PhD position in Statistics; survival analysis

The Mathematical Institute is looking for a PhD candidate in Statistics to join the NWO project “Dyno Surv: flexible statistical models for the dynamic prediction of survival outcomes in complex longitudinal studies” under the supervision of dr. Mirko Signorelli.

The Mathematical Institute of Leiden University invites applications for a PhD position in Statistics (survival analysis). This 4‑year position is part of a research project on the development of new statistical methods for the dynamic prediction of time‑to‑event (survival) outcomes in complex longitudinal studies, led by dr. Mirko Signorelli and funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO).

As PhD student, you will become a member of the Dyno Surv research team, and work on the development of new statistical methods and software for dynamic prediction together with the other team members. Specifically, this position will primarily focus on strategies to best deal with complex survival outcomes (e.g., competing risks and interval censoring) and on the development of statistical software in the R programming language.

You will also become a member of the Statistics group at the Mathematical Institute, an active and growing group of researchers in biostatistics, mathematical statistics and computational statistics.

The Mathematical Institute (MI) is one of the eight institutes within the Faculty of Science, and has a strong international orientation. The institute's mission is to push the boundaries of scientific knowledge by developing and applying high‑quality mathematics and statistics, while offering educational math and statistics programs in a friendly and intellectually stimulating environment. We are dedicated to expanding the frontiers of mathematical knowledge and applying our expertise to solve challenges in other sciences, society, and industry.

The Faculty of Science is located in the middle of the Leiden Bio Science Park, one of Europe’s top 5 hubs for life sciences research and health innovation. The park hosts a vibrant ecosystem of 573 research institutes, startups, and global companies, fostering collaboration and cutting‑edge scientific development. Just beyond the park lies the city of Leiden: a historic university town known for its charming canals, rich cultural life, and academic excellence.

With Leiden University at its heart, the city offers a dynamic and international environment that blends tradition with innovation, making it an inspiring place to live and work.

For more information about the Mathematical Institute, see https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

The successful candidate is expected to have:

In addition, the following skills are desirable (but not required):

Start date of the position:
April – September 2026.

We offer a full‑time appointment of initially one year. After a positive evaluation of the progress of the research, personal capabilities and compatibility, the appointment will be extended for another three years. This contract falls under the CLA of Dutch Universities.

Contract details:

• A salary between €3059 – €3881 gross per month, based on a full‑time appointment (38 hours) (PhD student);
• A holiday allowance (8% of the gross yearly salary), an end‑of‑year bonus (8,3% of the gross yearly salary), and an attractive pension scheme at ABP;
• Funding to travel to and attend international conferences throughout your PhD;
• Reimbursement of public transport commuting costs for home‑to‑work travel;
• A home‑working allowance (day and internet allowance) and attention for good…