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PHD STUDENTSHIP IN STATISTICS, Maastricht University, The Netherlands

The Department Methodology and Statistics of Maastricht University, The
Netherlands, invites applications for a research studentship leading to a
PhD. The research of the department focuses on optimal design and analysis
of longitudinal studies with random effect and multilevel models and on
statistics education. The department gives courses in methodology and
statistics to Bachelor, Master and PhD students in the Health Sciences,
Medicine, and Psychology. At the moment we offer a position for a PhD
studentship. The project is funded by the Netherlands Organization for
Scientific Research (NWO/MAGW)
The research project
Many studies in the social and behavioural sciences have a multilevel data
structure. The use of powerful (optimal) designs for multilevel data with
time-structured measurements will result in a high probability of finding a
true effect with a minimum sample size. However, a powerful multilevel
design depends on the best fitting (true) model. Since the best fitting
models is often unknown at the design stage, it is highly relevant to find
robust designs, which remain highly powerful for alternative models. The aim
of the project is to find such robust designs. A second aim of the project
is to provide social and behavioural scientists with general and robust
guidelines for the required sample sizes at different levels of the
multilevel design. These guidelines will help researchers to reduce the
costs of data collection. The output of the project will be papers in
international journals and a PhD thesis.
The profile
We look for students with a Master degree in Statistics, Mathematics,
Econometrics, Sociology, Psychology, Biology, or some related discipline,
but at least have a solid training in Statistics. You preferably are
familiar with research designs and with multilevel or general linear models.
You are motivated to perform quantitative research, and have experience in
programming.
What we offer
You are offered a position for four years. In the first year the monthly
salary will be 1702 euro gross increasing to 2283 euro gross in the last
year, provided you have a full-time appointment.
If you are interested you can write a letter of application (including a CV)
to the personnel Department of the Faculty of Health sciences at the
University of Maastricht, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
with reference to number AT2004.250. E-mail: [log in to unmask]
If you want to have more information on the project, you can contact:
Prof. dr. Martijn .P.F. Berger, Department of Methodology and Statistics,
University of Maastricht, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
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