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Postdoc: mental health in parents and the impact of COVID-19 measures

  • MF Gebouw
  • Amsterdam
  • 0,8 / 0,8
  • Faculteit der Bètawetenschappen
  • Onderzoeker / Postdoc
  • WO / MSc
  • Sluit op
    01-05-2025
  • Publicatiedatum
    02-04-2025
Solliciteer direct
Are you passionate about understanding and addressing mental health inequalities? Do you want to contribute to research that informs interventions for future pandemics and crisis situations? Then join us at Health Sciences at the Vrije Universiteit!

Jouw functie

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on parents. School and childcare closures, balancing work and homeschooling, and reduced social support led to mental health struggles for many. While many parents showed resilience, others may experience long-term mental health problems, affecting both their wellbeing and their children’s development. The project ‘Pandemic Impact and Caregivers Outcomes (PICO): mental health and equity in families’ investigates how the pandemic affected mental health of parents with children at preschool age (0-4 years), school-age (4-12 years) and adolescence (12-18 years). This study has a repeated cross-sectional design, using Gezondheidsmonitor Volwassenen en Ouderen data from five waves between 2012 and 2024. The project aims to examine:

  1. Potential changes in parental mental health before, during, and after the pandemic;
  2. Socioeconomic, cultural and gender differences in parental mental health;
  3. How factors like social support, family characteristics and resilience explain these mental health differences.

As a postdoctoral researcher, you will play a key role in the PICO project. You will provide insights into mental health inequalities and identify risk and protective factors, helping to inform interventions in future pandemics or other crisis situations. By joining us, you will become part of a dynamic and enthusiastic team of researchers committed to making a real impact in the field of mental health. You will closely collaborate with researchers of the COVID-19 measures on Child Outcomes (COCO) project, a mixed-method study on the medium-term impact of the COVID-19 measures on health and development of preschool children and mental health of their parents.

Your duties
As the postdoctoral researcher, you will be the driving force behind this project, supervised by Maartje Basten, Maartje van Stralen and Elke Vlemincx, experts in epidemiology, mental health and cohort studies. Together with the research team, you will conduct data analyses to uncover key insights into mental health inequalities and report your findings through a final report and scientific articles. Your responsibilities will include:

  • Setting up and conducting statistical analyses using large datasets from five waves of Gezondheidsmonitor Volwassenen en Ouderen, within the secure microdata Remote Access Environment of Statistics Netherlands (CBS).
  • Presenting findings at national and international conferences and publishing them in one or more scientific articles.
  • Disseminating the findings to the general public and specific target groups by developing factsheets together with parents and participating in activities organized within the COCO-project.
  • Collaborating closely with researchers from the COCO project, as well as other mental health researchers in the department Health Sciences.
  • Supervising BSc and MSc internships on related topics.  
  • Budget is available for training and development to support your professional growth.

Jouw profiel

  • A PhD or nearly completed PhD in Health Sciences, Public Health, Epidemiology, Psychology, or a related field;
  • Affinity with mental health, health disparities and child development;
  • Expertise in epidemiology and statistics, including experience in linear and logistic regression analyses and effect modification/interaction;
  • Strong analytical skills, with a proactive and eager-to-learn attitude;
  • Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team;
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English; proficiency in Dutch is a plus.
  • Experience in data analysis within the secure microdata Remote Access Environment of Statistics Netherlands (CBS) is desirable

As a university, we strive for equal opportunities for all, recognising that diversity takes many forms. We believe that diversity in all its complexity is invaluable for the quality of our teaching, research and service. We are always looking for talent with diverse backgrounds and experiences. This also means that we are committed to creating an inclusive community so that we can use diversity as an asset.

We realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not meet all the requirements.

Wat bieden wij

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

  • a salary of minimum € 3.378,00 (Scale 10) and maximum € 5.331,00 (Scale 10) gross per month, on a full-time basis. This is based on UFO profile Researcher 4. The exact salary depends on your education and experience.
  • a position for 0.8 FTE, with an employment contract of 1 year.   

