PhD Position: ‘Chasing Gamblers’ – Development and Validation of an Early-Signalling Tool

1. Introduction

Join our innovative PhD project and make a real impact on mental health! The ZonMw-funded Chasing Gamblers research project combines advanced statistical modelling, qualitative and quantitative research, and co-creation to develop, evaluate and disseminate a novel assessment tool combining innovative behavioural and self-report modules. By integrating fundamental and clinical research, we contribute to identifying at-risk gamblers early, before gambling addiction develops and more substantial harm is experienced.

2. Job description

The Decision, Development and Psychopathology (D2P2) lab (PI: Bernd Figner) is looking for a PhD candidate to investigate the psychological processes underlying risky decision-making in gambling, with a focus on online gambling in youths. These insights will be used to develop, evaluate and disseminate a tool capturing early signs of problematic gambling, with a focus on chasing behaviour (i.e. the intensification of gambling after losses and/or wins). The ultimate goal is to use this tool for early-signalling and screening purposes so that individuals at risk for gambling problems can be identified early and further harmful development can be stopped.

As a PhD candidate, you will work in a highly interdisciplinary international (NL, BE, UK) team consisting of decision scientists, cognitive and clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, experts from highly specialised addiction care clinics in the Netherlands, and individuals with lived experience. The research you will conduct involves advanced statistical modelling and quantitative evaluation research, qualitative studies, as well as co-creation with at-risk individuals. As part of your PhD position, you will have a 10% teaching load and the opportunity to work towards the University Teaching Qualification.

You will join the Decision, Development and Psychopathology (D2P2) lab, which belongs to the Experimental Psychopathology and Treatment research programme of the Behavioural Science Institute (BSI), and you will be embedded in both BSI's PhD graduate school and the Nijmegen Institute for Scientist-Practitioners in Addiction (NISPA). Besides creating scientific papers based on your work, we also encourage you to present your work at relevant workshops and conferences.

Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to pursue a PhD at Radboud University? Visit the page about working as a PhD candidate. 

3. Profile

• You have a Master's or Research Master's degree in psychology (clinical/health, cognitive/experimental, or decision-making), cognitive science, pedagogy, or a related relevant field. Experience with clinical populations and/or assessment development is a plus.
• You have a strong basis in advanced statistics (e.g. mixed-effects models in R) and research methods. Experience with qualitative research and/or programming and/or computational modelling is a plus.
• You are committed to follow Open Science practices in your work. Experience with pre-registration and other Open Science practices is a plus.
• You are creative, open-minded, and eager to learn, and have a collaborative and interdisciplinary mindset.
• You have excellent communication skills in English (oral and written) and proficiency in the Dutch language (at least B2 level); the latter is essential as this project involves engaging with clinicians and patients living in the Netherlands.  

4. We are

You will be employed at the Behavioural Science Institute (BSI), participate in the Experimental Psychopathology and Treatment research programme, and work closely together with the Nijmegen Institute for Scientist-Practitioners in Addiction (NISPA). The Behavioural Science Institute is an interdisciplinary research institute where fundamental, applied and translational research takes place with the aim of understanding important societal issues and contributing to their solutions.

BSI is one of the three research institutes of 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 of ’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.

The Experimental Psychopathology and Treatment research programme is aimed at the acquisition of fundamental scientific and applied knowledge to better understand the cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms of psychopathology. We study clinically relevant processes such as biased information and affective processing, decision-making by patients and clinicians, approach-avoidance tendencies, cognitive control, emotion regulation, motivation, and executive functioning.  

5. We offer

• We will give you a temporary employment contract (1.0 FTE) of 1.5 years, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, your contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4-year contract).     
• You will receive a starting salary of €2,901 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €3,707 in the fourth year (salary scale P).
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus. 
• We offer Dual Career Coaching. The Dual Career Coaching assists your partner via support, tools, and resources to improve their chances of independently finding employment in the Netherlands. 
• 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 Bernd Figner. In the application form, you will find which documents you need to include with your application.

The interviews are expected to take place in the second half of June. You will preferably start your employment on 1 September 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. If you wish to apply for a non-scientific position with a non-EU nationality, please take notice of the following information.