PhD Candidate in New Science of Mental Disorders

Welcome to Maastricht University!
Would you like to conduct research that advances our understanding of exposure therapy, a core component of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)? Are you interested in the network approach to mental disorders? Then this is your chance!

PhD Candidate in New Science of Mental Disorders: Research on the generalization effects of exposure interventions in symptom networks. 

Our goal: The aim of this project is to advance mechanistic understanding of exposure therapy, by investigating how symptom networks can inform exposure targets as well as studying the effects of exposure on symptom networks. 
Your colleagues: You will work together with an interdisciplinary team of researchers, clinicians, and data analysts from Dutch universities and healthcare institutions.

Project: Research on the generalization effects of exposure interventions in symptom networks
Within the research project New Science of Mental Disorders (NSMD), researchers from various Dutch universities collaborate on studying the network approach to mental disorders. For the project “Research on the generalization effects of exposure interventions in symptom networks”, we are looking for a motivated PhD candidate who will investigate the effects of network-informed exposure interventions on symptom networks in a subclinical sample with symptoms of both anxiety and eating disorders. 

What you will do
Together with supervisors from Maastricht University, the PhD candidate will be responsible for setting up and conducting this research project. The aim of the project is to investigate how symptom networks can inform exposure targets and – importantly – how exposure influences symptom networks. Specifically, this project aims to examine the generalization effects of exposure interventions to non-targeted symptoms, both within and across symptom domains. 
The candidate will be responsible for the organization and execution of the project, including:
•    Collecting and organizing data 
•    Collaborating with clinical therapists
•    Writing scientific articles
•    Conducting innovative analyses of the datasets in close collaboration with experts in network analyses
•    Contributing to teaching within the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience at Maastricht University

Are you ready to set the course for the years ahead? We look forward to meeting you.

What you bring
•    Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Psychology; Clinical Psychology is a plus
•    Academic interest in exposure interventions
•    Strong organizational skills
•    Ability to plan work efficiently
•    Ability to create and maintain structure, even in a dynamic work environment
•    Excellent social and communication skills
•    Interest in learning to understand certain statistical analysis methods
•    Excellent writing and presentation skills
•    A good command of the Dutch language is preferred. Candidates who do not yet speak Dutch are expected to learn the language.
•    Living in Maastricht or the surrounding area, or willing to relocate.

Background
This research is part of the ambitious research project New Science of Mental Disorders, funded by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Mental disorders are common: one in four adults experiences them at some point in life. Our consortium of researchers from several Dutch universities investigates whether the network approach to mental disorders leads to better diagnostics and treatment. This is done in very close collaboration with various (mental) healthcare institutions.

Institutional Embedding
Maastricht University leads the New Science of Mental Disorders project. Other participating universities include, for example University of Amsterdam, Leiden University. The PhD candidate will be appointed at the Department of Clinical Psychological Science (CPS) within the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN) at Maastricht University.

What we offer 
At Maastricht University, you’ll work in an international, open, and engaged environment. We offer:

• A 12-month contract (1,0 fte) with the prospect of a 3 year extension.
• A gross monthly salary between €3059,00 and €3881,00 (based on full-time employment of 38 hours per week). 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus.
• 29 vacation days (based on full-time), four additional days off (Carnival Monday and Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day), and the possibility to accrue up to 12 extra days through compensation hours.
• Flexible working hours, a home office allowance, and the option to work from home.
• Freedom and space to shape your work independently and develop your ideas.
• A close-knit community of colleagues to collaborate and grow with.
• A solid pension plan via ABP, company fitness schemes, and access to various university sports facilities.
• An inspiring work environment in the heart of Europe.

About the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN)
At FPN, we share a curiosity about the human brain and behaviour. Together with our students, we explore how our brains function and learn why we do what we do. We connect perspectives and contribute to living together in society.

Interested?
Want to know more about this position and the project  or what it’s like to work at our university? Reach out to Dr. Ghislaine.schyns@maastrichtuniversity.nl. The end date of the publication is 31 May 2026.

Applications will be closed as soon as a suitable candidate has been found, even if this is before the official application deadline. So please send in your application as soon as possible and do not wait until the end of the recruitment period. 

Apply now via the button below. We look forward to getting to know you!

About Maastricht University
At Maastricht University, we collaboratively seek solutions to help move the world forward. We do this with 23,300 students and 5,400 employees across 5 regional locations, 6 faculties, and more than 70 research institutes. We encourage you to push boundaries and discover new opportunities for yourself and the world around you. Together, we can find the answers for tomorrow.

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.

At Maastricht University, we prefer to contact potential candidates directly. We therefore kindly ask that no agencies or intermediaries submit offers or approaches.

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.