching Qualification (UTQ).

Profile

• You hold a Master's or Research Master's degree in Communication Science, Behavioural Science, or Developmental Psychology.
• You have strong research, methodological, and statistical skills.
• You have experience with quantitative research (observational or experimental research methods).
• You are familiar with open science practices that increase transparency in social science (e.g., pre-registration, data-sharing, and OA publication) or are willing to adopt this approach.
• You have an affinity with young people (12–25 years old) as a research group.
• You possess good social skills and an interest in learning and thinking across disciplines.
• You are a team player who enjoys collaboration but can also work independently.
• You have excellent written and spoken English language skills required for scientific publishing.

We are

The Behavioural Science Institute (BSI) is an interdisciplinary research institute where fundamental, applied, and translational research takes place, often aimed at 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. 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 where our employees are well-supported in a work culture promoting collaboration and respect.

The Communication & Media research programme investigates the production, content, and reception of mediated communication. Our main objective is to study the psychological mechanisms underlying the uses of media, processes, and effects, while considering the socio-cultural mechanisms of the media landscape. Secondly, the group aims to apply these fundamental insights to developing and testing media interventions. In ‘positive communication research’, we investigate the potential of mediated communication for improving well-being. A key role is played by techniques and tools from Artificial Intelligence. Innovative methods such as machine learning and knowledge representation are used to develop intelligent media interventions that make people happy, healthy, and well-informed.

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 organized 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

• A temporary employment contract (1.0 FTE) for 1.5 years, with the possibility of extension by 2.5 years (4-year contract) following a positive performance evaluation.
• A starting salary of €2,770 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, increasing to €3,539 in the fourth year (salary scale P).
• An 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• Access to our Dual Career and Family Support Service, which assists your partner in finding employment in the Netherlands and helps you and your partner feel welcome and at home by providing customized 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.
• Extra days off, with full-time employment offering a choice 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 arrange the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements, and working from home. You can also compose part of your employment conditions yourself, such as exchanging income for extra leave days and receiving a reimbursement for your sports membership. Additionally, we offer a good pension plan and provide various training and development schemes to help you develop your talents and realize your ambitions.

Practical information and applying

You can apply only via the button below. Address your letter of application to Martine Groefsema. The application form will specify which documents you need to include with your application.

The first interviews will take place on Monday, 2 September. Any second interview will take place on Thursday, 12 September. You will preferably start your employment on 1 October.

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.