Researcher in Methods and Statistics Specializing in Programming and Structural Equation Modeling

Advancing open SEM research.
You will join the Programme Group of Methods and Statistics, at the Department of Child Development and Education, at the University of Amsterdam, where you will be supervised by a coauthor of the lavaan package. Your primary tasks will include programming in R and C++, as well as publishing tutorials for two types of audience: (a) applied researchers who can use lavaan for their SEMs, and (b) methodological researchers who develop new SEM methods, to be implemented in (extensions of) the lavaan package.

What are you going to do
In this role, you will:

• write computer code, using both C++ and R, to refactor lavaan’s internal processes, to improve speed, modularity, and scalability;
• investigate diagnostic properties (e.g., speed, accuracy) of the updated lavaan package, comparing performance to the current package;
• publish about the updated package in the Journal of Statistical Software, as an update to Rosseel’s (2012) frequently cited paper introducing lavaan;
• develop documentation and educational materials with collaborators at other universities.
• Contribute to teaching tasks (15–25% of the full-time appointment)

What do you have to offer
We are looking for an enthusiastic researcher:

• with at least a master’s degree (preferably a PhD) and extensive training in quantitative statistical methods (particularly SEM). A degree in behavioural sciences (e.g., psychology) is preferred, but we welcome applications from other backgrounds (e.g., mathematics, computer science), if they also have some familiarity with behavioural sciences;
• who can convert (statistical) algorithms to high-quality source code (at least in R, but C++ is an asset);
• with experience working with version-control software like Git (preferably, experience can be demonstrated with activity on a public repository like GitHub);
• with strong academic skills, demonstrated by peer-reviewed empirical publications (or unpublished but institutionally archived thesis/dissertation), written in English (preferably as first author, or at least with writing contributions indicated via the publication’s CRediT statement);
• with a strong commitment to practicing open-science, demonstrated by using a public repository (e.g., the Open Science Framework) to host the SEM software code used for an empirical study (preferably utilizing lavaan).

What do we offer you
We offer a fixed-term employment contract for 38 hours per week (1.0 fte), beginning on or before September 1, 2026 (starting as soon as possible after September 1 may be accommodated, depending how soon the applicant can contribute to teaching). The position is initially for one year, with the possibility of extension for a second year subject to a positive evaluation. However, urgent financial and/or organisational reasons may be reason not to continue the employment contract. The position can be carried out on a part-time basis, in which case the duration of the contract will be extended pro rata. The maximum duration of the project is four years. Your salary, depending on relevant experience at the start of employment, ranges from €3,546 to €6,433 gross per month (salary scale 10 - 11) based on full-time employment (38 hours per week), excluding an 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus. The Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (Cao Nederlandse Universiteiten) applies. There is a working budget that will allow for international travel, to attend conferences and workshops.

We offer:

• A role in which initiative and input are highly valued;
• An enthusiastic and welcoming team that is open to new colleagues and enjoys computers, research methods, and statistics;
• An inspiring academic and international work environment in the heart of Amsterdam;
• A large (inter)national network of SEM researchers;
• An opportunity to help shape the future of the lavaan ecosystem.

You will work here
under the direct supervision of Dr. T. D. (Terrence) Jorgensen, and frequent remote collaboration with key project members: Prof. Dr. Y. (Yves) Rosseel at Ghent University and Dr. F. (Florian) Schuberth at University of Twente. You will work on site (possibly working remotely some days) in the Methods and Statistics programme: one of the 7 programme groups of the Department of Child Development and Education in the Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Methods and Statistics consists of 12 members, who teach and do research in statistics and psychometrics dedicated to child development and education.

Postdoctoral Researcher on Parenting in Times of Uncertainty

The Postdoctoral project
As a Postdoctoral Researcher on the PARENTALHOPE project, funded by an ERC Consolidator Grant (PI Patty Leijten), you will design and conduct a crowdsourcing study to identify interventions from different scientific disciplines that have the potential to increase parental feelings of hope about their children’s future. Because of the novelty of this research—there is no programmatic line of research yet on cultivating hope in parents—we need to consider expertise across disciplines, including non-published work and non-academic expertise. Crowdsourcing interventions allows for this approach in ways that would not be possible under the standard model of a small team of investigators identifying eligible interventions based on published literature.

What are you going to do

• You will design and implement a crowdsourcing study to identify interventions that have the potential to enhance parental hope.
• You will use systematic methods (e.g., Delphi methodology) to identify the most promising interventions.
• You will design and implement a forecasting study to understand the intervention features that shape stakeholder expectations regarding their effects.
• You will report your findings in peer-reviewed scientific papers.
• You will present your research at international scientific conferences.
• You will be an active member of the research team and support the work of PhD candidates in the team.

