Postdoc in Forensic Meta-Science — Universität Bern
- Location
- Bern
- Contract
- Full-time
- Posted
Full description
UniBE is ambitious. With us, you deliver top performance and test your skills against the best.
Your role / profile
- Conducting cognitive task analyses with members of the science 'sleuth' community.
- Co-organising and running workshops with sleuths.
- Analysing these qualitative data to develop a taxonomy of sleuthing practices.
- Creating a roadmap for such checks that can be formalised into methods and tools.
- Teaching opportunities are available in English and/or German, but there are no teaching requirements.
Your profile
Essential
- A PhD in Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction, Epidemiology, Research Methods, or a related field.
- Demonstrated interest in (forensic) meta-science, scientific error detection, trustworthiness assessment, or quality assessment within research synthesis.
- Comfortable working closely with people, building rapport with expert practitioners and eliciting knowledge from them.
- Strong written and spoken English.
- Willingness to commute or relocate to Bern, Switzerland, and begin by between February 1st and April 1st. This is an in-person or hybrid commuting position; remote work is not available.
Desirable
- Familiarity with cognitive task analysis, process tracing, think-aloud protocols, or similar methods for eliciting how experts work and why.
- Experience designing, conducting, and analysing qualitative research (e.g., in-depth interviews, observation, thematic or framework analysis).
- Familiarity or prior experience with science sleuthing (e.g., PubPeer, forensic meta-science checks).
What we offer / Diversity and inclusion
- Salary in accordance with University of Bern regulations.
- English-speaking research group.
We explicitly encourage applications from women and candidates from underrepresented backgrounds in academia. Collaborative environment and ambitious team Application and Contact Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until filled. Apply by November 30, 2026 for full consideration.
- Motivation letter (max 2 pages) describing relevant skills and research interests.
- Academic CV, including publications and preprints; relevant technical skills and evidence of them (i.e., links to your GitHub and OSF profile or similar).
- Contact information of 2 references.
- A one-page document describing between one and two representative projects that demonstrate your interests and skills relative to the project. This can be broadly conceived. For example, these could include a brief description of the relevance of a publication or preprint, a qualitative or interview study you conducted, a PubPeer comment you have written, an R package or method you have contributed to, or your involvement in a meta-science initiative.
With us, you create value. For yourself and for society.
Projekt Description
This postdoc position is funded by the UKRI under its Metascience funding scheme as part of the project "After the Flood: Near-Future Scenarios and Countermeasures of AI-Accelerated Research Fabrication" (PI: Prof Sebastian Deterding, Imperial College London). You will work under Dr. Ian Hussey, whose research group is embedded in the broader department of Psychology of Digitalisation chaired by Prof. Malte Elson. This project aims to design a roadmap for the current and future development methods and tools to help formalise 'science sleuthing' into structured Trustworthiness Assessments. Your role / profile
What we offer / Diversity and inclusion
More Information Job-Abo Application Process
Your Benefits
Team-oriented work Individual career support University sports Other benefits Your Benefits
Working at the University of Bern
The University of Bern not only offers exciting tasks but also an environment that actively promotes development, diversity, and equal opportunities. Discover what makes us stand out as an employer and how you can grow with us. Career page Open positions
Questions about this listing
What salary does Universität Bern offer for this role?
The original listing does not state a salary. Our estimate for this role and sector in Bern is CHF 68'500 - 104'000 gross per year — an estimate, not a figure communicated by Universität Bern. The calculator on this site converts a gross salary into your actual net take-home once cross-border tax and social contributions are applied.
Is this a full-time role, and what type of contract does Universität Bern offer?
This listing is a full-time position. The contract type shown here comes directly from the employer's original posting; always confirm exact hours, notice period and probation length with Universität Bern during the application process, since these details can vary by role even within the same contract category.
Do I need a cross-border work permit for a role in Bern?
EU/EFTA citizens living in an EU/EFTA state can apply for a G permit and can work anywhere in Switzerland: border zones no longer apply to them, and they must return home at least once a week. The Swiss employer files the request with Canton Bern's migration office after the contract is signed. Processing times vary by canton, so confirm the specifics with Bern's cantonal migration office or with HR during the application.
How do I apply for this position at Universität Bern?
Use the "Apply now" button on this page — it links directly to Universität Bern's original listing at jobs.unibe.ch, so your application goes straight to the employer's own applicant-tracking system. Frontaliere Ticino does not collect or forward applications itself.
