Vacant job

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We are now seeking a PhD candidate in Medical Science

Your responsibilities

To lose someone can feel like losing a part of oneself. Do we need other people to be ourselves? What happens to the self when we lose a loved one? How can people receive adequate support during times of grief? Does grief affect a person's view of their own mortality?

In an aging society, where people may survive their partners by several decades, it becomes crucial to improve support during periods of mourning and to develop treatment options for those with prolonged grief syndrome, who have a 20% increased mortality risk. Surprisingly little is known about the neurobiological and physiological consequences of the experience of loss.

The PhD project will investigate how grief is processed in the brain, whether fundamental self-related behaviors are affected during periods of mourning, and whether the experience of loss influences how one perceives their own mortality. Subprojects will utilize various methods, including qualitative analyses, questionnaires, functional magnetic resonance imaging, and behavioral tests, in a large sample of individuals experiencing a high degree of grief at least twelve months after the loss occurred. In this way, the dissertation will create a multimodal and multi-level understanding of grief – an understudied but universal human experience.

As a PhD candidate, you will engage in your doctoral education and the research project you are part of. Your work may also include teaching or participating in other departmental duties, up to 20% of full-time.

Your qualifications

You have obtained a master's degree at an advanced level in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, or a similar field, having at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits are at an advanced level in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, or similar, or have acquired equivalent knowledge in some other way.

You will work in a research laboratory focused on grief, with an emphasis on neural and psychological mechanisms.

You should have a master's degree in neuroscience, psychology, or a related field. You are expected to have a strong interest in human research within the field of neuroscience. Experience in experimental work, particularly behavioral tasks and fMRI, as well as experience in clinical trials and good clinical practice (GCP) is required. Experience with EEG and TMS is advantageous, as is previous research experience in the field of grief.

Applicants should be meticulous, have a strong initiative and organizational skills, as well as well-developed communication abilities. Since you will be in an international environment, very good proficiency in both Swedish and English, in both spoken and written form, is required. Furthermore, you are responsible, committed, and able to work independently while also having good collaborative skills. As the work involves contact with research patients in medical studies, it is important that you have an empathetic approach and are calm and stable as a person. You should have experience handling information subject to confidentiality. Great emphasis will be placed on personal qualities and suitability.

We expect you to submit a statement of purpose that clarifies your research interests, proposals for projects within the doctoral dissertation, and how they relate to our ongoing research.

Your workplace

Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience (CSAN), Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV). BKV conducts research as well as undergraduate and doctoral education in medical science.

About the employment

Upon taking up the position, you will be admitted to the doctoral program. Read more about the respective faculty's doctoral education here (#).

The position is limited to four years full-time. You will initially be employed for one year, and thereafter the employment will be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time, based on the achieved study plan. Extension of employment up to five years will occur based on the degree of teaching and departmental duties. In special cases, further extension may occur.

Start date by agreement.

Salary and benefits

The PhD salary is regulated based on a locally negotiated salary scale. Read more about employee benefits here (#).

Union contacts

Information about union contacts can be found in Help for applicants.

Application

You apply for this position by clicking the “Apply” button below. Your application must be received by Linköping University no later than March 16, 2026. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

We welcome applicants with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, as this enriches and develops our operations. For us, it is self-evident to uphold everyone's equal value, rights, and opportunities. Read about our work with Equal Conditions.

Welcome with your application!

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