Postdoctoral Researcher in clinical psychology (in student flourishing and well-being)

Reference Number: 2025_11_03_LPPL_CONGARD_ECO-MSP_POSTDOC

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Nantes Université is a public higher education and research institution offering a model that is unique in France, bringing together a university, a university hospital (Nantes University Hospital), a research and technology institute (IRT Jules Verne), a national research organisation (Inserm) and several “grandes écoles” (Centrale Nantes, the Nantes School of Fine Arts, and the Nantes School of Architecture).

These partners combine their strengths to develop the excellence of research in Nantes and to offer new training opportunities across all fields of knowledge.

Sustainable and internationally minded, Nantes Université is committed to the quality of the study and working conditions offered to its students and staff, supporting their development across its Nantes, Saint-Nazaire and La Roche-sur-Yon campuses.

The postdoctoral researcher will be based at the Laboratoire de Psychologie des Pays de la Loire (LPPL) on the Nantes site. The laboratory is directed by Anne Congard, Professor of Differential Health Psychology at Nantes Université, and co-directed by Arnaud Roy, Professor of Child Neuropsychology at the University of Angers. It brings together academics and researchers from across the different specialisms of psychology, united by a shared focus on regulation processes (cognitive, behavioural, emotional and social).

The post is part of the Dyn'Amise project (DYNamic Student Flourishing and Enhancement of Student Support Interventions), which is dedicated to developing, evaluating and disseminating interventions that promote student flourishing. It is funded by the Pays de la Loire Region through the Trajectoire Europe scheme, and involves strong interdisciplinary, local collaboration bringing together the LPPL, the CREN (Nantes Centre for Research in Education) and teams from the Faculty of Sport Sciences (UFR STAPS), so as to draw together psychological, educational and holistic health approaches.

The Dyn'Amise research project is also firmly embedded within the international momentum driven by the EUniWell alliance – the European University for Well-being – in particular through the EMBRACE project on mental health (Enhancing Mental Balance and a Resilient Academic Community Ecosystem), which was awarded funding under the Erasmus+ Key Action 2 Cooperation Partnerships call in July 2025. This large-scale project, led by Nantes Université, is being carried out in collaboration with eight other alliance universities (Cologne, Konstanz, Murcia, Santiago de Compostela, Florence, Linnaeus, Kyiv and Semmelweis) and three associate partners. The Dyn'Amise programme sits squarely within the work strand devoted to improving mental health and well-being on campus (WP2 – Improving mental health and well-being on campuses).

The project comprises three work packages:

• WP1 – Scientific coordination with the EMBRACE project's activities.
• WP2 – Understanding the determinants of student flourishing: conducting a literature review on the factors that support student flourishing and well-being; identifying levers for protecting mental health; and developing a theoretical model of student flourishing, drawing in particular on the PERMA model and other approaches from positive psychology.
• WP3 – Developing an intervention to promote flourishing: designing an innovative intervention programme based on the findings of WP2; structuring its content, objectives and delivery format; and developing both in-person and online versions to suit different university contexts.
• WP4 – Evaluating, comparing and disseminating the intervention: testing the programme's scientific efficacy with students; comparing delivery formats (in-person, remote, hybrid) as well as other existing schemes (Stud'Opulse, Korsa); and disseminating results through publications, scientific presentations and outreach activities aimed at universities, professionals and the general public.

Duties

Under the scientific supervision of Prof. Anne Congard, the postdoctoral researcher will play an active part in implementing, coordinating and promoting the scientific output of the Dyn'Amise project, working in constant liaison with the European EMBRACE network. This flourishing-promotion programme will be built on tools, exercises and interventions that have already been scientifically validated. Its originality will lie in how these different elements are brought together and adapted to the rhythms of student life.

