The Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä is currently seeking to recruit a
DOCTORAL RESEARCHER in SPORT AND EXERCISE PSYCHOLOGY, starting August 15th 2022, or as agreed, until 31 March 2023 with the possibility to continue two additional years.
We are looking for a Doctoral Researcher to work in a project entitled “A collaborative theory-based intervention to promote physical activity among sedentary parents and their children” funded by OKM (Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland).
In this project, the research team will develop an online theory-based behavioural intervention to increase physical activity engagement in low-active children and their parents. The efficacy of intervention will then be tested in a randomised waitlist-controlled trial, wherein parents and their children will be allocated to either an intervention group that receives the intervention, or to a waitlist control group that receives basic information on activity and measurement only. Processes of intervention acceptability, uptake and engagement, as well as how these factors relate to intervention effectiveness, will also be explored.
Tasks and qualifications
The person selected for the Doctoral Researcher position will contribute to developing the intervention, planning the research studies around the intervention, and lead practical execution of the studies. The Doctoral Researcher will also pursue the PhD degree and write a dissertation. Depending on experience, the Doctoral Researcher may also make some contribution to teaching (roughly 5% of total working time).
Applicants for the Doctoral Researcher position should have completed (or be in the process of completing) a Master’s degree in an area of behavioral science (e.g. exercise psychology, social psychology, health psychology) or other adjacent fields (e.g., health sciences, health promotion). Some knowledge of theories of motivation, behaviour change and intervention development, experience with quantitative data analysis, and skills in scientific writing are all plus points for potential candidates (i.e. not required, but preferred). Interested potential applicants with other educational backgrounds are encouraged to enquire about their suitability for the position before applying.
The duties, qualification requirements and language skills of a Doctoral Researchers are stipulated by the University of Jyväskylä Regulations and language skills guidelines. Bilingual Finnish and English preferred, due to the need to create intervention materials for a Finnish population.
Salary
The salary of a successful candidate will be based on level 2-4 of the job requirement scheme for teaching and research staff in the salary system of Finnish universities. The annual salary will be approximately 28,900 EUR (gross income, including a holiday bonus). With progress of the thesis work, the salary will be increased in accordance with the Collective Agreement of Finnish Universities. A trial period of six months will be used at the beginning of the employment.
How to apply
Please attach the following documents as PDF files in English to the online application form:
- Application letter
- Curriculum vitae (CV), composed according to good scientific practice and considering where possible the researcher CV template by The Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity
- A brief description of research experience (1–2 pages) with clear indication on the motivation to apply for this position.
Please submit your application by 31 July 2022 using the online application form on our website (please click Apply to access).
For further information, please contact Assistant Professor Keegan Knittle: [email protected], +358 504698252.