Researcher in methods and statistics, specializing in programming and structural equation modelling

Researcher in methods and statistics, specializing in programming and structural equation modelling

We are seeking a highly motivated junior (e.g., postdoctoral) researcher to develop and implement an automated, transparent framework for testing, validating, and documenting the lavaan package.

As part of Work Package 2 (Modernize lavaan’s accountability infrastructure) of the “Infra-Structural Equation Modelling:
Sustainably Scaling an Indispensable Open-Source Theory-Testing Infrastructure” project, you will become a member of the lavaan core team to implement modern software best practices into the core package. This will involve collaborating with other core team members and writing comprehensive unit tests to automatically validate user-facing visible outputs as well as invisible underlying background calculations. You will also design a validation testing database to cross-verify lavaan's estimation outcomes against those of alternative commercial and open-source statistical software.

Additionally, you will exhaustively document existing and new features, and build an accessible, public-facing documentation website.

In this role, you will be based at the University of Twente under the supervision of Dr.

F. (Florian) Schuberth, collaborating closely with core lavaan authors, SEM experts and the broader inter-university project development team.

In this role, you will become a member of the core lavaan development team:

• Develop and implement automated, transparent quality tests for both low-level and high-level functions of the lavaan packages in order to ensure the validity of the reported results.
• Systematically document existing and newly developed codebase features.
• Opportunity to co-author a “sequel” to Rosseel’s (2012) frequently cited paper in the Journal of Statistical Software, which introduced an early version of lavaan.
• Author comprehensive package vignettes (potentially publishable as tutorials in academic journals) to be included in the lavaan package or automatically deployed on the lavaan website.
• Contribute to defining and publishing transparent coding and testing standards, to guide future community contributors and extension developers, and co‑author a “call‑to‑action” tutorial paper targeted for Structural Equation Modeling:
  An Interdisciplinary Journal.

You are enthusiastic about software development and possess the following essential qualifications:

• At least a master degree.
• Strong experience with R, particularly package development, including automated unit testing and inline documentation.
• Proficiency with version control systems, specifically Git, and continuous integration workflows.
• Familiarity with the lavaan package and the foundations of structural equation modeling.
• Excellent collaborative abilities, an open mind for interdisciplinary teamwork, a constructive, solution-oriented mindset.
• A commitment to code quality and craftsmanship, with a critical, first-principles understanding of the code you write rather than reliance on automatically generated code.
• Full professional proficiency in written and spoken English.

We offer a full‑time, two‑to‑two‑and‑a‑half‑year junior researcher position, including excellent mentorship within a stimulating research environment. We aim for the successful candidate to start at the beginning of November 2026. It also includes:

• You will receive a gross monthly salary in the range of € 3.546 to € 5.538 based on experience.
• Excellent benefits including a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary, an end‑of‑year bonus of 8.3%.
• A solid pension scheme, and 29 vacation days in case of full‑time employment.
• An enthusiastic and welcoming team that is open to new colleagues and enjoys computers, research methods, and statistics.
• A green campus with free access to sports facilities and an international scientific community.
• An inspiring academic and international work environment.
• An opportunity to help shape the future of the lavaan ecosystem.
• A family‑friendly institution that offers parental leave (both paid and unpaid).

Please submit your application before 1st August 2026 using the “Apply now”…