Utrecht University
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PhD in Health Effects of Pesticide Exposure and Child Cognition Utrecht University in Netherlands
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Epidemiology
Funding
Initially a one-year appointment with extension to four years upon positive assessment. Gross monthly salary starts at €3204 in year 1 and rises annually to €4051 in year 4 for full-time employment, plus 8% holiday pay, 8.3% year-end bonus, pension scheme, partially paid parental leave, and flexible terms under CAO NU.
Deadline
Oct 25, 2026
Country
Netherlands
University
Utrecht University

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About this position
Utrecht University is advertising a PhD position in health effects from exposure to pesticides at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Population Health Sciences, within the One Health Chemical (OHC) group and IRAS. The project investigates how environmental pesticide exposure may affect child cognition, brain function, learning, and school performance.
The research combines two data sources: biomonitoring data from children in the national OBO2 study and geospatial exposure estimates for the Dutch population. The PhD candidate will analyse pesticide exposure measurements, brain function test batteries, and school results to study possible health effects. The work involves epidemiology, quantitative methods, mixture modelling, longitudinal analysis, and programming in R.
Applicants should have a recently completed or nearly completed Master’s degree in epidemiology or a related discipline, strong methodological training, experience with quantitative research, good R skills, excellent English, good Dutch, and the ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary setting. The position is initially for one year and may be extended to four years after a positive assessment.
Funding includes a gross monthly salary starting at €3204 in year 1 and increasing to €4051 in year 4 for full-time employment, plus 8% holiday pay, 8.3% year-end bonus, pension, and partially paid parental leave under the Dutch university collective agreement.
The application deadline is 25 October 2026. To apply, prepare a motivation letter, CV, at least two references, MSc certificate or expected graduation letter, and transcripts, then submit via the Utrecht University vacancy page.
Funding details
Initially a one-year appointment with extension to four years upon positive assessment. Gross monthly salary starts at €3204 in year 1 and rises annually to €4051 in year 4 for full-time employment, plus 8% holiday pay, 8.3% year-end bonus, pension scheme, partially paid parental leave, and flexible terms under CAO NU.
What's required
A recently completed or nearly completed Master's degree in epidemiology or a related discipline; experience with quantitative methods; solid background in epidemiological study designs and methodological aspects; good knowledge of R; strong written and spoken English; good knowledge of Dutch; demonstrated critical thinking and ability to collaborate in an interdisciplinary research environment.
How to apply
Prepare a motivation letter, CV, names and contact details of at least two references, MSc certificate or a letter from your thesis supervisor about expected graduation, and transcripts for bachelor and master courses. Submit the application through the Utrecht University vacancy page before the deadline.
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