PhD Position in Paediatric Neurology, Development and Rehabilitation

Stroke in childhood is rare – but when it occurs, it often leads to serious consequences. In Switzerland, about 2 out of 100,000 children suffer an arterial ischaemic stroke each year. The frequency is even higher in newborns: about one in 2,500 to 4,000 newborns is affected. Despite these figures, childhood stroke is still often diagnosed too late – and is much less known in the general public and healthcare system than stroke in adults. Precisely because childhood strokes are rare, reliable, systematically collected data are needed. Only in this way can risk factors be better understood, diagnostic and treatment pathways optimised, and long-term courses scientifically monitored. This is exactly where the Swiss Neuropediatric Stroke Registry (SNPSR) comes in. Since 2000, the SNPSR has been documenting strokes in newborns, children and adolescents up to 16 years old throughout Switzerland, with the aim of improving the recognition, treatment and long-term care of affected children in Switzerland in particular, but also beyond the national borders. It is now a central resource for paediatric stroke research in Switzerland and enables a variety of research projects that provide new insights into incidence, aetiology, course and outcome.

What to expect

• Together with the SNPSR research team, you will further develop and implement research and registry activities based on the data collected in the Swiss Neuropediatric Stroke Registry. The goal is to gain scientific knowledge that can directly contribute to improving the recognition, treatment and long-term care of children with stroke
• Participation in various research projects as well as conception and leadership of your own research projects in the areas of stroke awareness, neuroplasticity, outcome research, structural neuroimaging
• Involvement in the SNPSR, including managing patient data, the SNPSR social media presence, modernising and maintaining the RedCap database and the website
• Collaboration with international partners, physicians, therapists, affected families and foundations
• Writing your own scientific articles for high-ranking international journals and presenting results at national and international congresses

• Supporting research projects of collaboration partners around the SNPSR, assisting in preparing research documentation, assisting in applying for research grants

Your profile

• Successfully completed Master’s degree in Neuroscience, Clinical Research, Epidemiology, Rehabilitation Sciences, Health Sciences, Biomedical Research, Psychology, Human Medicine or a comparable discipline
• Strong interest in paediatric neurology, developmental biology and evidence-based rehabilitation research
• Knowledge of quantitative research methods, imaging techniques and statistics is a great advantage (e.g. experience with R, Stata, SPM, Python)
• Very good English skills
• Since this is a Swiss registry, excellent knowledge of German and ideally French is essential for communication with centres and patients
• Independent working style, very good social skills, exceptional commitment to initiating and implementing research projects

Our offer

• Active participation opportunities in a variety of research projects related to childhood stroke
• Opportunity for independent study management, research coordination and conducting your own research projects
• Excellent network in a highly interdisciplinary environment (paediatrics, neurology, neuropsychology, neuroradiology) with connections to leading Swiss university hospitals and international stroke centres
• Participation in a renowned PhD programme (Graduate School of Health Science, Bern)
• Weekly training opportunities in paediatrics, neurology and neuroradiology
• Workload 100% (5 days/week), start from autumn 2026 or by arrangement. Remuneration according to the guidelines for PhDs of the Swiss National Science Foundation

Questions about the position?

For further information, please contact Prof. Dr phil. Regula Everts Brekenfeld, Head Neuropsychologist

+41 31 63 2 84 97