Two positions for Attachment: In vivo, in silico, in theory

Join Our Team: Researcher in Infant-Caregiver Attachment

In their first year of life, babies develop trust in their caregivers. This trust enables them to explore their environment and learn. To measure attachment development, research conducted in the everyday home environment is essential. In this project, you will employ novel techniques for automated, long-term measurement of attachment and caregiver-child interaction embedded in the home, using video, audio, position tracking, and physiology. You will construct a computational, agent-based model that illuminates attachment development and explains variations in attachment relationships.

This innovative project opens up the field for a transparent, testable, and consequential elaboration of attachment theory, for which John Bowlby laid the foundations in the 1950s. Join us as we invite caregivers to be co-researchers, developing this approach so that computer modeling of attachment relationships can become a welcome addition to traditional measurement.

As a computationally oriented behavioral scientist or a behaviorally oriented computer scientist, you will work with a team of researchers versed in attachment research, computational social science, early life social interaction, neuroscience, behavioral AI, and parenting support. Furthermore, with the team of the Generations2-cohort study, you will recruit a sample of infants and caregivers in and around Amsterdam to explore how these early and intimate human bonds develop. During workshops and work visits in London, Cambridge, Glasgow, and Amsterdam, you will learn to work with wearables and equipment placed in homes and the lab.

Your Profile

We are particularly looking for you if you:

• want to broaden your skills and expertise beyond your primary training in social and behavioral sciences or computer sciences and technology
• are comfortable with coding in R, Python, or Matlab
• enjoy working as a team
• demonstrate good academic writing skills
• are keen to combine reading, coding, and writing with engaging with families
• are proficient in academic English and can independently use Dutch with research participants (at least B1 level or well-underway towards that)
• are interested in the possibilities of human-oriented technology

As a university, we strive for equal opportunities for all, recognizing that diversity takes many forms. We believe that diversity is invaluable for the quality of our teaching, research and service, and we are committed to creating an inclusive community.

What We Offer

A challenging position in a socially engaged organization. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research, and service for a better world. In return for your efforts, we offer you:

• an employment contract of initially 1 year, with the possibility of extension to a total of 4 years
• an attractive package of fringe benefits and arrangements
• holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year for a full-time 38-hour working week. If you choose to work 40 hours, you get 96 extra holiday leave hours annually
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus

About Us

The project "The development of infant-caregiver attachment: In vivo, in silico, in theory" was awarded by NWO (Dutch Research Council) to Carlo Schuengel (VU) and Pasco Fearon (University of Cambridge). The project is a collaboration among esteemed institutions and researchers committed to investigating attachment development using innovative methods.

"We realised that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset."
Carlo Schuengel, Project Leader

You will be embedded in the Section of Clinical Child and Family Studies, contributing to equitable developmental outcomes for all children. The section focuses on sharing knowledge on child-rearing and caregiver-child relationships, particularly with practitioners supporting families and people with disabilities.

Are you interested in joining Behavioural and Movement Sciences? Our faculty is dedicated to developing knowledge for an active, healthy, and meaningful life. We maintain a broad focus on behavior and health, with teaching and research programs addressing current societal developments.

Interested?

If you are interested in this position and believe your experience will contribute to the further development of our university, we encourage you to submit your application.

Submitting a diploma and a reference check are part of the application process.

Applications received by e-mail will not be considered.