"Postdoc Position in Modelling at Different Scales of Life"

Job Summary

This post-doctoral position focuses on understanding how the microbiome influences early childhood health, exploring the interplay of microbiome, culture, socioeconomics, behavior, and environment during the first 1000 days of life to reduce health disparities related to obesity and dental caries.

Responsibilities

• Develop and validate mathematical models to simulate the interplay between metabolites, lifestyle, sociocultural factors, and their effects on oral and metabolic health.
• Model behavioral, environmental, and sociocultural aspects of microbiome-host developments mechanistically to address intrapopulation variations.
• Use models to unravel perturbations affecting microbiome development and explore how these impact child health.
• Design macro interventions at oral and gut levels using developed models.
• Develop multiscale mechanistic and statistical models connecting microbial dynamics, individual dietary and lifestyle behavior, and collective environmental cues.
• Couple individual models into a unified simulation framework for personalized, risk-based, and community-based interventions.
• Dedicate 10% of time to academic teaching, including guiding master and bachelor students in thesis research and delivering guest lectures in Master Computational Science.
• Participate in departmental activities such as research seminars, board memberships, and grant applications.

Qualifications and Requirements

• PhD in computational modelling or a closely related discipline.
• Substantial research experience in biomedical or psychobiological, data-driven dietary modelling and related areas.
• Demonstrated commitment as a researcher through publications in international refereed academic journals.
• Flexibility and readiness to participate in interdisciplinary cooperation and multidisciplinary development, with a focus on collaboration with other disciplines.
• Willingness to take up substantial administrative tasks.

What the Employer Offers

• Temporary employment contract for 38 hours per week for 24 months, with a one-month probationary period.
• Preferred starting date between September 1, 2025, and January 30, 2026.
• Gross monthly salary ranging from €3,546 to €5,538 (scale 10), based on 38 hours per week and relevant experience.
• Additional benefits including 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end allowance.
• Possible eligibility for the '30% ruling' tax agreement for non-Dutch applicants.
• Employment under the Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands.