PhD Candidate: Testing a Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Distressed Romantic Couples (two positions) - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

1. Introduction

Are you passionate about doing research on romantic relationship wellbeing, and excited about studying the role of a mindfulness-based intervention in this domain? Are you creative and well-organised, a good project manager, and enthusiastic to conduct research using innovative methodologies? Then we are looking for you!

2. Job description

We are starting an NWO financed project to study the effects of a mindfulness-based intervention among distressed romantic couples. Many claims have been made about the potential of mindfulness to improve relationship wellbeing, but such claims have not been tested systematically. The current study will be the first large-scale study to do so, using rigorous methods and being well-grounded in scientific theories of mindfulness and relationships. In addition to self-report measures, the project will make use of behavioural observation, implicit relationship evaluation measures, and physiological measurements. A thrilling aspect of the project is that the study will be designed in collaboration with a prominent mindfulness skeptic as an ‘adversarial collaborator’.

You will collaborate closely with the project team at Radboud University and the Radboud university medical center (Radboudumc), and you will take a leading role in the realisation of several objectives. You will develop the intervention in co-creation with the participating couples and mindfulness and relationship experts. In close collaboration with the other PhD candidate on this project, you will set up a randomised controlled trial that will test the mindfulness-based intervention against an active control group on various relationship outcomes, while exploring various mechanisms. The project should result in general guidelines for mindfulness-based couple interventions. You will write scientific papers, resulting in the completion of a PhD thesis at the end of your employment contract.

As part of the BSI Graduate School PhD programme, you will complete several courses related to the basic professional skills of scientific researchers such as scientific integrity and data management. We will also encourage you to attend and present your work at relevant workshops and conferences. You will be given opportunities to develop your teaching skills and/or to make a start with or work on your teaching portfolio for the University Teaching Qualification (UTQ).

3. Profile

• You should hold a Master's or Research Master's degree in Psychology, Behavioural Science or a related discipline.
• You have good research, methodological and statistical skills.
• You have affinity with the science of romantic relationships and affinity with mindfulness research.
• You have experience with quantitative research (observational or experimental research methods; experience with physiological methods is a plus but not a requirement).
• 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 good organisational skills.
• You have the social skills and interests required to learn and think across disciplines.
• You are a team player and enjoy collaboration but also are able to work independently.
• You have good written and spoken English language skills required for scientific publishing. As contact with participants is part of your project, being able to speak Dutch is a requirement (or being able to learn Dutch quickly). 

4. We are

Behavioural Science Institute
The Behavioural Science Institute (BSI) 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 coming 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 in which our staff are well-supported in a work culture that promotes collaboration and respect.

Behaviour Change and Wellbeing
You will become a member of the Behaviour Change and Wellbeing research programme of BSI. This programme examines basic regulation processes that underlie behaviour change and wellbeing. To understand individual and social behaviour, we study a variety of psychological processes, including self-control, implicit and explicit evaluations, goal pursuit, agency, mindful attention, psychological defence mechanisms, and the role of sensory input. Our research is generally grounded in social-cognitive psychological theory. Our group is characterised by an open, collaborative, informal and enthusiastic atmosphere, with weekly research meetings of lab groups and colloquia for mutual inspiration and exchange of research ideas. 

The project is in collaboration with the Radboudumc Center of Expertise for Mindfulness, which is part of the Department of Psychiatry. The centre provides mindfulness and compassion courses to both clinical and non-clinical populations, conducts scientific research into the effectiveness (including cost-effectiveness), working mechanisms and implementation of mindfulness-based interventions. It also offers a postgraduate mindfulness teacher training programme. Its research is part of the Stress and Mental Health programme of the Radboudumc Research Institute.

5. We offer

• We will give you a temporary employment contract (0.8 FTE) of 1,5 years, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, your contract will be extended by 3.5 years (5-year contract).     
• You will receive a starting salary of €2,872 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €3,670 from the fourth year onwards (salary scale P).
• 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. 

6. Practical information and applying

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

The first interviews will take place at the end of October. Any second interview will take place in the beginning of November. You will preferably start your employment on 1 January 2025.

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.