• Literature review:
  • Synthesise the literature on the temporal and evolving aspects of student well-being and flourishing
  • Contribute to the development of shared definitions of mental health and well-being.
  • Conduct a scientific literature review on interventions that promote student well-being and flourishing.
• Research delivery and data processing:
  • Design and develop an innovative psychological intervention to promote student flourishing.
  • Structure the intervention (objectives, content, format, facilitator's guide).
  • Implement research protocols to evaluate the intervention's effectiveness by comparison with other approaches.
  • Contribute to the collection, processing and analysis of the data gathered, and interpret the results.
  • Compare the intervention's effects with those of other existing student well-being programmes.
• Structuring and evaluating interventions:
  • Help structure the intervention in terms of objectives, format and facilitator's guides, and then scientifically validate its effectiveness.
• Research coordination and partnerships:
  • Ensure coherence and alignment across the project's different strands, working with local academic partners (LPPL, CREN, STAPS) and external partners (EUniWell partners, SCALab – University of Lille).
  • Contribute to the work of the European EMBRACE project and collaborate with partners across the consortium.
• International scientific dissemination:
  • Contribute to writing scientific articles for peer-reviewed international journals and help prepare oral presentations for conferences and other major scientific events.
• Public engagement and outreach:
  • Take an active part in regularly communicating the project's work at public events, and write outreach articles for a general audience.

Where to apply

E-mail: postdoc_projetdynamise_lppl@emploi.beetween.com

Requirements

• Research Field: Psychological sciences » Psychology
• Education Level: PhD or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Required scientific knowledge:

• A background in Psychology at doctoral level (specialising in health, differential or positive psychology would be an advantage). Knowledge of, or a strong interest in, issues relating to mental health and student flourishing.
• Good knowledge of psychological interventions (positive psychology, ACT, self-compassion, etc.).
• Command of quantitative approaches: questionnaires, statistical analysis and modelling applied to longitudinal protocols.
• Proficiency in relevant software (R, SPSS, NVivo, Iramuteq or equivalent).

Transversal and language skills:

• A strong command of written and spoken English is essential, to support exchanges within the international network and participation in progress meetings with EUniWell alliance partners.
• Excellent scientific writing and summarising skills.
• Good communication skills and the ability to promote research findings to a range of audiences (researchers, health professionals, the general public).

Personal qualities:

• Rigour, reliability, initiative and a strong sense of responsibility.
• Ability to work autonomously while also thriving in multidisciplinary team and network settings.
• Curiosity, open-mindedness and responsiveness to deadlines.
• Ability to help disseminate results to higher education institutions and regional stakeholders.

Project management skills:

• Planning and monitoring a research project.
• Ability to work within a collaborative European environment.

• Languages: ENGLISH — Level: Excellent
• Languages: FRENCH — Level: Good
• Research Field: Psychological sciences » Psychology
• Years of Research Experience: 1 - 4

Additional Information

Benefits

• An unprecedented model in France combining a university, a university hospital (CHU de Nantes), a technological research institute (IRT Jules Verne), a national research organization (Inserm) and the Grandes Écoles (Centrale Nantes, École des Beaux-arts Nantes Saint-Nazaire, Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Nantes)
• Commitment to professional equality, diversity and inclusion and addressing gender-based and sexual violence
• Membership in the EUniWell European Alliance committed to wellness
• Certified HR Excellence in Research since 2022 as part of the HRS4R strategy
• Transport subscription up to 75 % supported
• Sustainable mobility package, in line with the institution’s commitment to sustainable development
• Access to university restaurants with a preferential rate
• Access to sports, university libraries and other activities on campus

Eligibility criteria

PhD or equivalent

Selection process

• cover letter, Curriculum vitae, A scientific article as main author

Additional comments

• Strong doctoral training in clinical psychology or in developmental psychology, with a dissertation that substantially integrated empirical approaches.
• Proven experience in collecting quantitative data, including surveys, or standardized questionnaires.
• Demonstrated expertise in advanced statistical analyses and modelling, particularly in handling complex and longitudinal data related to mental health on flourishing and well-being.
• High-level scientific output, demonstrating the ability to disseminate research at the academic level.
• Excellent writing and communication skills, enabling effective contribution to scientific dissemination (articles, presentations at international conferences).
• Ability to work collaboratively within interdisciplinary networks, particularly in contexts involving researchers, healthcare professionals, and institutional or socio-economic partners.

Work Location(s)

• Number of offers available: 1
• Company/Institute: Nantes Université
• Country: France
• City: NANTES
• Postal Code: 44000
• Street: 1 QUAI DE TOURVILLE, BP 13522, 44035 NANTES CEDEX 01

Contact

• State/Province: FRANCE
• City: NANTES
• Website: https://www.univ-nantes.fr/
• Street: 1 QUAI DE TOURVILLE, BP 13522, 44035 NANTES CEDEX 01
• E-Mail: postdoc_projetdynamise_lppl@emploi.beetween.com