Postdoctoral Researcher Position (f/m/div) - Short-Term Mindsets and Crime

Job description

The Department of Criminology at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law, in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany (Director: Professor Jean-Louis van Gelder) is seeking to recruit for a
Postdoctoral Researcher Position (f/m/div)
Short-Term Mindsets and Crime: Testing and Validating the Theory

Your profile

We are looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher with a strong interest in experimental and interdisciplinary research on crime, decision making, and human cognition. You will join an international and interdisciplinary team working at the forefront of crime research and help push Short-Term Mindsets Theory to the next level. Your mission: put the theory’s core ideas to the test, using cutting-edge experimental methods (e.g., virtual reality and smartphone-based studies) and advanced quantitative modeling.
The ideal candidate has a background in psychology, criminology, behavioral science, or a related field, and combines strong conceptual thinking with excellent methodological and quantitative skills.
The challenge
Why are some people more likely to commit crime than others? Answers to this question can be grouped into two broad views. Criminology has long debated whether crime is best explained by stable traits (i.e., morality, self-control), as argued by dispositional perspectives, or by social and situational influences (e.g., peers, financial hardship), as proposed by sociogenic perspectives. Research into both kinds of perspective has identified hundreds of correlates of criminal behavior, yet it remains unclear how these different influences interact in real time, why crime propensity fluctuates across situations, and how some individuals avoid crime even in highly criminogenic environments.
Short-Term Mindsets Theory (STMT):
Van Gelder & Frankenhuis, 2025; Van Gelder et al., 2025), developed in our department, offers a new way forward by unifying the many fragmented predictors of crime. STMT proposes that these diverse influences are connected through an underlying temporal mechanism, namely
Short-tem mindsets (STM)
: the degree to which individuals focus on immediate vs. long-term outcomes. Understanding how this focus emerges, fluctuates, and can be shifted can provide criminology with a powerful framework for explaining and predicting crime.
This position is part of the Short-Term Mindsets research program at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law. The successful candidate will help take STMT to the next level by advancing both the theory and the empirical research behind it. A central focus is on how the theory can best be tested and validated, for example by sharpening its core predictions, testing them against competing explanations, and refining how short-term mindsets are measured. The project will draw on innovative methods, such as experiments, virtual reality, smartphone applications, and longitudinal data. There is ample scope to develop your own research ideas within this framework.
You will join an ambitious interdisciplinary team in Freiburg im Breisgau and collaborate with international researchers in criminology, psychology, and related fields. Together, we aim to push the boundaries of current crime research and build new approaches to crime prediction.
You have a completed doctorate (or are close to completing one) in psychology (e.g., social, developmental), pedagogy, (empirical) criminology, behavioral economics, sociology, or a similar discipline;
strong quantitative skills;
experience with experimental research;
a strong interest in crime research and novel research methods;
a highly collaborative attitude (you value teamwork);
excellent written and spoken English language skills;
excellent social and communication skills.
Ideal candidates are committed to open science and transparent research practices and have a track record of first-authored publications. Speaking German is an asset but not a prerequisite for the position.

About us

The Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law (MPI-CSL) is a growing European center for research in criminology, public security matters, and criminal law. The Institute is part of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science – Germany’s flagship research organization.
The Department of Criminology at the MPI-CSL offers a highly interdisciplinary and dynamic research environment in which criminologists, psychologists, sociologists, mathematicians, and computer scientists work together to understand the causes and consequences of criminal behavior and to develop effective interventions for the prevention of crime and the facilitation of offender rehabilitation. The department pushes the boundaries of crime research through the application of innovative methods, developmental theories of crime, and real-world application. It currently hosts three researchers with prestigious individual European Research Council (ERC) grants.
The Institute, with its approximately 150 employees, is located in Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany), a dynamic university city with a 900-year history. The city in the trinational border region – Germany, Switzerland, and France – impresses newcomers with its high quality of life and international flair.
Our offer
Our Institute offers unrivaled research conditions, including access to top-notch laboratory facilities as well as access to exceptional specialist libraries and databases, well-equipped workspaces, and comprehensive administrative and academic support. Collaboration with other researchers and international partners at the Institute is a key element of our work. Additionally, there are many opportunities for researchers to design, convene, or participate in workshops, seminars, and conferences.
The position is available from the earliest possible starting date. The initial contract is limited to three years, with the possibility of an extension for another three years. The position is a fully funded research position with no teaching obligations. The position is full-time (currently 39 hours/week). Remuneration and social benefits are based on the German Civil Service Collective Agreement (TVöD Bund), pay category 13 (see https://oeffentlicher-dienst.info/tvoed/bund/
). The salary includes all mandatory social insurance contributions for health care, long-term care, unemployment, and retirement. The work location is Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany). We are committed to ensuring a positive work-life balance and offer flexible work options as well as generous opportunities for personal and professional development, including free in-house German language courses. There are also a number of daycare spots at a nearby childcare facility.
The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunity employer and supports diversity in the workplace. Applications are particularly welcome from persons with backgrounds that have so far been underrepresented in science and research with regard to gender, disability, nationality, age, professional and cultural background, family situation, and sexual orientation.
Your application and further information
To apply, please submit your application with the following documents:
a motivation letter (max. one page, 10-pt Times New Roman), including an explanation as to how your interests and profile match the project goals and selection criteria;
the names and email addresses of at least two scholars who have agreed to provide a reference for you;
your CV, including a list of publications (either as first author or co-author);
your best first-authored publication;
study certificates and transcripts of records.
Please submit your application via our online application portal
.
The deadline for applications is
1 December 2026
.
Applicants will be informed in the week of 7 December 2026 whether they are invited for an interview. Online interviews with shortlisted candidates are currently planned for mid-December 2026.
Questions may be directed to Prof. Dr. Dr. Jean-Louis van Gelder ( j.vangelder@csl.mpg.de
) or Dr. Annika Hampel, Recruitment Officer ( a.hampel@csl.mpg.de
).
For information about our Institute, please visit our website
.