What do you have to offer

• You have a PhD in one of the social sciences relevant for this project.
• You received theoretical and methodological training across traditional disciplines.
• You have demonstrated expertise in research on hope or parenting behavior.
• You enjoy work that requires both creativity and a high level of precision.
• You are comfortable with research projects that develop iteratively and with directions changing over time.
• You feel confident in cross-cultural communication.
• You enjoy supporting the work of others.
• You have experience publishing your work in peer-reviewed journals.
• Experience with crowdsourcing, Delphi, and forecasting methods is not required but can be an advantage.

What else do we offer you
The appointment concerns temporary employment of 30.4 hours per week (0.8 fte) for a period of 3 years. The initial employment is for one year. Following a positive assessment and barring altered circumstances, this term will be extended by two years.

The starting date is 01 September 2026. Your salary will be €4,728 - € 6,433 gross per month (scale 11,0; based on 38 hours per week), keeping with the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities. We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary benefits, including 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.3%. The UvA offers excellent possibilities for further professional development and education.

You will work here
The Research Institute of Child Development and Education (RICDE) is part of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences at the University of Amsterdam. Dedicated to advancing knowledge on the development, learning, and well-being of children, the institute integrates cutting-edge research with real-world applications to impact education and care. We offer a dynamic environment paired with an informal and supportive atmosphere. You will work in an enthusiastic and warm team where initiative and input are highly valued.

PhD Position on Parenting in Times of Uncertainty

The PhD project
This PhD project is part of the PARENTALHOPE project, funded by an ERC Consolidator Grant (PI Patty Leijten). You will study the conditions that motivate parents to actively seek exploration and interpersonal connection when the future of their children is uncertain. You will combine cross-national longitudinal research and experimental research to identify the psychological levers that generate an experience of hope, and how this experience shapes parents’ behavior.

What are you going to do

• You will work with a survey company to set-up a cross-national longitudinal study in Estonia, Portugal, and the Netherlands.
• You will design and implement a series of experimental lab studies.
• You will analyze the data from both strands of research.
• You will report your findings in peer-reviewed scientific papers.
• You will present your research at international scientific conferences.

What do you have to offer

• You have completed (or will complete in the summer of 2026) a master's degree in pedagogy, developmental, social or family psychology, or a related discipline.
• You received training in quantitative research methods and statistics, preferably both longitudinal and experimental research.
• You have demonstrated expertise or a clearly evidenced interest in research on parenting behavior.
• You enjoy engaging deeply with abstract theoretical questions.
• You are comfortable in a research environment where projects develop iteratively, and directions may change over time.
• You enjoy work that requires a high level of precision.
• You feel comfortable working in teams.
• You have experience with scientific writing.
• Dutch proficiency is not required. However, as part of the project involves local data collection with Dutch-speaking participants, it can be an advantage.

What else do we offer you
The appointment concerns temporary employment of 38 hours per week (1.0 fte) for a period of 4 years. The initial employment is for one year. Following a positive assessment and barring altered circumstances, this term will be extended by three years, which should result in the conferral of a doctorate. We will put together a graduate school curriculum. You will contribute to teaching activities in the department (around 10% of your time). The starting date is 01 September 2026.

Where you will work
The Research Institute of Child Development and Education (RICDE) is part of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences at the University of Amsterdam. Dedicated to advancing knowledge on the development, learning, and well-being of children, the institute integrates cutting-edge research with real-world applications to impact education and care. We offer a dynamic environment paired with an informal and supportive atmosphere. You will work in an enthusiastic and warm team where initiative and input are highly valued.

Universitair Docent Klinische Neuropsychologie (2 parttime posities)

Join us!
Wij zoeken twee collega’s (ieder 0,5 fte max) voor zowel onderzoek als onderwijs binnen de klinische neuropsychologie, die in het onderwijs wetenschappelijke vraagstukken weet te verbinden aan vragen en uitdagingen in de (klinische) praktijk en zo studenten een gedegen wetenschappelijke basis kan bieden voor hun latere loopbaan. We zoeken expliciet mensen die graag in de klinische praktijk willen blijven werken en bij deze praktijkinstelling ook enige ruimte krijgen om onderzoek te doen.

Dit ga je doen
Het gaat om een dienstverband waarbij je onderwijs en onderzoek combineert (verdeling 55/45% in 0,5 fte):

• Je bouwt je eigen onderzoekslijn uit waarbij je aansluiting zoekt bij de onderzoekslijnen van het KNP team.
• Je probeert je onderzoek te vertalen naar de praktijk en de praktijk te vertalen naar onderzoek door nauwe samenwerking met de klinische praktijk.
• Je werft actief subsidies (al dan niet samen met anderen).
• Je (co-)coördineert een cursus en de klinische stages, geeft hoorcolleges en begeleidt werkgroepen voor de bachelor en master klinische neuropsychologie.
• Je ontwikkelt samen met ervaren mededocenten de inhoud van de verschillende bachelor en mastercursussen.
• Je begeleidt studenten bij hun onderzoek voor hun bachelor en masterthese projecten en bij hun klinische stage.

