项目介绍

2025年4月16日

Are you a researcher with a background in social psychology (or related areas) and interested in new approaches to study people’s trust judgments and their fairness perceptions? And do you want to examine how this research can help humans to respond in adaptive ways to crises pertaining to important topics in society, such as radicalisation, pandemics, and climate issues? Join our team!

Your job

As part of the Gravitation project Adapt! external link, we are looking for a PhD candidate who will conduct methodologically innovative studies on perceived trust and fairness judgments. These studies can involve both lab and field experiments, but other types of empirical studies are also welcome.

Trust in other people and in social institutions is critically important to the effectiveness and legitimacy of a crisis response. However, people often lack the information they need to decide whether others (including abstract entities such as institutions) can be trusted and regarded as reliable interaction partners. This lack of information becomes especially poignant in times of crisis. Furthermore, under conditions of uncertainty, fairness is an important concern. For example, people want to know whether they are being treated fairly and in a just manner by parties having power over them.

Importantly, while these assumptions about trust, fairness, and uncertainty have been around for some time, solid empirical evidence is still missing. Therefore, as a PhD researcher, you will examine these issues in controlled laboratory and field experiments. Moreover, you will study how the findings thus obtained inform practical strategies for what people, groups of people, and societal institutions can do when they are navigating through various crises. This includes addressing issues of social cohesion and how people form and restore trust judgments.

You will have the following tasks and responsibilities:

• publishing peer-reviewed journal articles and write a dissertation;
• helping with events, workshops, and conferences;
• participating in project meetings, and collaborating with the other members of the research team;
• assisting with knowledge dissemination and other activities of Adapt!;
• presenting research results at national and international workshops and conferences.

Your qualities

• A (Research) Master’s degree in social psychology, or another discipline relevant for Adapt!, such as history, governance, or philosophy;
• a truly interdisciplinary mindset with a willingness to learn from other fields, both in terms of methodology and content;
• a proactive approach to collaborating with other work packages in the Adapt! programme, working effectively with principal investigators, PhD candidates, and postdocs on complex, interdisciplinary projects;
• expertise in crises related to radicalisation/terrorism, climate change, and/or pandemics;
• expertise in conducting experimental research and other methods relevant for Adapt!;
• eagerness to learn and improve skills in writing academic publications and communicating research to broader audiences;
• a collaborative attitude with strong interpersonal, analytical, and organisational skills;
• preference to candidates who are fluent in both Dutch and English.

Our offer

• A position for one year, with an extension to a total of four years upon successful assessment;
• a working week of 38 hours and a gross monthly salary between €2,901 and €3,707 (salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday bonus and 8.3% end-of-year bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave, and flexible employment conditions based on the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities.

In addition to the terms of employment external link laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development external link, leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities external link, as well as discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University external link.

About us

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University external link, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes external link. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow external link.

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences external link is one of the leading faculties in Europe providing research and academic teaching in cultural anthropology, educational sciences, interdisciplinary social science, pedagogical sciences, psychology, and sociology. Almost 7,000 students are enrolled in a broad range of undergraduate external link and graduate external link programmes. The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences has some 1,100 faculty and staff members, all providing their individual contribution to the training and education of young talent and to the research into and finding solutions for scientific and societal issues.

More information

For more information, please contact Kees van den Bos external link at k.vandenbos@uu.nl.

Please note that international candidates that need a visa/work permit for the Netherlands require at least four months processing time after selection and acceptance. Our International Service Desk external link (ISD) can answer your questions about living in the Netherlands as international staff external link. Finding appropriate housing in or near Utrecht is your own responsibility, but the ISD may be able to advise you therewith. In case of general questions about working and living in The Netherlands, please consult the Dutch Mobility Portal external link.

Candidates for this vacancy will be recruited by Utrecht University.

Apply now

As Utrecht University, we want to be a home external link for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute.

To apply, please send the following documents via the the ‘apply now’ button:

• your motivation letter, including your concrete ideas how to study the research topics;
• your curriculum vitae;
• gradelists of your Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees;
• if possible, a research publication or your Master’s thesis;
• a list of three referees.

The first round of interviews takes place in the week of 16 June and a second round may take place in the week of 27 June. The preferred starting date is 1 September 2025.

The application deadline is 11 May 2025.