→ Apply before 30/07/2026 (DD/MM/YYYY) 23:59 (Brussels Time)
→ Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences
→ Department: PP07 - Ontwikkelings-, Persoonlijkheids- en Sociale Psychologie
→ Occupancy rate:80%
→ Number of positions: 1
→ Type of employment: Contract of limited duration
→ Term of assignment: 1 jaar
→ Wage scale: PD1 to PD4 (doctoral degree)
→ Required diploma:PhD
ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY
Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15,000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, as well as technical and social service provision on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities. With its 11 faculties and more than 80 departments offering state-of-the-art study programmes grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.
Within the Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology, we are seeking a m/f/x to serve as a postdoctoral researcher (1 year, 80% position) as part of an FWO project on the role of parents and peers in social media use during early adolescence.
YOUR TASKS
The project is based on the observation that adolescents’ social media use (SMG) poses a major challenge for parents. Especially during the late elementary school years and early adolescence, many parents worry about potential risks associated with SMG, including mental health issues. For adolescents, however, SMU is a personal activity over which parents have little legitimate authority. Because SMU is a sensitive topic in the parent-adolescent relationship, it is essential to examine whether parents can be constructively involved in the SMU of early adolescents. This project aims to build upon the limited research in this area in three ways. First, the goal is to paint a comprehensive picture of the potential role of parents in adolescents’ SMG, focusing on specific parenting practices related to SMG, their general parenting style, and their own SMG. Because peers play an influential role in adolescents’ SMG, the role of parents will, secondly, be examined in a more contextualized manner, focusing on the interactive dynamics between parents and peers. A third objective is to paint a more dynamic picture of the roles of parents and peers by examining reciprocal associations between parental behavior, experiences with peers, and adolescents’ SMG across different time intervals. To this end, we will use longitudinal and experience-sampling methodology among early adolescents transitioning from elementary to middle school.
Within the framework of this project, the postdoctoral researcher’s tasks include:
- Preparing (including submitting applications to the ethics committee, data management, designing questionnaires, etc.) and conducting (including recruiting participants, data collection, etc.) the planned research activities, which primarily consist of an intensive longitudinal survey and the collection of experience-sampling data from adolescents transitioning from elementary to secondary school;
- Analysis of data (primarily quantitative), using advanced analytical strategies;
- Dissemination of research findings in the form of peer-reviewed scientific articles, conference presentations, and a doctoral dissertation;
- Science communication;
- Administrative tasks, contributing to the team, and involvement in the department’s teaching activities;
- Supervision and support of the doctoral student also working on this project.
This project is a collaboration between the Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology (with Prof. Dr. Bart Soenens and Prof. Dr. Matteo Giletta as advisors) and the Media, Innovation, and Contemporary Technologies research group (with Prof. Dr. Koen Ponnet as advisor).
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
- Candidates must hold a Ph.D. in psychology and have a strong research profile. Preference will be given to candidates who have already published in the domain of parenting and digital media.
- Candidates must have a strong interest in the topics of parenting, peers, and social media, and be motivated to collect intensive longitudinal and experience-sampling data on these topics.
- Candidates must be able to work independently and proactively, while also being open to feedback and willing to work in a group setting with multiple doctoral students and postdocs.
- Candidates must possess quantitative research skills. Strengths include experience with longitudinal research or diary studies and experience with advanced statistical software such as R or Mplus.
- Candidates are committed to the societal relevance of the project and are willing to contribute to societal impact and knowledge translation for various stakeholder groups.
- Candidates have excellent writing and presentation skills. Knowledge of Dutch is recommended for data collection purposes.
- Candidates are willing to develop their writing and presentation skills throughout the entire Ph.D. program in order to write English-language publications in academic journals or conference proceedings, present in English at national and international conferences and events, and creatively communicate research findings in an engaging and understandable way to a broader audience, both nationally and internationally.
- Candidates have an open intellectual mindset and enjoy collaborating with people from disciplines such as psychology, education, communication, and technology.
- Candidates are willing to adhere to high ethical standards in their research, publications, and knowledge transfer practices.
WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
- We offer you a contract of definite duration for 1 year (80% appointment) as a postdoctoral researcher.
- You will be part of an interdisciplinary team.
- You will work at the Dunant campus (UGent).
- The start date is scheduled for October 1, 2026.
- Your remuneration will be determined by salary scale PD1 to PD4. Click here for more information about our salary scales.
- All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits.
INTERESTED?
Apply online through the e-recruitment system before the application deadline (see above). We do not accept late applications or applications that are not submitted through the online system.
Your application must include the following documents:
- In the field ‘CV’: your CV and a transcript of your academic record (merged into one pdf file)
- In the field ‘Cover letter’: your application letter in pdf format
- In the field ‘Diploma’: a transcript of the required degree (if already in your possession). If you have a foreign diploma in a language other than our national languages (Dutch, French or German) or English, please add a translation in one of the mentioned languages.
Note that the maximum file size for each field is 10 MB.
As Ghent University maintains an equal opportunities and diversity policy, everyone is encouraged to apply for this position.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Bart Soenens ([email protected]). Important: do NOT send your application by email, but apply online.
Do you have a question regarding the online application process? Please read the FAQ or contact us via [email protected].
