Funded PhD in Biological, Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Luxembourg

The University of Luxembourg is recruiting a doctoral researcher in Biological, Clinical and Health Psychology for a fully funded, three-year position within the DEPLOY project — a research initiative focused on mobile interoceptive training to reduce somatic symptom distress. The position is based at the Belval Campus in Esch-sur-Alzette and comes with a fixed annual gross salary of €43,445. Applications are open until April 24, 2027, though early submission is strongly encouraged as candidates will be evaluated on a rolling basis.

Luxembourg’s only public university, founded in 2003, has rapidly established itself among Europe’s most internationally oriented research institutions. It currently ranks in the global top 20 for universities under 50 years of age. With staff from over 90 countries and close ties to European institutions, the financial sector, and a broad network of non-academic partners, it offers a research environment that is compact in scale but genuinely global in scope.

The DEPLOY Project: Research Focus and Objectives

DEPLOY stands for “Deploying a Mobile Interoceptive Training to Reduce Somatic Symptom Distress.” The project is funded by the Fonds National de la Recherche Luxembourg (FNR), the country’s main public research funding body. Its central objective is to understand how interoception-based training — interventions that help people become more aware of internal bodily signals — can reduce distress associated with somatic symptoms, and to translate these interventions into a mobile application suitable for everyday use.

The doctoral candidate will join the Research Group “Brain-Body-Interaction” and the Clinical Psychophysiology Laboratory, led by Prof. Dr. André Schulz, within the Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences. The project brings together an interdisciplinary team that includes André Schulz (principal investigator), Philip Santangelo (Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences), Inès Chihi (Department of Engineering), and Jochen Klucken (Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine). This cross-departmental structure reflects the project’s ambition to bridge clinical psychology, psychophysiology, digital health technology, and engineering.

Responsibilities of the Doctoral Researcher

The PhD candidate will carry out five independent studies — three in a laboratory setting and two in ambulatory conditions using a mobile application — in collaboration with a postdoctoral researcher. The work involves recruiting participants from both the general public and patients diagnosed with somatic symptom disorders, and conducting clinically-psychological and psychophysiological assessments across all studies.

Data collection spans several modalities: psychophysiological measures such as ECG and photoplethysmography, behavioural data including interoception tasks, and self-report measures covering interoception, somatic symptoms, and broader mental health indicators. The candidate will be responsible for analyzing data from these diverse sources and integrating findings into a coherent research narrative.

A particularly distinctive element of this position is the co-development of a mobile application designed to both assess and train interoception. This collaborative development effort involves the senior PIs, the postdoctoral researcher, and external service providers — giving the doctoral candidate hands-on experience in digital health product development, a skill set increasingly valued in both academic and clinical career paths.

The doctoral thesis itself will follow a cumulative format, based on original manuscripts published in high-quality, peer-reviewed journals. The candidate will enroll in the Doctoral School of Social Sciences at the University of Luxembourg.

Financial Package

All doctoral researchers at the University of Luxembourg receive a standardized annual gross salary of €43,445 for a full-time position (40 hours per week). This is a fixed employment contract for 36 months — not a scholarship or stipend — meaning the candidate benefits from full employee status, including social security coverage, pension contributions, and paid leave. For candidates comparing this opportunity with other fully funded PhD positions across Europe, Luxembourg’s salary level is among the highest for doctoral researchers on the continent, and the country’s compact size means commuting costs and logistics are minimal.

Eligibility and Candidate Profile

Applicants must hold a master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field. The position falls under the “First Stage Researcher (R1)” category, targeting candidates at the beginning of their research careers. Experience in — or genuine interest in — several of the following areas will strengthen an application:

• Stress, interoception, and mental disorders involving medically unexplained symptoms or somatic symptom disorder
• Psychological assessment using structured clinical interviews
• Psychophysiological methods, particularly ECG and photoplethysmography
• Ambulatory assessment of psychological and psychophysiological data
• Digital and mobile health technology
• Current theories, models, and international research in Biological, Clinical and Health Psychology

Language requirements are clearly defined: applicants must demonstrate at least B2-level proficiency in the language of their thesis. Accepted certificates and further details are available on the University of Luxembourg’s doctoral admissions page. Given the international composition of the research team and the university’s multilingual environment, strong English skills are essential.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted exclusively through the University of Luxembourg’s online HR system. Email applications will not be accepted. The application package should include:

• A curriculum vitae
• A cover letter presenting the candidate’s motivation for this specific doctoral topic and explaining how their qualifications and aspirations align with the project’s academic focus
• A full transcript of all modules and results from university-level courses

The formal application deadline is April 24, 2027, but the university processes applications as they arrive. Candidates who apply early have a clear advantage, as the position may be filled before the deadline if a suitable candidate is identified. The job reference number is UOL08186.

Why This Position Matters

Somatic symptom disorders — conditions in which psychological distress manifests as physical symptoms without a fully explanatory medical cause — represent a major challenge in both clinical psychology and public health. Current treatment options remain limited, and the mechanisms linking interoceptive processing to symptom experience are poorly understood. The DEPLOY project addresses this gap directly, with the added ambition of making intervention tools accessible through mobile technology.

For early-career researchers, the position offers a rare combination: rigorous psychophysiological research, clinical population work, digital health development, and a cumulative thesis model that builds a publication track record from day one. The interdisciplinary team structure — spanning psychology, engineering, and systems biomedicine — provides exposure to methods and perspectives that a single-department PhD rarely delivers.

Luxembourg itself, despite its small size, hosts a disproportionately rich research ecosystem. The FNR funds competitive research across all disciplines, and the University of Luxembourg’s international character means doctoral candidates work alongside peers and supervisors from dozens of countries. For researchers who value both academic depth and cross-sector connectivity, it is a compelling destination among PhD opportunities available across Europe.

Key Details at a Glance

• Position: Doctoral Researcher in Biological, Clinical and Health Psychology
• Institution: University of Luxembourg — Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences
• Project: DEPLOY (funded by FNR Luxembourg)
• Contract: Fixed-term, 36 months, full-time (40 h/week)
• Salary: €43,445 gross per year
• Location: Belval Campus, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
• Application deadline: April 24, 2027 (rolling review — early application recommended)
• Reference: UOL08186

To apply, candidates should submit their materials through the University of Luxembourg’s online recruitment portal. For more funded doctoral opportunities and academic funding programs, visit our scholarships section.