Junior researcher at the Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology

The Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology of Tilburg University is looking for an enthusiastic and motivated junior researcher for the study 'In-depth epidemiological analyzes relating dairy consumption to cardiovascular diseases in multiple cohort studies'.
 
Description of the project
Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and contribute significantly to healthcare expenses. To further reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease on quality of life, life expectancy, and costs to healthcare systems, effective prevention remains a priority. Diet is an important modifiable risk factor in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, and small shifts in dietary patterns can have substantial effects on cardiovascular disease. Dairy products are widely consumed and are rich in nutrients. Scientific studies have previously found neutral and favorable links between dairy product intake and the development of cardiovascular disease. Not enough is known about the role of different dairy types (milk, yogurt and cheese) in the development of cardiovascular disease, and the role of substituting different foods for dairy. The aim of this research is to investigate this further through extensive literature research, data analysis of various cohort studies and writing several articles. This will ultimately contribute to meta-analyses on this topic and provide evidence for dietary guidelines for cardiovascular disease prevention.
 
Job description
This position involves the following tasks:

• Cultivating and managing professional relationships with fellow scientists within the project’s scope;
• Processing and conducting statistical analyses on large data files;
• Writing scientific articles for publication in international scientific peer-reviewed journals;
• Presenting scientific findings at national and international conferences;
• Administrative tasks.

• Good motivation to pursue a career in scientific research;
• Possession of a master's degree in one of the following fields: health sciences, medicine, nutritional sciences, research master's degree in psychology, epidemiology, statistics or a related field;
• Proficiency in both written and spoken English;
• Previous experience in writing scientific articles in English is advantageous;
• Familiarity with advanced regression analyzes in SPSS and R, or a willingness to learn R;
• Good at organizing, with the ability to work conscientiously and independently;
• Self-assurance and persistence are considered assets;
• Interest in educational tasks such as supervising students on a thesis.

This is a position for 1.0 FTE (40 hours per week) full-time, for a period of 24 months. If there are sufficient financial resources, the project can be extended by 24 months. If the junior researcher wishes, the research can subsequently lead to a promotion.
 
Tilburg University offers excellent employment conditions with attention to flexibility and (personal) development and has excellent secondary employment conditions.
 
The salary varies depending on experience between € 3,226 and € 5,090 gross per month for full-time employment, based on UFO profile teacher 4 and salary scale 10 of the collective labor agreement for Dutch Universities. Tilburg University uses a neutral remuneration system for classification that is based on work experience.
 
You are entitled to a holiday allowance of 8% and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3% of your gross annual income. If you work 40 hours a week, you receive 41 days of vacation per year.
 
All university employees are covered by the ABP pension fund.
 
We make clear agreements about career paths and offer all kinds of facilities and arrangements to maintain an optimal balance between work and private life. You can also follow numerous training courses, for example in the areas of leadership skills, personal effectiveness and career development.

Tilburg University values an open and inclusive culture. We embrace diversity and encourage the mutual integration of groups of employees and students. We focus on creating equal opportunities for all our employees and students, so that everyone feels at home in our university community.

Tilburg University has a lively campus in a beautiful green environment that is easily accessible by public transport. We are committed to a sustainable society and challenge you to make an active contribution to this.

Visit working at Tilburg University for more information about our employment conditions.

Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (TSB) is a modern, specialized university. The teaching and research of the Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences are organized around the themes of Adaptive societies, organizations, and workers, Healthy life span, Personalized prevention and care. The School's inspiring working environment challenges its workers to realize their ambitions; involvement and cooperation are essential to achieve this.
Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences

We invite you to apply online for this position before November 26 including CV, (optional: bachelor's and master's degree grade lists, publication list) and motivation letter.

The first conversations will take place (digitally) at the end of November. The selection committee consists of:

1. Dr. Sabita Soedamah-Muthu, associate professor
2. Isabel Slurink, researcher
3. Myrthe Boekhorst PhD, assistant professor

Ideally, you will start working for Tilburg University on February 1, 2024.