PhD position (4 years) in sustainable decision making and behavior change

Updated: almost 2 years ago
Job Type: FullTime
Deadline: 20 Apr 2022

We are seeking applicants for a four-years PhD position within the newly founded Center for Psychology of Sustainability and Behavior Change at the Faculty of Psychology, University of Basel. The successful candidate will work with Prof. Dr. Ulf Hahnel and a team of international leading scholars to conduct research on the cognitive and affective mechanisms underlying sustainable judgment and decisions around the world.

Project: The large-scale research project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation aims at studying cross-cultural variation in sustainable decision making by means of experimental studies in 12 nations around the globe. The project further seeks to better understand how the effectiveness of behavioral interventions to promote sustainable decisions varies across nations and time in order to advance our understanding of contextual influences on intervention effectiveness. Based on these insights, the project aims to provide policymakers around the world with tailored strategies to mitigate climate change. The project brings together a total of 13 universities, research centers, and international think tanks, including Hong Kong University, the University of Queensland, Michigan State University, the University of Waikato, Stanford University, the Yale Program of Climate Change Communication, the University of Amsterdam, and the London School of Economics.

Requirements: Applicants should have an excellent master’s degree in psychology, very good methodological and statistical skills, as well as a strong interest in decision making and sustainability topics. Previous experience with cross-cultural and longitudinal research is a plus. Furthermore, applicants should be firmly dedicated to pursuing a scientific career and be willing to work in an interdisciplinary environment. Excellent oral and written skills in English are required.

Working conditions and benefits: The newly founded Center for Psychology of Sustainability and Behavior Change provides a fast growing and stimulating international research environment to work on some of today’s most pressing societal challenges. The position will be embedded within the internationally recognized research area Social, Economic, and Decision Psychology of the University of Basel, the University Basel network Sustainable Futures (https://sustainable-future.unibas.ch/en/ ), and the Swiss Center for Affective Sciences (https://www.unige.ch/cisa/ ). The successful candidate will moreover benefit from excellent working conditions including a competitive salary (starting at about CHF 47’000), comprehensive doctoral training programs, and additional funding for conference travel and education. Basel is located at the Rhine and the borders of France and Germany and is noted for its international character and high quality of life. The University of Basel is an equal opportunity and family friendly employer committed to excellence through diversity. To increase the number of women in leading academic positions the university strongly encourages applications from women.

Applications PhD: Interested applicants are asked to send one single pdf document containing a cover letter outlining their motivation to pursue a PhD in the context of this project, their CV and relevant certifications (e.g., transcript of grades), a sample document of academic writing (e.g., master thesis) and one letter of recommendation to [email protected] . Review of applications will begin on April 20, 2022 and will continue until the position has been filled. The earliest starting date is July 1, 2022. Please don’t hesitate to contact [email protected] for further inquiries.



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