Postdoctoral researcher in developmental behaviour genetics - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Postdoctoral Researcher in developmental behaviour genetics: We welcome applications for a postdoctoral position in developmental behaviour genetics in the research group (www.divelab.se) headed by Dr. Terje Falck-Ytter, at the department of psychology, Uppsala University. The position starts in 2021 (flexible starting date). The position is a temporary full time position of two years, according to collective agreement.

Project/Duties: This position is tied to the BABYTWINS study, in which we assess brain (EEG) and behavior (including   eye movements) in 5 month old twins who are subsequently followed to the age of three years of age (n = 620 infants). In addition to the experimental measures, the longitudinal dataset includes measures of temperament, language development/communication, sleep, traits of autism/ADHD etc. A key aim is to understand etiological factors behind early brain and behavioral processes that predict later variability in domains such as language, social-communication and behavioral flexibility.  This aim will be realized through structural equation twin model-fitting analyses of these newly acquired longitudinal twin data.

BABYTWINS is led by Dr Falck-Ytter in collaboration with Professor Angelica Ronald (Birkbeck, University of London), and currently consists of two PhD students, one post doc and one project coordinator. The new postdoc will be supervised by Falck-Ytter and Ronald.

The successful candidate will be responsible for leading analyses for publication in peer reviewed journals, in collaboration with the project team. The candidate will also have the opportunity to gain experience in training PhD students and contributing to grant writing activities. As such, the position provides an excellent opportunity for transition to career independence.

The group/department offers excellent research facilities (e.g. infant lab), as well as outstanding early stage researcher supervision. Further, the post-doctoral fellow will benefit from a fund of 5 000 EUR per annum for books, conference attendance, training courses, and other eligible academic activities. Uppsala University and Sweden offer many opportunities for building an independent line of research. These include world renowned training courses and many grant opportunities tailored for junior researchers. The supervisory team will be fully supportive and keen to maximize opportunities for the postholder’s career development.

The student will also have the opportunity to conduct research visits to the Genes Environment Lifespan laboratory at the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development at Birkbeck, University of London. The Genes Environment Lifespan laboratory is led by Professor Ronald and thus the postholder can benefit from being part of this lab group known for its wide-ranging behavioural and statistical genetic research on developmental psychopathology.

Qualifications: To qualify for an employment as a postdoctoral researcher you must have a PhD degree or a foreign degree equivalent to a PhD. The PhD degree must have been obtained no more than three years prior to the application deadline. The three year period can be extended due to circumstances such as sick leave, parental leave, duties in labour unions, etc. For this position the applicants are required to have a PhD in behavioural genetics, psychology, statistics, or a related field with a strong publication record. The candidate should have a strong quantitative research background. In particular, it is an essential requirement for this position that candidates have previous experience with advanced statistical modeling approaches, such as structural equation twin modelling. Excellent oral and written English language skills are also required.

Experience with eye tracking or EEG is not a requirement, as these data will be preprocessed by other team members.

You must be able to work independently as well as work in a team and to be able to supervise more junior team members. We seek a reliable, ambitious and effective team member motivated to produce the best possible science.

Additional qualifications: The following are preferred but not required qualifications:

• Experience with research in developmental psychology
• Strong computational programming skills

Interviews will be held in January/February 2021.

Application process:

• The application must contain the following documents in English or Swedish:
• A personal letter of maximum 1 page outlining your eligibility and motivation for the position.
• A complete curriculum vitae, including date of the thesis defense, title of the thesis, previous academic positions, academic title, current position, academic distinctions, and committee work
• A complete list of publications

Salary: Individual salary.

Starting date: Spring 2021 or as otherwise agreed.

Type of employment: Temporary position for 2 years according to central collective agreement.

Scope of employment: 100 %

For further information about the position please contact: Professor Terje Falck-Ytter, terje.falck-ytter@psyk.uu.se.

Please submit your application by December 30, 2020, UFV-PA 2020/4595.

Are you considering moving to Sweden to work at Uppsala University? If so, you will find a lot of information about working and living in Sweden at www.uu.se/joinus. You are also welcome to contact International Faculty and Staff Services at ifss@uadm.uu.se.