Postdoctoral Researcher (m/f/d) | Psychology

 

The Department of Criminology at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law in Freiburg i. Br. (Germany) is seeking applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher in Psychology (m/f/d).

The Research

The Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law is a leading European center for research in criminology, public security matters, and criminal law and is part of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science – one of the world’s most distinguished research organizations. Its Department of Criminology offers a highly interdisciplinary research environment that includes psychologists, sociologists, mathematicians, criminologists, and computer scientists. It pushes the boundaries of crime research through the application of innovative methods, theory development, and real-world application. The research conducted in the department seeks to understand the causes and consequences of criminal conduct and to develop effective interventions for the prevention of crime and the facilitation of offender rehabilitation.

The Institute is located in Freiburg i. Br., a dynamic and green city with a 900-year history, an international atmosphere, a vibrant student population, and many recreational opportunities. Freiburg ranks third on Lonely Planet’s “Best in Travel 2022” list of the top ten city destinations.

Background

The position is embedded in the project “KNOW-THYSELF: Increasing Self-Knowledge to Promote Moral Behavior” headed by Dr. Isabel Thielmann and supported by the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant). The project pursues a person-centered approach that builds on increasing self-knowledge about moral character to promote moral behavior across multiple contexts and to facilitate long-term changes in the personality traits underlying moral action. The research questions will be addressed using a diverse spectrum of methodology, including lab and web experiments and intensive data collection in daily life.

The postdoc will be part of the Independent Research Group “Personality, Identity, and Crime” led by Dr. Thielmann. The group, which places its focus on personality, (un)ethical/criminal decision-making, and pro- vs. antisocial behavior seeks to bridge the gap between different research approaches in psychology, behavioral economics, and criminology. Ultimately, our goal is to better understand individual differences in moral and immoral action and to apply this knowledge to foster moral behavior and combat immoral conduct and crime. We are a young and highly dedicated research team striving to conduct innovative, theory-driven, and transparent research.

Your profile

• you have completed (or are close to completing) your Ph.D. in psychology or a related field
• you have experience or a strong interest in research on personality, self-knowledge, and moral behavior
• you have experience in conducting surveys and experiments and in data analysis with R
• you have experience with or are eager to learn intensive data collection in daily life (e.g., experience sampling) and analysis of corresponding data
• you have excellent written and spoken English language skills
• you have experience in publishing in psychological journals
• you are a team player
• you are committed to open science and transparent research practices

Our offer

Our Institute offers unrivalled conditions for research, including access to top-notch laboratory facilities (including a fully equipped Virtual Reality lab), exceptional specialist libraries and databases, excellent workspaces, and comprehensive administrative and academic support. Collaboration with other researchers and international partners at the Institute is a key element of our work. Additionally, there are many opportunities for our researchers to participate in workshops, seminars, and conferences.

The position is available from 1st November, 2022 and limited to five years. It is a fully funded research position with no teaching obligations. The position is full-time (currently 39 hours / week). Remuneration and social benefits are based on the German Civil Service Collective Agreement (TVöD Bund), pay category 13 (depending on prior experience), 100% (only in German). The salary includes all mandatory social insurance contributions for healthcare, long-term care, unemployment, and retirement. The workplace is Freiburg i. Br. (Germany). We are committed to ensuring a positive work-life balance and offer flexible work options, including remote work, as well as generous opportunities for personal and professional development, including free in-house German language courses.

The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunity employer and supports diversity in the workplace. Applications from disabled persons are welcome. We also aim to increase the percentage of female staff in fields in which they are underrepresented and therefore expressly encourage women to apply. Applications are particularly welcome from persons with backgrounds that have so far been underrepresented in science and research with regard to gender, age, professional and cultural background, family situation, sexual orientation, and nationality.

Information and application

To apply, please submit your application with the following documents:

1. a letter of interest/motivation (max. two pages), including an explanation as to how your interests and profile matches the project and selection criteria;
2. name and email address of two scholars who have agreed to provide a reference for you;
3. your CV, including a list of publications (either as first or co-author);
4. the publication you are most proud of yourself, including a brief explanation why so;
5. your PhD thesis and certificate (if applicable).

Please submit the application via our online application portal.

For further information, please contact Dr. Isabel Thielmann (i.thielmann@csl.mpg.de) or Dr. Annika Hampel (a.hampel@csl.mpg.de).

The deadline for applications is 24th July, 2022.