Junior or Postdoc Researcher: Label2Scale - Supporting Safe and Equitable Access to Health Apps

University of Amsterdam; Netherlands; On-site; EUR 25,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Amsterdam invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher to contribute to the Label2Scale project, focusing on eye-tracking experiments to study how quality labels influence attention and understanding in apps. The role emphasizes open science, rigorous quantitative methods, and collaboration across an international consortium.

The position is 19 hours per week for up to one year, starting January 1, 2027, with potential for overlap with other projects.

Qualifications

• Strong quantitative and experimental research skills.
• Experience with eye-tracking, user-centred design, and/or health-app evaluation is an advantage.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating in an international, interdisciplinary team.
• Excellent English communication skills and a commitment to open science.
• Candidates with a Master’s or PhD may apply.

Responsibilities

• Design the research study based on literature review and stakeholder input.
• Conduct research using experimental methods including surveys and eye-tracking.
• Prepare findings and data for publications and internal reports.
• Present work at (inter)national conferences.

Skills

Eye-tracking

Quantitative research

Experimental design

Open science

Academic communication

Education

Master's or PhD in relevant field

Job description

Join us!

Health apps and other person-centred digital health technologies are increasingly central to sustainable health systems, improved care, and public health. Yet their benefits are not equally accessible: people who use health apps tend to be younger, more highly educated, more affluent, and more digitally literate. How can we verify the efficacy, quality, and safety of health apps—and ensure that users can make informed choices regardless of their background or level of digital health literacy?

The Horizon Europe project Label2Enable (2022–2024), involving several ASCoR colleagues, developed a standardized quality assessment framework and user-friendly quality label for health apps. The label provides accessible information on key dimensions of app quality, including the veracity of health benefit claims, safety, ease of use, data security, and software quality. Label2Scale builds on this work, with the aim of supporting the equitable uptake and effective use of the label across diverse user groups.

Your tasks

You will contribute to the broader research programme by designing and conducting an eye-tracking experiment investigating how the design, placement, size, timing, and visual presentation of quality labels in an app-store environment shape users’ attention and understanding, with a particular focus on people with low levels of (digital) health literacy. You will also liaise with stakeholders across the international consortium and disseminate findings transparently to both academic and practitioner audiences, in line with the open science principles of the Label2Scale project.

Tasks:

• Design the research study outlined above based on a thorough literature review and in consultation with the project supervisers and relevant stakeholders within the Label2Scale consortium
• Conduct the research adopting experimental methods including survey and eye-tracking methodologies
• Prepare findings, materials and data for publications in academic journals, and for internal reports to diverse stakeholders within the Label2Scale project following agreed upon open science principles;
• present your work at (inter)national conferences;

What you have to offer

The ideal candidate has strong quantitative and experimental research skills and an interest in digital health, (digital) health literacy, and equity. Experience with eye-tracking, user-centred design, and/or health-app evaluation is an advantage. The candidate should be able to work independently while collaborating effectively in an international, interdisciplinary consortium, and should have excellent English communication skills and a strong commitment to open science. Candidates who hold either a (research) master’s or PhD degree may apply.

What we offer you

The position concerns temporary assignment of 19 hours per week for a maximum term of one year starting January 1st 2027 as part of or in addition to your current employment contract. The assignment may be combined with another postdoctoral project or with teaching duties (current position as Researcher or Teacher). In consultation with the project team, it may also be possible to complete the project in a shorter timeframe by working more hours per week.

You will work in this team

The project will be supervised by Dr. Christin Scholz and Dr. Annemiek Linn. You will be part of the program group Persuasive Communication the Amsterdam Center for Health Communication/ACHC, and the greater Label2Scale consortium.

Are you interested in gaining research experience while contributing to safer and more equitable use of digital health technology? We are seeking a junior or postdoctoral researcher to support Label2Scale, a European Commission-funded project focused on enabling safe and equitable access to health apps, including through standardized quality labels displayed in app stores. The position offers the opportunity to conduct research with direct practical relevance, collaborate across countries and disciplines, and contribute to the responsible development and use of digital health technologies.

Join us!

Health apps and other person-centred digital health technologies are increasingly central to sustainable health systems, improved care, and public health. Yet their benefits are not equally accessible: people who use health apps tend to be younger, more highly educated, more affluent, and more digitally literate. How can we verify the efficacy, quality, and safety of health apps—and ensure that users can make informed choices regardless of their background or level of digital health literacy?

The Horizon Europe project Label2Enable (2022–2024), involving several ASCoR colleagues, developed a standardized quality assessment framework and user-friendly quality label for health apps. The label provides accessible information on key dimensions of app quality, including the veracity of health benefit claims, safety, ease of use, data security, and software quality. Label2Scale builds on this work, with the aim of supporting the equitable uptake and effective use of the label across diverse user groups.

Your tasks

You will contribute to the broader research programme by designing and conducting an eye-tracking experiment investigating how the design, placement, size, timing, and visual presentation of quality labels in an app-store environment shape users’ attention and understanding, with a particular focus on people with low levels of (digital) health literacy. You will also liaise with stakeholders across the international consortium and disseminate findings transparently to both academic and practitioner audiences, in line with the open science principles of the Label2Scale project.

Tasks:

• Design the research study outlined above based on a thorough literature review and in consultation with the project supervisers and relevant stakeholders within the Label2Scale consortium
• Conduct the research adopting experimental methods including survey and eye-tracking methodologies
• Prepare findings, materials and data for publications in academic journals, and for internal reports to diverse stakeholders within the Label2Scale project following agreed upon open science principles;
• present your work at (inter)national conferences;

What you have to offer

The ideal candidate has strong quantitative and experimental research skills and an interest in digital health, (digital) health literacy, and equity. Experience with eye-tracking, user-centred design, and/or health-app evaluation is an advantage. The candidate should be able to work independently while collaborating effectively in an international, interdisciplinary consortium, and should have excellent English communication skills and a strong commitment to open science. Candidates who hold either a (research) master’s or PhD degree may apply.

What we offer you

The position concerns temporary assignment of 19 hours per week for a maximum term of one year starting January 1st 2027 as part of or in addition to your current employment contract. The assignment may be combined with another postdoctoral project or with teaching duties (current position as Researcher or Teacher). In consultation with the project team, it may also be possible to complete the project in a shorter timeframe by working more hours per week.

You will work in this team

The project will be supervised by Dr. Christin Scholz and Dr. Annemiek Linn. You will be part of the program group Persuasive Communication the Amsterdam Center for Health Communication/ACHC, and the greater Label2Scale consortium.

Do you recognize yourself in the job profile? Questions about the project content can be addressed to dr. Christin Scholz ([e-mail]), or dr. Annemiek Linn ([e-mail]).