PhD Positions: BSI Graduate School

1. Introduction

The Behavioural Science Institute (BSI) Graduate School offers four PhD positions on the theme Empowering the Young. If you are interested in becoming a behavioural scientist and want to work at an institute where multiple disciplines of behavioural science are studied under one roof, we invite you to apply for our 2026 PhD positions.

2. Job description

The BSI’s overall aim is to strengthen people by means of high-quality research on human behaviour. BSI has a strong tradition of linking fundamental and applied science from an interdisciplinary perspective in order to contribute to societally relevant research themes.

The four PhD positions are all linked to the research theme “Empowering the Young”. “The Young” refers to the full range of young people, from infants, children, and adolescents to young adults, such as students, early-career workers, and young parents. The BSI aims to study the challenges that young people face and to contribute to their empowerment and well-being by providing the knowledge, tools, and confidence to shape their future.

The four BSI programmes which offer a PhD position are:

1. Behaviour Change and Well-Being (BCW)
2. Experimental Psychopathology and Treatment (EPT)
3. Learning, Education, and Development (LED)
4. Work, Health and Performance (WHP)

In the document, at the very end of the vacancy text (under 'Attachment'), you will find specific information about the four PhD positions. Please read this document carefully. When applying, you are asked to indicate which particular (max. 2) position(s) appeal(s) to you most.

As part of your PhD position, you will have a teaching task of 10% and the opportunity to make a start with/work on your teaching portfolio for the University Teaching Qualification (UTQ).

Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to pursue a PhD at Radboud University? Visit the page about working as a PhD candidate. 

3. Profile

• You hold a (Research) Master's degree in Behavioural Science, Psychology, Pedagogical Sciences, Educational Sciences or Communication Science.
• You enjoy complex matters that require flexibility and creativity in bringing different viewpoints together.
• You have strong analytical, methodological and statistical skills, and you value research quality and open science.
• You have good written and spoken English language skills as required for scientific publishing.
• You work well in a team, while also being able to work independently.
• You effectively adapt your communication style to align with different people and situations.
• You are proactive, solution-oriented, and show resilience when facing setbacks.
• You acknowledge your personal areas of development and translate them into professional learning goals, and welcome receiving and providing constructive feedback.

4. We are

The Behavioural Science Institute (BSI) is an interdisciplinary research institute where fundamental, applied and translational research takes place with the aim of understanding important societal issues and contributing to their solutions. BSI is one of the three research institutes of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Radboud University. Our researchers collaborate across the boundaries of psychology, communication science and pedagogical and educational science. Our mission for the coming years is to join forces in interdisciplinary research on the theme ’Empowering the Young’. We study the challenges young people face in our society and work to empower them.

BSI performs high-quality research with scientific and societal impact. To foster this, the institute provides excellent research facilities and has strong collaborations with non-academic partners. Moreover, BSI is known for its successful graduate school and strong dedication to open science and team science. We stand for a warm, inclusive, and cooperative research environment in which our staff are well supported by a work culture that promotes collaboration and respect.

5. We offer

• You will be employed for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4 year contract, 1.0FTE) or 3.5 years (5 year contract, 0.8FTE).
• You will receive a starting salary of €3,059 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €3,881 from the fourth year onwards (salary scale P).
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus. 
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20. 

6. Practical information and applying

You can apply only via the button below. Address your letter of application to Prof. Dr. Debby Beckers. In the application form, you will find which documents you need to include with your application. We look forward to receiving your application.

The interviews will take place in May. Specific dates are mentioned in the project descriptions. You will preferably start your employment at 1 September, but no later than 1 November.

We can imagine you're curious about our application procedure. It describes what you can expect during the application procedure and how we handle your personal data and internal and external candidates.