Welcome to Maastricht University!
Do you have a Master’s degree in Legal Psychology, Neuropsychology or a Research Master? In an interdisciplinary project funded by the Faculty Psychology and Neuroscience, we are looking for a PhD candidate who is interested in studying the effects of arousal on eyewitness memory.
PhD Candidate: Eyewitness memory under pressure: How stress and arousal affect memory recall—and how to reduce their impact (Legal Psychology / Neuropsychology)
Our goal: We are looking for a PhD candidate with a specific interest in arousal, stress, and eyewitness memory. The aim of the project is to determine how acute stress and arousal at retrieval affect eyewitness recall, and to test interventions that may mitigate negative effects while supporting eyewitness well-being.
Your colleagues: The section Forensic Psychology consists of 12 permanent staff members, several internal and external PhD candidates and two postdoctoral candidates (see here for more information https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/fpn/forensic-psychology). You will also collaborate with colleagues from the Faculty of Health, Medicine, and Life Sciences and the Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology.
What you do
As PhD candidate in the section Forensic Psychology, you will have the following responsibilities and tasks:
• Conduct empirical research for your PhD trajectory, applying eyewitness paradigms, stress and arousal manipulations, eye tracking, psychopharmacology etc.
• Publish your research in (inter)national peer-reviewed journals and present findings at national and international scientific meetings;
• Endorse the principles of open science;
• Make positive contributions to the organization and cooperation within the section and faculty and have a strong proactive and collaborative approach;
• Have excellent communication (oral and written) skills in English;
• Fulfill a small teaching role (10%), teaching courses in the Masters’ and Bachelor programs at FPN, and supervising students.
What you bring
• A Master’s degree in legal psychology, neuropsychology, a Research Master, or a comparable psychology degree;
• Proven affinity with research in the field of eyewitness memory and/or arousal and memory;
• Ability to design and carry out high quality research;
• Experience with quantitative data analysis.
What we offer
At Maastricht University, you’ll work in an international, open, and engaged environment. We offer:
- A 12-month contract (1,0 fte) with the prospect of a 3 year extension.
- A gross monthly salary between €3059,00and €3881,00 (based on full-time employment of 38 hours per week). 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus.
- 29 vacation days (based on full-time), four additional days off (Carnival Monday and Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day), and the possibility to accrue up to 12 extra days through compensation hours.
- Flexible working hours, a home office allowance, and the option to work from home.
- Freedom and space to shape your work independently and develop your ideas.
- A close-knit community of colleagues to collaborate and grow with.
- A solid pension plan via ABP, company fitness schemes, and access to various university sports facilities.
- An inspiring work environment in the heart of Europe.
About the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN)
At FPN, we share a curiosity about the human brain and behaviour. Together with our students, we explore how our brains function and learn why we do what we do. We connect perspectives and contribute to living together in society.
Interested?
Want to know more about this position or what it’s like to work at our university? Reach out to contact Melanie Sauerland at melanie.sauerland@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
Or are you already convinced and ready to become our new PhD candidate? Then apply for this position by 25 May. Interviews likely take place on 18 June 2026.
Please upload your motivation letter (max. 500 words), CV (max 2 pages), and publication list.
The preferred starting date for this position is between 1 September and 15 October 2026.
Apply now via the button below. We look forward to getting to know you!
About Maastricht University
At Maastricht University, we collaboratively seek solutions to help move the world forward. We do this with 23,300 students and 5,400 employees across 5 regional locations, 6 faculties, and more than 70 research institutes. We encourage you to push boundaries and discover new opportunities for yourself and the world around you. Together, we can find the answers for tomorrow.
The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.
At Maastricht University, we prefer to contact potential candidates directly. We therefore kindly ask that no agencies or intermediaries submit offers or approaches.
Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.