Dit vragen we van jou
Je hebt:

• Een promotietraject succesvol afgerond, bij voorkeur op een klinisch neuropsychologisch onderwerp zoals dementie, multiple sclerose of de ziekte van Parkinson, of juist binnen de kinderneuropsychologie of in de cross-culturele klinische neuropsychologie;
• Duidelijke onderzoekservaring blijkend uit publicaties in internationale vakbladen;
• Enige ervaring met het geven van wetenschappelijk onderwijs;
• Goede beheersing van de Nederlandse en Engelse taal;
• Duidelijke klinische ervaring, bij voorkeur een GZ-registratie of hoger;
• Ervaring in het succesvol binnenhalen van subsidie gelden en reeds in het bezit zijn van een BKO (basis kwalificatie onderwijs) of equivalent zijn beiden een pré, maar geen voorwaarden. ;
• Daarnaast ben je een enthousiaste collega die graag kennis deelt, open science omarmt, en nieuwsgierig, kritisch en leergierig is.

Dit bieden we jou nog meer
We bieden een parttime dienstverband voor 19 uur per week voor een periode van één jaar met een proeftijd van twee maanden. Bij gebleken geschiktheid en ongewijzigde financiële- en organisatorische omstandigheden wordt het contract omgezet in een vaste arbeidsovereenkomst. De beoordeling vindt plaats op basis van het UFO profiel Universitair Docent, op de competenties Conceptueel vermogen, Omgevingsgerichtheid, Presenteren en Resultaatgerichtheid. Daarnaast verwachten we een actieve bijdrage aan het goed functioneren van de afdeling (‘good citizenship’).

Dit bieden we je ook nog…

• een uitdagende functie met afwisselende werkzaamheden en volop ruimte voor eigen initiatief en ontwikkeling bij een inspirerende organisatie;
• een functie waarbij eigen initiatief en input sterk gewaardeerd worden;
• een enthousiast en warm team dat openstaat voor nieuwe collega’s;
• een inspirerende academische en internationale werkomgeving in het hart van Amsterdam.

Hier ga je werken
Het KNP team van enthousiaste collega’s, zijn namelijk naast hun universitaire werk vaak ook werkzaam (of geweest) in de klinische praktijk. Ons team is ingebed in de programmagroep Brein en Cognitie van de afdeling Psychologie in de Faculteit der Maatschappij- en Gedragswetenschappen. Deze programmagroep biedt een bachelor-specialisatie op het gebied van Brain and Cognition (Engelstalig) en een specialisatie Klinische Neuropsychologie (Nederlandstalig). Ook geven we les binnen de bachelor Psychobiologie. Op masterniveau geven we onderwijs in de tracks Klinische Neuropsychologie, Brain and Cognition in Society en de research masters Psychology en Brain and Cognitive Sciences (MBCS). Het gaat voor deze functie primair om het onderwijs voor de Klinische Neuropsychologie specialisatie (bachelor en master) en mogelijk ook de bachelor psychobiologie.

Postdoc position in Numerical Analysis

We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated
postdoc candidate to join as soon as possible the Mathematics of Computational Science (MACS) group within the Department of Applied Mathematics at the University of Twente. You will
work under the supervision of Dr. Gregor Gantner on a project dedicated to advancing the field of adaptive methods for time-dependent partial differential equations (PDEs). The position is
funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) via the Vidi research project Optimal adaptive spacetime boundary and finite element methods.

The project focuses on the design, numerical analysis, and implementation of novel numerical algorithms to efficiently solve parabolic PDEs such as the heat equation. More precisely, you shall investigate space-time finite element methods (FEM) and space-time boundary element methods (BEM), which both discretize the PDE as a whole, treating time as yet another dimension. In particular, this allows for fully flexible local mesh refinement in the space-time cylinder. You will develop suitable aposteriori computable estimators for the discretization error to adaptively steer the mesh refinement and mathematically prove that the resulting algorithms converge optimally with respect
to the number of mesh elements. You will further implement and thereby validate the theoretical results through numerical experiments.

You will conduct your research in a collaborative, international, and interdisciplinary environment that values both academic excellence and open exchange of ideas. The MACS group offers a
stimulating atmosphere with regular discussions, opportunities for collaboration, and access to expertise in numerical analysis, dynamical systems, and high-performance computing. The position includes funding to present your work at leading
conferences and engage in international collaborations.