Summary: The Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law, in collaboration with Leiden University, is offering a fully-funded PhD position to explore future self-interventions for increasing psychological resilience in at-risk youth. This interdisciplinary project aims to develop and test a gamified smartphone application as a novel intervention tool.
Designation: PhD Candidate (F/M/DIV)
Fully-Funded PhD Position in Future-Oriented Intervention for At-Risk Youth
Research Area: The project focuses on exploring the efficacy of future self-interventions in increasing future-orientation and strengthening psychological resilience in at-risk youth with adverse early experiences.
Location: The position is based at the Department of Criminology at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law in Freiburg i. Br., Germany, with the possibility of research stays at the Institute of Education and Child Studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands.
Eligibility/Qualification:
- A Master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Pedagogical Sciences, Psychology, Criminology, Child Development)
- Experience with conducting experiments and quantitative data analysis techniques
- Interest in multivariate research methods
- Ability to work independently with excellent planning skills
- Meticulous, proactive, highly motivated, and driven to excel
- Fluency in English, both in communication and writing
- Commitment to open science and transparent research practices
- Proficiency in German or Dutch is an asset but not a prerequisite
Job Description:
As a PhD candidate in this project, your primary tasks will include:
- Contributing to the development of a novel smartphone-based intervention
- Setting up and conducting experiments in the field focusing on youth with adverse early experiences
- Investigating the effectiveness of the intervention through large-scale research
- Managing support staff, including Bachelor/Master students and research assistants
- Writing scientific articles resulting in a PhD thesis and presenting at conferences
- The position is full-time (currently 39 hours/week) and entails no teaching obligations.
How to Apply:
Interested candidates are required to submit the following documents via the online application portal on the institute’s website:
- A motivation letter (max. one page) explaining the alignment of interests and profile with the project goals and selection criteria
- CV, including a list of publications (if any)
- A writing sample, e.g., Master’s thesis, a paper, a first-authored journal article, etc.
- Name and email address of at least one scholar who has agreed to provide a reference
- Study certificates and transcripts of records
Last Date for Apply: The deadline for applications is 8 September, 2024. Interviews with shortlisted candidates are planned for October, 2024.
For further information, candidates are encouraged to visit the institute’s website at: Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law
