PhD in Integrative Exposome and Multi-Omics Brain–Body Health

Organisation/Company Utrecht University Research Field Biological sciences » Biology Medical sciences » Medicine Neurosciences » Neurobiology Neurosciences » Neuroinformatics Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Final date to receive applications 23 Mar 2026 - 22:59 (UTC) Country Netherlands Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Not Applicable Hours Per Week 40.0 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Are you interested in developing and applying integrative methodologies that combine exposome, multi-omics, and brain–body health data to advance our understanding of human health? Join us as a PhD candidate in Exposome–Omics Integration for Brain–Body Health at the Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS).

Your job

In this PhD project, you will study how environmental exposures influence brain–body health, focusing on omics layers as key predictors or modifiers of environmental effects on molecular and brain-related endophenotypes across the brain–body axis. The project will extend ongoing research by considering population diversity and heterogeneity in exposure profiles and biological responses.

You will apply statistical modelling approaches suited to high-dimensional and non-parametric data, accounting for non-Gaussian distributions, complex dependency structures, and variability across populations. The work will involve the integration of exposome, multi-omics, and brain–body-derived data from diverse population-based cohorts to characterise the biological mechanisms linking environmental exposures to brain and body outcomes.

The PhD candidate will be based in the Molecular Epidemiology and Data Science Group, led by Dr. Natalia Vilor-Tejedor, and will collaborate with researchers in epidemiology, neuroscience, data science, and molecular biology within the Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), as well as external partners within the UNITED consortium and other international programmes.

You are a motivated and collaborative researcher with:

• a Master’s degree in Bioinformatics, Data Science, Statistics, Computational Biology, Epidemiology, Neuroscience, or a related field;
• experience in programming and quantitative data analysis using R and/or Python;
• experience with statistical modelling and the analysis of complex biological data;
• a strong interest in exposomics, multi-omics integration, and brain–body health research;
• strong scientific writing, reporting, and presentation skills;
• proficiency in written and spoken English.

Candidates with the following experience are especially encouraged to apply:

• experience in the analysis of brain-related data (e.g., neuroimaging, cognitive, or other brain-derived measures);
• experience with integrative or multivariate analyses of high-dimensional biological data;
• familiarity with omics data processing or analysis pipelines;
• experience working in collaborative, interdisciplinary research projects.

• A position for one year, extended to four years upon a positive evaluation during the first year;
• a working week of 38 hours and a gross monthly salary between €3,059 and €3,881 (salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University also offers a range of its own schemes for employees. This includes arrangements for professional development, various types of leave, and options for sports and cultural activities. You can also tailor your employment conditions through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage you to keep investing in your personal and professional development.

For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

As Utrecht University, we want to be a home for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute.

If you are enthusiastic about this position, just apply via the 'apply now' button. Please enclose:

• the names, telephone numbers, and email addresses of at least two referees.

For more information, please contact dr. Natalia Vilor-Tejedor at n.i.vilortejedor.

Candidates for this vacancy will be recruited by Utrecht University.