The Division of Mental Health, Maastricht University, is looking for a motivated PhD student with a background in Neuroscience, Biostatistics, Psychiatry, or a related field to investigate the relation between rare genetic variants (copy number variations, CNVs) and mental health. Specifically, this project aims to find genetic and environmental risk or resilience factors that influence the relation between CNVs, neuroimaging measures, and psychiatric disorders. For this,  the student will work on the largest neuroimaging datasets in the world, supported by an international group of collaborators.

The successful candidate has a Master’s degree in Neuroscience, Biostatistics, Medicine or a related field and a strong interest in the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders. We are looking for an innovative, enthusiastic and creative personality with excellent writing skills, who is willing and able to work independently as well in an interdisciplinary research team. Experience with statistics and programming and knowledge of genetics and/or neuroimaging are highly desirable. The candidate should have a very good command of English (both written and oral).

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

Temporary employment for 4 years. The first year will be a probation period, after a positive assessment the position will be extended for another 3 years, which happens in the vast majority of cases.
Your salary would be € 2.395,- gross per month in the first year up to € 3.061,- gross per month in the fourth year according to the PhD-candidate salary scale. Each year an evaluation will take place.

The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO). Furthermore, local UM provisions also apply. For more information look at the website http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > Support > UM employees.

Maastricht University

Maastricht University is renowned for its unique, innovative, problem-based learning system, which is characterized by a small-scale and student-oriented approach. Research at UM is characterized by a multidisciplinary and thematic approach, and is concentrated in research institutes and schools. Maastricht University has around 20,000 students and 4,700 employees. Reflecting the university's strong international profile, a fair amount of both students and staff are from abroad. The university hosts 6 faculties: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of Law, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience.

The School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS) is one of the Research Institutes of FHML, with more than 270 PhD students and around 100 faculty members (https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/mhens/mhens/mhens).

We offer an extensive training and mentoring programme for PhD students, including the programme of the EURON graduate school (https://euronschool.eu/).