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and regulations. Some examples:

  • A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
  • 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
  • discount on (and occasionally exclusive access to) theater performances and courses at the Griffioen Cultural Center
  • a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge
  • space for personal development

Over ons

Faculty of Science
Researchers and students at VU Amsterdam’s Faculty of Science tackle fundamental and complex scientific problems to help pave the way for a sustainable and healthy future. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to malnutrition, and from molecules to the moon: we cover the full spectrum of the natural sciences. Our teaching and research have a strong experimentally technical, computational and interdisciplinary nature.

We work on new solutions guided by value-driven, interdisciplinary methodologies. We are committed to research, valorisation and training socially engaged citizens of the world who will make valuable contributions to a sustainable, healthy future.

Are you interested in joining the Faculty of Science? You will join undergraduate students, PhD candidates and researchers at the biggest sciences faculty in the Netherlands. You will combine a professional focus with a broad view of the world. We are proud of our collegial working climate, characterised by committed staff, a pragmatic attitude and engagement in the larger whole. The faculty is home to over 11,000 students enrolled in 40 study programs. It employs over 1,600 professionals spread across 10 academic departments.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely - a broader mind. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research. Learn more about our codes of conduct

We are located on one physical campus, in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility. Over 6,150 staff work at the VU and over 31,000 students attend academic education.

Diversity
Diversity is the driving force of VU Amsterdam. VU wants to be accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs, preferences and worldviews. We believe that trust, respect, interest and differences lead to new insights and innovation, to sharpness and clarity, to excellence and a broader understanding.

We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalisation contribute to the quality of education, research and our services.

Therefore, we are always searching for people whose backgrounds and experience contribute to the diversity of the VU community.

Interesse

Are you interested in this position and do you believe that your experience will contribute to the further development of our university? In that case, we encourage you to submit your application.

First interviews: May 14th
Second interviews: May 21st

Submitting a diploma is part of the application process.

Applications received by e-mail will not be considered.

Acquisition in response to this advertisement is not appreciated.

Jouw functie

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on parents. School and childcare closures, balancing work and homeschooling, and reduced social support led to mental health struggles for many. While many parents showed resilience, others may experience long-term mental health problems, affecting both their wellbeing and their children’s development. The project ‘Pandemic Impact and Caregivers Outcomes (PICO): mental health and equity in families’ investigates how the pandemic affected mental health of parents with children at preschool age (0-4 years), school-age (4-12 years) and adolescence (12-18 years). This study has a repeated cross-sectional design, using Gezondheidsmonitor Volwassenen en Ouderen data from five waves between 2012 and 2024. The project aims to examine:

  1. Potential changes in parental mental health before, during, and after the pandemic;
  2. Socioeconomic, cultural and gender differences in parental mental health;
  3. How factors like social support, family characteristics and resilience explain these mental health differences.

As a postdoctoral researcher, you will play a key role in the PICO project. You will provide insights into mental health inequalities and identify risk and protective factors, helping to inform interventions in future pandemics or other crisis situations. By joining us, you will become part of a dynamic and enthusiastic team of researchers committed to making a real impact in the field of mental health. You will closely collaborate with researchers of the COVID-19 measures on Child Outcomes (COCO) project, a mixed-method study on the medium-term impact of the COVID-19 measures on health and development of preschool children and mental health of their parents.

