The faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences at the University of Twente has recently launched an investment programme called Tech4people to strengthen its academic fields. We are looking for candidates for 7 pioneering multidisciplinary projects, on Twente-specific topics.
Job specification
Alcohol abuse is a major societal challenge. It is currently the fourth leading unhealthy lifestyle behavior contributing to morbidity and mortality and has devastating effects on individuals and their families. Current addiction treatment combines counseling and medication. Recently, online counseling interventions (such as Alcoholdebaas.nl) have become a regular treatment option. Despite the availability of these treatment options, many clients fall back into their addiction. To improve addiction treatment, the client would need to be supported at his/her most vulnerable moments at whatever time and place.
Your challenge as a PhD Student at the University of Twente is to research and develop, together with Tactus Addiction Treatment, a remote monitoring and coaching system. This system unobtrusively monitors, with wearable bio-sensors, the clients physiological responses in everyday life, jointly with an app to monitor self-reported psychological craving thoughts, and provides the client with automated feedback and support when their craving responses are increased.
As a researcher you will advance the field of addiction care and research with substantial new knowledge of psychophysiological processes underlying relapse. You will contribute to clients receiving more personalized and well-timed feedback and support, and counselors being better equipped to address their clients needs.
Your Profile
Given that this is a multi-disciplinary project we invite candidates with a master degree (preferably a 2-year research master) in a variety of disciplines (Biomedical Sciences, Human Factors and Engineering Psychology, Human Movement Science, Cognitive Neuroscience or similar). We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with strong self-management skills, a pro-active attitude, affinity with addiction treatment, and excellent communication and collaborative skills. You have demonstrable, excellent English writing skills (e.g., a published paper or submitted manuscript) and can speak Dutch fluently. You have strong affinity (and preferably experience) with physiological signal and statistical analysis (with Matlab, R or comparable languages). You have experience with user-centred design and system development, preferably in a health-care setting.
Information and Application
For more information you can contact dr. M.L. Noordzij , email: m.l.noordzij@utwente.nl or phone: +31534892589.
To apply for this position, please fill in the application form including your resume, list of publications (if applicable), relevant certificates and (contact details of) two references on www.utwente.nl/vacatures/ or www.utwente.nl/vacatures/en/ before March 1, 2015.
Our offer
We offer a very challenging position in an inspiring environment. This position is a PhD project. As a PhD candidate you will be appointed in a full-time position for a period of three years (38 hours a week), leading to a dissertation. The gross monthly salary for a PhD increases from € 2125,- in the first year to € 2593,- in the third year (in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities). The University of Twente offers additional attractive employment conditions.
The Organisation
The University of Twente. We stand for science and technology, high tech, human touch, education and research that matter. New technology which drives change, innovation and progress in society. The University of Twente is the only campus university in the Netherlands; divided over five faculties we provide more than fifty educational programs. The University of Twente has a strong focus on personal development and talented researchers are given scope for carrying out pioneering research. The Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences strives to hold a leading position in their fields in relation to the science and technology research programs of the University of Twente. In all these fields, the faculty provides bachelor, master and professional development programs.
Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social sciences
The Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social sciences (BMS) strives to play a pivotal role in understanding, co-engineering and evaluating innovation in society. Innovation is driven by advances in technology. Through ‘social engineering’ these technological advances are embedded in society befitting human needs and behaviour, within proper public and private management and business structures. For this the faculty of BMS upholds high quality disciplinary knowledge in psychology, business administration, public administration, communication science, philosophy, educational science and health sciences. All with a focus on the challenges in society. Research is strongly connected to our Institutes on Governance (IGS), ICT (CTIT), Health (MIRA) and Nanotechnology (MESA+).