Research Associate / Doctoral Candidate (f/m/d) at Psychosomatic Medicine

Research Associate / Doctoral Candidate (m/f/d)

at Psychosomatic Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience 

This position is available starting January 1, 2027, on a part-time basis (30 hours per week) for a fixed term of 3 years. Remuneration is based on the collective agreement for the public service of the federal states (TV-L) and, depending on personal qualifications, may be up to pay grade E13 TV-L.

The position is affiliated with the Research Group Applied Developmental Neuroscience (Head: Prof. Dr. med. Stefan Ehrlich, PhD) as well as the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (Head: Prof. Dr. med. habil. Vjera Holthoff-Detto). It is funded within the framework of the International Research Training Group (IRTG) 2773, in subproject P3, led by PD Dr. habil. Fabio Bernardoni, Dr. Delia Fuhrmann, and PD Dr. med. habil. Eva Mennigen.

The International Research Training Group “Risks and Pathomechanisms of Affective Disorders” (IRTG 2773) is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). It is a structured international graduate program conducted in cooperation between the Technical University (TU) Dresden and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London.

The successful candidate will receive comprehensive supervision by an experienced scientific team, including participation in a structured curriculum. This curriculum covers topics from developmental neuroscience, child and adolescent as well as adult psychiatry, clinical and cognitive psychology, and in particular computational science. The program is complemented by training in key transferable skills, such as data management and the presentation of scientific results. A six-month research stay at King’s College London under the supervision of Dr. Delia Fuhrmann is planned as part of the curriculum.

Subproject P3 focuses on identifying multimodal markers of psychopathology and analysing their topological and network-based longitudinal structure. Using repeated clinical, neuroimaging, genetic, immunological, and behavioural data, we will model latent dimensions of risk and resilience and examine their developmental trajectories in relation to the clinical manifestation of affective disorders. The project will employ advanced machine learning and multivariate data analysis methods, including canonical correlation analysis (CCA), topological data analysis, longitudinal network analysis, and other data-driven approaches. The long-term goal is to advance targeted prevention strategies and personalized interventions.

The successful candidate will work in an interdisciplinary team of researchers and clinicians. Responsibilities also include supervising and mentoring research interns, student assistants, and medical students within the project. The results generated in the project are expected to be presented at international conferences and published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Your profile:

• an excellent Master’s or Diploma degree in cognitive, computational, and/or affective neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry, or a related field; applicants from quantitatively oriented disciplines such as computer science, physics, statistics, data science, biometrics, or machine learning are explicitly encouraged to apply
• prior scientific experience, e.g., in statistical methods; ideally, initial efforts toward scientific publications as first or co-author
• basic programming skills (e.g., Linux/Unix shell scripting, Python, or MATLAB) and/or experience in the analysis of imaging data (FSL, SPM, FreeSurfer, or comparable tools) are advantageous but not mandatory
• strong interest in mental disorders
• excellent organizational skills
• good command of German (B1), both written and spoken
• very good command of English (C1), both written and spoken

We offer:

• work in a leading medical environment in research, teaching, and clinical care, combined with a highly specialized workplace
• the opportunity to implement your own ideas and work in an innovative, interdisciplinary team
• Compensation: Based on the TV-L collective bargaining agreement in pay grade E13, plus an annual bonus, provided you meet the personal requirements
• Vacation: 30 days of paid vacation
• Professional Development: Extensive internal and external training and development opportunities to continuously strengthen your skills
• Company Culture: We value transparency, team spirit, and shared success. Celebrate with us at company gatherings or sporting events like the Rewe Team Challenge
• Mobility: A subsidy for a job ticket to make your commute eco-friendly and convenient
• Health: We promote your well-being with modern fitness and exercise programs at our health center, mental health programs, and a comprehensive workplace health management program
• Shopping benefits: Take advantage of employee discounts at our clinic pharmacy, exclusive corporate benefits, and other shopping portals
• Work-life balance: Our Family Office supports you with questions regarding daycare spots, vacation programs, and caring for family members. We also offer flexible work arrangements

Please include the following documents with your application: Cover letter, CV including publication list, a copy of your degree certificate, and a transcript of records (i.e., the official list of completed courses including grades), as well as your secondary school leaving certificate (e.g., Abitur). If available, please also include letters of recommendation and proof of English and German language proficiency.

For further information, please contact PD Dr. habil. Fabio Bernardoni by phone at +49 351 458-15245 or via email at fabio.bernardoni@ukdd.de .

Your contact in the HR Directorate

Antonia Schulz

Tel: 0351-458 77306