Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

PhD position in cognitive neuroscience for 4 years 80 %

Start of employment from March 2025, temporary

The Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry invites applications for a four-year PhD position financed by the SNSF in the structured PhD Program in Psychology.

Project details and responsibilities

Humour is a universal and complex phenomenon that profoundly influences social communication and adaptation. But do we all process humour in the same way? Previous studies report that individuals on the autistic spectrum (AS) may process humour differently from neurotypicals. However, the evidence in the literature does not seem conclusive. This project aims to understand how AS adolescents process humour and whether a humour-based training programme can improve well-being in this population. This proposal will achieve this by embracing the neurodiversity paradigm, which is an alternative to the deficit conception of autism.

This PhD position is part of the SNSF Starting grant titled Humour in adolescents on the autism spectrum: a window into cognition and a tool for well-being obtained by Prof. Dr. Mirella Manfredi and entails the following responsibilities:
  • Recruitment of participants
  • Data collection
  • Data analysis
  • Presentation of research results at international scientific meetings
  • Publication of research results in peer-reviewed journal articles
  • Supervision of master theses
  • Assistance in organizing workshops

Your profile

Successful candidates should be highly motivated and have a strong background in cognitive psychology. Ideally, the candidate should hold a master's degree in experimental psychology or cognitive psychology.
knowledge of Electroencephalography (EEG) will be an advantage. The candidate should show excellent interpersonal skills and be able to work both independently and in groups. The candidate should also have excellent knowledge of English and written and spoken German

What we offer

Our employees benefit from a wide range of attractive offers.

What we offer

Work-Life Balance
  • Flexible working models (such as part-time positions, mobile working, job-sharing)
  • Childcare at the kihz foundation of UZH and ETH


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Learning and Development
  • Wide range of continuing education courses of UZH and the Canton of Zurich
  • Language Center run jointly with ETH Zurich

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Food
  • Food and drinks at reduced prices in the UZH cafeterias
  • Lunch-Check-card with UZH contribution

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Healthcare
  • Special conditions on the Academic Sports Association ASVZ
  • Free seasonal flu vaccinations
  • Rest and relaxation at the quiet room in the university tower

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Discounts
  • Private traffic: Carsharing, rent a vehicle, parking space
  • Digitalization: Hardware, software, mobile phone subscriptions
  • Special conditions on hotel reservations

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Conditions of Employment
  • Policies of the UZH
  • Most UZH staff are employed according to public law


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International Services
  • Support for people from outside Switzerland

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Campuses
  • Campuses Zurich City, Zurich Irchel, Oerlikon and Schlieren
  • Sites Zurich West, Old Botanical Garden, Botanical Garden and Lengg


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Further information

Questions about the job

Mirella Manfredi PI
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Questions about the application procedure

Mirella Manfredi PI
Contact Form

Contact question to: Mirella Manfredi

Thank you for your message. We will get back to you shortly.
Working at UZH
The University of Zurich offers a wide range of attractive positions in various subject areas and professional fields. With around 10,000 employees and 12 professional apprenticeship streams, Switzerland's largest university provides an inspiring working environment at the vanguard of research and education. Find out more about UZH as an employer!
More → https://www.uzh.ch/cmsssl/en/explore/work.html

Working at UZH

The University of Zurich offers a wide range of attractive positions in various subject areas and professional fields. With around 10,000 employees and 12 professional apprenticeship streams, Switzerland's largest university provides an inspiring working environment at the vanguard of research and education. Find out more about UZH as an employer! More
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