Researcher in Psychology

Earliest start date February 2025, position to be filled as soon as possible

The Faculty of Psychology is one of seven faculties of the oldest university in Switzerland. With our core focus on Society & Choice and Health & Interventions, we are successful both nationally and internationally in our research and study programs.
 
In the newly established department of Forensic Psychology, we work on the application of psychological theories, methods and empirical findings to legal problems. Our research currently focuses on the prognosis and prevention of child abuse and neglect, forensic-psychological assessment, children's rights, and the development of aggressive and antisocial behavioral problems.

Your position

• Joint planning, coordination, and implementation of research projects in alignment with the research areas of the department.
• Implementing current methods and perspectives in data collection and analysis in forensic psychology.
• Advanced statistical analyses of existing and new datasets and conduct of meta-analyses.
• Supervision of staff and students in research.
• Coordination of professional exchange and workshops, e.g., on best practice standards/open science.
• Participation in national and international collaborations.
• Presenting research findings in academic journals, at national and international conferences.
• Teaching activities in the field of psychological assessment and forensic psychology, supervision of bachelor and master theses.
• Conceptualization, acquisition, and documentation of third-party funded projects, including the preparation of interim and final reports.

Your profile

• PhD in psychology or a related field (to be completed by the time of employment).
• Interest in research in the field of forensic psychology, in alignment with and in expansion of the research focus of the department.
• Prior experience in research and/or practice in forensic psychology through a corresponding major in your studies, internships, practical experience, e.g., as court expert witness, is advantageous.
• Very good skills in research methods and statistical analysis (e.g., structural equation modeling, machine learning) and statistical software (e.g., R, STATA, Mplus).
• Interest in teaching, experience in student supervision (Bachelor's and Master's theses).
• Experience in planning and conducting longitudinal studies is desirable.
• Experience in identifying and utilizing existing datasets, in collaboration with international research teams, is an advantage.
• Ability to work in a team, communication skills, organizational skills.
• Reliable and dedicated work ethic.
• Proficiency in English language (both written and spoken), knowledge of German is advantageous. The department's working language is English. Teaching, preparation of research materials and data collection are mostly conducted in German.

We offer you

• Opportunity to conduct independent research at the Faculty of Psychology, pursue further academic qualification and the acquisition of third-party funding.
• Involvement in the research group's projects as well as national and international collaboration opportunities.
• Access to a state-of-the-art behavioral, experimental and psychophysiology laboratory.
• Development of academic, teaching and interdisciplinary competencies.
• Engaged and frequent supervision.
• Employment conditions according to University guidelines for postdoctoral researchers.
• The position is initially limited to 2 years, with the option of extension for a maximum of 6 years in total.

• One-page cover letter (incl. preferred work percentage, parttime or fulltime) addressed to Prof. Dr. Jelena Zumbach-Basu.
• Curriculum vitae including list of research output (publications, conference papers/presentations, code, datasets).
• Relevant certificates.
• Example of an academic work, e.g., your most important publication, PhD thesis.
• Names and contact information of two references.