PhD position in the global research network LEVANTE 100%
PhD @University of Zurich posted 2 days agoJob Description
The Jacobs Foundation’s international research network LEarning VAriability NeTwork Exchange (LEVANTE) investigates variability in children’s learning and development. As part of this network, our research group contributes to improving knowledge about the complexity of developmental variability and its impact on learning outcomes. LEVANTE aims to enable a better understanding of predictors of variability in learning, uncover underlying developmental processes, and demonstrate how variability in learning affects interventions for children.
As part of the LEVANTE network, our research group investigates the development of language and literacy skills in early school-age children who grow up both monolingually and multilingually. The aim of the research is to understand the variability in children’s learning trajectories and to investigate how brain development, the language environment, and learning experiences influence literacy acquisition. To this end, we are developing and evaluating new instruments for measuring language and literacy skills in children from diverse language backgrounds in order to improve the early detection of children with learning disabilities. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will also be used to investigate the extent to which early structural features of the brain’s reading network can predict individual learning trajectories in literacy acquisition. The planned studies are part of a large-scale longitudinal study within the NCCR Evolving Language , which is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.
The project is being conducted under the direction of Dr. Iliana Karipidis and Prof. Silvia Brem at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Psychiatric University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich.
Tasks
- Assistance in adapting the LEVANTE survey instruments for German-speaking Switzerland
- Regular communication and exchange with international partners of the research network
- Independent planning, implementation and evaluation of annual psychometric measurements with children
- Assistance in conducting MRI measurements with children and evaluation of structural MRI data
- Family recruitment and study coordination, including scheduling
- Writing scientific publications and presenting results at specialist conferences
This is what we offer
- Close supervision by an interdisciplinary research team
- Integration into the global LEVANTE network through participation in Jacobs Foundation activities and regular network meetings
- Involvement in the NCCR Evolving Language through close cooperation with our project partners and participation in further training and regular national meetings
- Exciting teamwork in an interdisciplinary project with relevance for the development of new scientific findings
- An excellent scientific education as an optimal basis for pursuing a scientific career
- Employment conditions according to the guidelines of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
profile
- Master’s degree (or equivalent) in biomedicine, (human/neuro) biology, psychology, health sciences and technology, social sciences or a related subject
- Enjoying contact with young children and their parents
- Very good knowledge of statistics and methods, interest in further training in advanced statistical methods, experience in the analysis of longitudinal data is an advantage
- Experience in programming (e.g. Python)
- Fluent German skills (including understanding of Swiss dialects), applications without German skills cannot be considered
- good written and spoken English skills
- Enthusiasm for precise scientific work (MRI experience is an advantage) and scientific writing
- Very good communication and organizational skills and enthusiasm for working in a large, interdisciplinary team
Information about the application
Please send your application documents (CV, motivation letter, references) as a pdf file
