[visionlist] PhD-position dual eye-tracking Utrecht University, NL

[Hessels, R.S. (Roy)]

PhD candidate in Developmental and Experimental Psychology 'Fine-grained face-scanning patterns during parent-child interaction – a dual eye tracking approach' (1.0 FTE) at Utrecht University, the Netherlands.
		
We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to investigate the role of gaze behaviour to faces during parent-child interaction. Using state-of-the-art dual eye-tracking technology, the PhD candidate will design experiments and collect and analyse eye-tracking data of infants interacting with their parent or a stranger. The focus of the project is to understand the idiosyncrasy of face-scanning patterns, how they may be determined by individual traits, and how these patterns are affected by the familiarity of the interacting partner.

As part of the project, the PhD candidate will participate in interdisciplinary collaboration with researchers from the YOUth study and contribute to data collection for the YOUth cohorts.

The selected candidate will be supervised by Dr. Roy Hessels and Prof. Dr. Chantal Kemner at Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, the Netherlands. The position is part of SAPIENS, a pan-European Marie Sklodowksa-Curie Innovative Training Network project which aims to investigate the role of the child and the caregiver in social interaction and social brain development. The network will train Early Stage Researchers (PhD candidates) and produce new knowledge, methods and technology to answer critical issues in our efforts to understand typical and atypical social interaction. The starting date is April 2019.

Job tasks

    - Completion and defence of a PhD thesis within four years, containing at least four peer-reviewed articles.
    - Design dual eye-tracking experiments on parent-infant interaction and collect and analyse eye-tracking data.
    - Undertake a 3-6 month visit to Uppsala University, to collaborate with dr. Terje Falck-Ytter on dual eye-tracking work.
    - Assist in data collection in the YOUth cohort.
    - To present results at national and international scientific conferences.
    - To participate in SAPIENS training programmes (10%) and meetings.

Qualifications

We are looking for someone who:

    - holds (or nearly holds) a Master’s degree in Psychology or a related field, preferably with a specialisation in Experimental or Developmental Psychology;
    - preferably has affinity with eye-tracking methodology, programming, and the ability to work with time-series data (e.g. eye-tracking, EEG, skin-conductance, etc.), or has the ambition to learn these techniques;
    - has good social skills (e.g. for testing infants or children);
    - has excellent written English communication skills, and is willing to become fluent in Dutch;
    - is effective and efficient, and able to think conceptually;
    - is able to meet deadlines, and conduct research independently and as part of a team;
    - did not live longer than 12 months in the past three years in the Netherlands (this position is part of SAPIENS, which is a pan-European Marie Sklodowksa-Curie Innovative Training Network for which this requirement holds).

More information and application details at: https://ssl1.peoplexs.com/Peoplexs22/CandidatesPortalNoLogin/Vacancy.cfm?PortalID=4124&VacatureID=1010788

The application deadline is
10/01/2019