PhD Candidate: Effect of Online and Offline Marketing of Alcohol-free Beverages on the Drinking Behaviour of Young People

Employment 1.0 FTE

Gross monthly salary € 2,770 - € 3,539

Required background Research University Degree

Organizational unit Faculty of Social Sciences

Application deadline 11 August 2024

Are you passionate about becoming an expert in the unique research field focusing on alcohol-free beverages? Do you want to join an interdisciplinary team that includes members from academia, policy and practice? Are you excited to conduct research using innovative methodologies? If so, we are looking for you! 

We are starting an exciting project to explore the effects of online and offline marketing of alcohol-free beverages. Given the relatively recent emergence of alcohol-free beverages, there is limited understanding of their impact and how their marketing influences alcohol consumption. While the marketing of alcoholic products is known to lead to earlier and increased consumption, resulting in (partial) restrictions, there are currently no such limitations for alcohol-free product marketing. The presentation of alcohol-free beverages often closely resembles that of alcoholic drinks, potentially influencing alcohol consumption patterns.

You will collaborate closely with the project team at Radboud University and the University of Amsterdam, and take a leading role in several objectives. You will examine the exposure of young people to offline alcohol-free beverage marketing and the effects on behaviour, as well as mechanisms that explain these effects. As a PhD candidate, you will initiate, develop and execute several studies. You will write scientific papers, resulting in the completion of a PhD thesis at the end of your employment contract.

As part of the BSI Graduate School PhD programme, you will complete several courses related to the basic professional skills of scientific researchers such as presentation skills, scientific integrity and data management. We also encourage you to attend and present your work at relevant workshops and conferences. As part of your PhD position, you will have a teaching task of 10% and the opportunity to make a start with/work on your teaching portfolio for University Teaching Qualification (UTQ).

Profile

• You hold a Master's or Research Master's degree in Communication Science, Behavioural Science, or Developmental Psychology.
• You have good research, methodological and statistical skills.
• You have experience with quantitative research (observational or experimental research methods).
• You are familiar with open science practices that increase transparency in social science (e.g. pre-registration, data-sharing, and OA publication) or are willing to adopt this approach.
• You have affinity with young people (12–25 years old) as a research group.
• You have good social skills and an interest in learning and thinking across disciplines.
• You are a team player and enjoy collaboration, but also are able to work independently.
• You have good written and spoken English language skills as required for scientific publishing.

We are

The Behavioural Science Institute (BSI) is an interdisciplinary research institute where fundamental, applied and translational research takes place, often with the aim of understanding important societal issues and contributing to their solutions. BSI is one of the three research institutes in the Faculty of Social Sciences at Radboud University. Our researchers collaborate across the boundaries of psychology, communication science, and pedagogical and educational science. Our mission for the upcoming years is to join forces in interdisciplinary research on the theme ’Empowering the Young’. We study the challenges that young people face in our current society and contribute to their empowerment.

BSI performs high-quality research with scientific and societal impact. The institute therefore provides excellent research facilities and has strong collaborations with non-academic partners. Moreover, BSI is known for its successful graduate school and strong dedication to open science and team science. We stand for a warm, inclusive and cooperative research environment in which our employees are well-supported in a work culture promoting collaboration and respect.

The Communication & Media research programme investigates the production, content and reception of mediated communication. Our main objective is to study the psychological mechanisms underlying the uses of media, processes and effects, while taking into account the soco-cultural mechanisms of the media landscape. Secondly, the group aims to apply these fundamental insights to developing and testing media interventions. In ‘positive communication research’, we investigate the potential of mediated communication for improving well-being. A key role is played by techniques and tools from  Artificial Intelligence. Innovative methods such as machine learning and knowledge representation are used to develop intelligent media interventions that make people happy, healthy and well-informed.

The project is in collaboration with Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam.

Radboud University

At Radboud University, we aim to make an impact through our work. We achieve this by conducting groundbreaking research, providing high-quality education, offering excellent support, and fostering collaborations within and outside the university. In doing so, we contribute indispensably to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. To accomplish this, we need even more colleagues who, based on their expertise, are willing to search for answers. We advocate for an inclusive community and welcome employees with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. Will you also contribute to making the world a little better? You have a part to play.

If you want to learn more about working at Radboud University, follow our Instagram account and read stories from our colleagues.

Faculty of Social Sciences
At the Faculty of Social Sciences, humanity and society are our focus; we study how people behave, think and feel. Within this context, we look at themes such as human behaviour and the human psyche, education and upbringing, communication, society and culture. The faculty provides education to 6,000 students and employs 700 staff. Education is organised into six programme clusters: Psychology; Artificial Intelligence; Pedagogical Sciences and Educational Sciences; Communication Science; Sociology; and Cultural Anthropology and Developmental Sociology. Our research is carried out within three research institutes: the Donders Centre for Cognition, the Behavioural Science Institute, and Radboud Social Cultural Research.

We offer

• We will give you a temporary employment contract (1.0 FTE) of 1,5 years, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, your contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4-year contract).     
• You will receive a starting salary of €2,770 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €3,539 in the fourth year (salary scale P).
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus. 
• You will be able to use our Dual Career and Family Support Service. The Dual Career Programme assists your partner via support, tools, and resources to improve their chances of independently finding employment in the Netherlands. Our Family Support Service helps you and your partner feel welcome and at home by providing customised assistance in navigating local facilities, schools, and amenities. Also take a look at our support for international staff page to discover all our services for international employees.
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20. 

Additional employment conditions

Work and science require good employment practices. Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions reflect this. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself. For example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports membership. And, of course, we offer a good pension plan. We also give you plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.

Practical information and applying

You can apply only via the button below. Address your letter of application to Martine Groefsema. In the application form, you will find which documents you need to include with your application.

The first interviews will take place on Monday 2 September. Any second interview will take place on Thursday 12 September. You will preferably start your employment on 1 October.

We can imagine you're curious about our application procedure. It describes what you can expect during the application procedure and how we handle your personal data and internal and external candidates.