Astrid Janssens
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PhD-student Communicatie over Dementiepreventie en Diagnostiek Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht in Netherlands
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Psychology
Funding
Salary indication €3,217–€4,077 gross per month for a 32–36 hour full-time-equivalent appointment, under the UMC collective labour agreement, with end-of-year bonus, vacation allowance, travel reimbursement, and training opportunities.
Deadline
Nov 9, 2026
Country
Netherlands
University
Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht
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About this position
This PhD project is centred on improving communication about dementia prevention and dementia diagnosis. Working across two major consortia, the doctoral researcher will explore the needs of patients, citizens, relatives and healthcare professionals, and then co-develop practical communication tools and training for use in clinical and care settings.
The project spans two complementary research lines. In the prevention project, BIRD-NL, the PhD candidate will study which messages encourage behaviour change, how society views different approaches to reducing dementia risk, and how conversations about dementia risk and prevention can be supported in general practice. In the diagnostic project, TAP-Dementia, the researcher will examine how person-centred communication about a dementia diagnosis and its underlying causes can be strengthened in memory clinics through an educational intervention for healthcare professionals.
The work is embedded in a broad national collaboration involving UMC Utrecht, Alzheimercentrum Amsterdam, the Department of Medical Psychology at Amsterdam UMC, Maastricht University, Erasmus MC, Alzheimer Nederland, Vilans, and additional partners. The project is based at the Bioethics and Health Humanities section of the Julius Center at UMC Utrecht, within a research line focused on patient and public participation.
The role combines qualitative and quantitative research methods, including focus groups, interviews, questionnaires and online experiments. The PhD student will help design and set up individual studies, recruit participants, collect and analyse data, and present findings in scientific publications, public-facing outputs and national and international conferences. There is also explicit room for initiative and independent input, as well as attention to science communication and implementation from the start.
Supervision is provided by Prof. Astrid Janssens and Dr. Leonie Visser at UMC Utrecht, with Prof. Ellen Smets from Amsterdam UMC also part of the supervisory team. The broader environment includes colleagues working on bioethics, patient and public involvement, narrative medicine, medical communication and health humanities.
Funding details
Salary indication €3,217–€4,077 gross per month for a 32–36 hour full-time-equivalent appointment, under the UMC collective labour agreement, with end-of-year bonus, vacation allowance, travel reimbursement, and training opportunities.
What's required
Applicants should have a (Research) Master’s degree in a behavioural science discipline such as (Medical) Psychology, Health Sciences, Communication Sciences, or another relevant field such as Medical Humanities. Candidates should be able to work independently and in a team, have excellent social, communication and organisational skills, communicate and collaborate well with researchers, consortium members, healthcare professionals, patients, relatives and study participants, and have a good command of Dutch and English, both spoken and written. Affinity with dementia and/or cognitive decline is a plus.
How to apply
Apply via the AcademicTransfer application link. For questions about the position, contact Leonie Visser by phone or email before the deadline.
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Professors
Prof. at Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht
Netherlands
Research Interests
Health Communication
Medical Humanities
Implementation Science
Salud Pública
Patient Communication
Prof. at Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht
Netherlands
Research Interests
Health Communication
Patient Communication
Psychology
Patient Psychology
Implementation Science
Make your next move.
Prepare your application
Review drafts and confirm requirements with the university.