Shaping the future of personalised mental health care
Depression affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, yet more than half of patients do not respond to existing psychotherapies. The SYNTHESIS project, led by Prof. Dr. Eirini Karyotaki at the University of Amsterdam, addresses this challenge directly. By integrating Individual Patient Data (IPD) from over 573 randomized controlled trials and combining advanced network meta-analyses with machine learning, SYNTHESIS aims to identify which psychotherapy works best for whom. As the first postdoctoral researcher on this project, you will be a key methodological driver and a central point of coordination for the team. You will supervise and support the two PhD candidates in their data collection and analysis work, lead the development of the project’s data warehouse and web infrastructure, and contribute to the advanced statistical analyses at the heart of the project. This is a role for a researcher who combines methodological expertise with the ability to translate complex findings into usable tools for clinicians.
What are you going to do
- Co-supervise PhD candidates in literature searches, data collection, and harmonisation of IPD from RCTs, ensuring data quality and consistency;
- Lead development of a secure, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)-compliant data infrastructure (data warehouse, APIs, and user interfaces) for storage and access;
- Contribute to Delphi processes and support identification of key predictors and treatment components with international experts;
- Conduct and support IPD network meta-analyses, including integration of machine learning methods;
- Contribute to publications, open science practices, and teaching (25%, including supervision of master’s theses).
What do you have to offer
- PhD in Clinical Psychology, Biostatistics, Psychiatry, or a related field;
- Strong expertise in meta-analysis; IPD meta-analysis and (component) network meta-analysis are assets;
- Proven publication record in evidence synthesis or related areas;
- Proficiency in R (preferred) or Python (an asset); experience with data infrastructure is a plus;
- Collaborative, proactive researcher committed to mentoring, open science, and reproducible research.
What else do we offer you
- A postdoctoral position for 3 years, embedded in a well-funded ERC Consolidator Grant project.
- Salary in accordance with the Dutch University Collective Labour Agreement (CAO), postdoctoral scale 11.
- 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
- Excellent secondary benefits including generous leave entitlement, ABP pension, and full access to UvA facilities.
- Direct supervision by Prof. Dr. Eirini Karyotaki and access to a network of world-leading advisors in psychotherapy, biostatistics, and machine learning.
- A central and highly visible role within an ambitious, internationally connected research project.
- Budget for attending international conferences and specialised methodological training.
- Hybrid and flexible working arrangements are possible, though the position is not fully remote.
In this team, you will work
You will join the research group of Prof. Dr. Eirini Karyotaki within the Department of Psychology (Programme group: Clinical Psychology), Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam. The full SYNTHESIS team consists of two PhD candidates, two postdoctoral researchers, and a part-time biostatistician. As the first postdoctoral researcher, you will play a pivotal coordinating role, working closely with both PhD candidates and the broader team. The team fosters an open, collegial, and international culture grounded in open science principles, with regular team meetings and an international advisory board.
Are you an experienced researcher with a strong methodological background in conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and do you want to apply that expertise to one of the most pressing questions in mental health, i.e. who responds to psychotherapies? The SYNTHESIS project, funded by an ERC Consolidator Grant, is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to play a central methodological and infrastructural role in a groundbreaking effort to personalise psychotherapy for depression. If you hold a PhD in Clinical Psychology, Biostatistics, or a related field and have hands-on experience conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses in psychological interventions, we would love to hear from you.
Shaping the future of personalised mental health care
Depression affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, yet more than half of patients do not respond to existing psychotherapies. The SYNTHESIS project, led by Prof. Dr. Eirini Karyotaki at the University of Amsterdam, addresses this challenge directly. By integrating Individual Patient Data (IPD) from over 573 randomized controlled trials and combining advanced network meta-analyses with machine learning, SYNTHESIS aims to identify which psychotherapy works best for whom. As the first postdoctoral researcher on this project, you will be a key methodological driver and a central point of coordination for the team. You will supervise and support the two PhD candidates in their data collection and analysis work, lead the development of the project’s data warehouse and web infrastructure, and contribute to the advanced statistical analyses at the heart of the project. This is a role for a researcher who combines methodological expertise with the ability to translate complex findings into usable tools for clinicians.
What are you going to do
- Co-supervise PhD candidates in literature searches, data collection, and harmonisation of IPD from RCTs, ensuring data quality and consistency;
- Lead development of a secure, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)-compliant data infrastructure (data warehouse, APIs, and user interfaces) for storage and access;
- Contribute to Delphi processes and support identification of key predictors and treatment components with international experts;
- Conduct and support IPD network meta-analyses, including integration of machine learning methods;
- Contribute to publications, open science practices, and teaching (25%, including supervision of master’s theses).
What do you have to offer
- PhD in Clinical Psychology, Biostatistics, Psychiatry, or a related field;
- Strong expertise in meta-analysis; IPD meta-analysis and (component) network meta-analysis are assets;
- Proven publication record in evidence synthesis or related areas;
- Proficiency in R (preferred) or Python (an asset); experience with data infrastructure is a plus;
- Collaborative, proactive researcher committed to mentoring, open science, and reproducible research.
What else do we offer you
- A postdoctoral position for 3 years, embedded in a well-funded ERC Consolidator Grant project.
- Salary in accordance with the Dutch University Collective Labour Agreement (CAO), postdoctoral scale 11.
- 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
- Excellent secondary benefits including generous leave entitlement, ABP pension, and full access to UvA facilities.
- Direct supervision by Prof. Dr. Eirini Karyotaki and access to a network of world-leading advisors in psychotherapy, biostatistics, and machine learning.
- A central and highly visible role within an ambitious, internationally connected research project.
- Budget for attending international conferences and specialised methodological training.
- Hybrid and flexible working arrangements are possible, though the position is not fully remote.
In this team, you will work
You will join the research group of Prof. Dr. Eirini Karyotaki within the Department of Psychology (Programme group: Clinical Psychology), Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam. The full SYNTHESIS team consists of two PhD candidates, two postdoctoral researchers, and a part-time biostatistician. As the first postdoctoral researcher, you will play a pivotal coordinating role, working closely with both PhD candidates and the broader team. The team fosters an open, collegial, and international culture grounded in open science principles, with regular team meetings and an international advisory board.
Please submit your application bundled in 1 PDF file in English, including:
- A motivation letter describing your research experience, methodological expertise, and how your profile fits this position (max. 1 page);
- A full CV including a list of publications;
- A writing sample (e.g., a published paper or preprint demonstrating your meta-analytic/ IPDMA expertise);
- Contact details of two academic referees.
The closing date for applications is 3 June 2026. Preselected candidates will be invited for an interview, expected to take place in the end of June-beginning of July. The position starts on 1 September 2026. Apply via the UvA vacancy portal. For questions about the position, please contact Prof. Dr. Eirini Karyotaki at e.karyotaki@uva.nl. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be given preference.
