PhD Forensic Psychology

Position Overview

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 research group Forensic Psychology, we work on the application of psychological theories, methods and empirical findings to legal problems.

The position to be filled is located in the project “Disclosures of abuse and intrafamilial violence to ChatGPT and other chatbots”, funded by the Swiss National Research Foundation (SNSF).

• Investigate research questions within the project “Disclosures of abuse and intrafamilial violence to ChatGPT and other chatbots”, including planning and conducting the study involving preparation, data collection, analyzing data and producing results.
• Build and maintain research and practice collaborations, including an expert advisory group to the project.
• Present research findings in academic journals, at national and international conferences, as well as within the Graduate School of Psychology.

• Completed master''s degree in psychology or a closely related field.
• Interest in research in the field of forensic psychology, in alignment with and in expansion of the research focus of the department and the project.
• 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).
• 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 opportunity to pursue a PhD at the Faculty of Psychology and to participate in the educational program of the Graduate School of Psychology.
• 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.

We value diversity in our team and are committed to fostering an inclusive work environment. Therefore, we encourage applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds and life experiences. We look forward to receiving your application documents:

• One-page cover letter addressed to Prof. Dr. Jelena Zumbach-Basu.
• Curriculum vitae including list of research output (publications, conference papers/presentations, code, datasets if applicable).
• Relevant certificates.
• Example of an academic work, e.g., master''s thesis, seminar paper.

Please submit these documents via the online portal; applications through other channels will not be considered. The review of applications will begin on June 01, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled. For further information, please contact us via email bach-basu using "PhD vacancy" as the email subject.

Fields:
Forensic Psychology, Health Psychology, Cognitive Psychology.