Your duties
As the postdoctoral researcher, you will be the driving force behind this project, supervised by Maartje Basten, Maartje van Stralen and Elke Vlemincx, experts in epidemiology, mental health and cohort studies. Together with the research team, you will conduct data analyses to uncover key insights into mental health inequalities and report your findings through a final report and scientific articles. Your responsibilities will include:

  • Setting up and conducting statistical analyses using large datasets from five waves of Gezondheidsmonitor Volwassenen en Ouderen, within the secure microdata Remote Access Environment of Statistics Netherlands (CBS).
  • Presenting findings at national and international conferences and publishing them in one or more scientific articles.
  • Disseminating the findings to the general public and specific target groups by developing factsheets together with parents and participating in activities organized within the COCO-project.
  • Collaborating closely with researchers from the COCO project, as well as other mental health researchers in the department Health Sciences.
  • Supervising BSc and MSc internships on related topics.  
  • Budget is available for training and development to support your professional growth.

Jouw profiel

  • A PhD or nearly completed PhD in Health Sciences, Public Health, Epidemiology, Psychology, or a related field;
  • Affinity with mental health, health disparities and child development;
  • Expertise in epidemiology and statistics, including experience in linear and logistic regression analyses and effect modification/interaction;
  • Strong analytical skills, with a proactive and eager-to-learn attitude;
  • Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team;
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English; proficiency in Dutch is a plus.
  • Experience in data analysis within the secure microdata Remote Access Environment of Statistics Netherlands (CBS) is desirable

As a university, we strive for equal opportunities for all, recognising that diversity takes many forms. We believe that diversity in all its complexity is invaluable for the quality of our teaching, research and service. We are always looking for talent with diverse backgrounds and experiences. This also means that we are committed to creating an inclusive community so that we can use diversity as an asset.

We realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not meet all the requirements.

Wat bieden wij

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

  • a salary of minimum € 3.378,00 (Scale 10) and maximum € 5.331,00 (Scale 10) gross per month, on a full-time basis. This is based on UFO profile Researcher 4. The exact salary depends on your education and experience.
  • a position for 0.8 FTE, with an employment contract of 1 year.   

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and regulations. Some examples:

  • A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
  • 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
  • discount on (and occasionally exclusive access to) theater performances and courses at the Griffioen Cultural Center
  • a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge
  • space for personal development

Over ons

Faculty of Science
Researchers and students at VU Amsterdam’s Faculty of Science tackle fundamental and complex scientific problems to help pave the way for a sustainable and healthy future. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to malnutrition, and from molecules to the moon: we cover the full spectrum of the natural sciences. Our teaching and research have a strong experimentally technical, computational and interdisciplinary nature.

We work on new solutions guided by value-driven, interdisciplinary methodologies. We are committed to research, valorisation and training socially engaged citizens of the world who will make valuable contributions to a sustainable, healthy future.

Are you interested in joining the Faculty of Science? You will join undergraduate students, PhD candidates and researchers at the biggest sciences faculty in the Netherlands. You will combine a professional focus with a broad view of the world. We are proud of our collegial working climate, characterised by committed staff, a pragmatic attitude and engagement in the larger whole. The faculty is home to over 11,000 students enrolled in 40 study programs. It employs over 1,600 professionals spread across 10 academic departments.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely - a broader mind. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research. Learn more about our codes of conduct

We are located on one physical campus, in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility. Over 6,150 staff work at the VU and over 31,000 students attend academic education.

Diversity
Diversity is the driving force of VU Amsterdam. VU wants to be accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs, preferences and worldviews. We believe that trust, respect, interest and differences lead to new insights and innovation, to sharpness and clarity, to excellence and a broader understanding.

We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalisation contribute to the quality of education, research and our services.

Therefore, we are always searching for people whose backgrounds and experience contribute to the diversity of the VU community.

Vragen over de vacature?

Neem contact op met

Maartje Basten

Universitair docent

Interesse

Are you interested in this position and do you believe that your experience will contribute to the further development of our university? In that case, we encourage you to submit your application.

First interviews: May 14th
Second interviews: May 21st

Submitting a diploma is part of the application process.

Applications received by e-mail will not be considered.

Acquisition in response to this advertisement is not appreciated.

Vragen over de vacature?

Neem contact op met

Maartje Basten

Universitair docent

Sollicitatieprocedure

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