PhD Candidate: From Good Intentions to Real Impact - Can AI Support Sustainable Consumer Choices?

PhD Candidate: From Good Intentions to Real Impact - Can AI Support Sustainable Consumer Choices?

• Our goal: to investigate whether conversational AI can help consumers make choices that better align with their long-term environmental goals. More broadly, you will explore how digital technologies can support self-regulation, decision-making, and sustainable behavior.
• Your colleagues: you will be jointly embedded in the Department of Marketing & Supply Chain Management (MSCM) at the School of Business and Economics and the Maastricht Sustainability Institute (MSI), with a primary affiliation in MSCM and an active role in MSI's research community.

MSCM is a vibrant and international group of researchers dedicated to high-quality research and education with a strong commitment to societal impact. Research within MSCM spans topics such as consumer behavior, digital marketing, service innovation, supply chain management, data analytics, and sustainable business.

MSI is an inter and transdisciplinary institute focused on sustainability challenges and societal transitions. MSI researchers operate within the complexity of the social-environmental-economic systems in which sustainability challenges exist and aim to combine academic excellence with real-world relevance. MSI research addresses sustainability issues in a broad sense in food systems, cities and circular economy from different disciplines to develop innovative solutions.

This dual embedding reflects the interdisciplinary nature of the project and ensures that the PhD candidate is fully integrated into both research environments. Together, MSCM and MSI provide a unique interdisciplinary environment for studying how emerging technologies can contribute to more sustainable consumer behavior.

You will be supervised by Dr. Kelly Geyskens (MSCM) and Dr. Joana Wensing (MSI).
You will work closely with your supervisors as part of a collaborative research team while gradually developing into an independent researcher. The position combines conceptual development, qualitative research, experimental design, data collection, and advanced data analysis. Through your involvement in both MSCM and MSI, you will benefit from complementary expertise in consumer behavior and sustainability.

The Project
This PhD project addresses one of the key challenges in sustainability research: many consumers want to act sustainably but often struggle to turn these intentions into everyday behavior. At the same time, conversational AI tools are becoming part of daily life and increasingly influence how people search for information, make decisions, and solve problems.

In this project, you will investigate whether conversational AI can help consumers make choices that better align with their long-term environmental goals. More broadly, you will explore how digital technologies can support self-regulation, decision-making, and sustainable behavior.

The project combines insights from consumer behavior, sustainability, psychology, and human–technology interaction. Using a combination of literature reviews, qualitative research, and behavioral experiments, you will contribute to a rapidly growing research area with both scientific and societal relevance.

This position offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of consumer behavior, sustainability, and technological innovation while being part of two internationally recognized research communities.

What you do
As a PhD candidate, you will:

• Develop research questions and hypotheses based on existing scientific literature.
• Design and conduct a multi-method research program combining literature reviews, qualitative research, and behavioral experiments.
• Collect, manage, and analyze qualitative and quantitative data.
• Ensure the transparency and reproducibility of research processes and analyses.
• Write research papers for submission to international academic journals.
• Present your work at international conferences and research seminars.
• Participate in doctoral training, coursework, and professional development activities.
• Contribute to teaching and student supervision within both departments.

Are you ready to set the course for the years ahead? Then we’d love to meet you.

What you bring
We’re not looking for checkboxes; we’re interested in who you are and what you bring. Do you recognize yourself in this?

Given the interdisciplinary and methodologically diverse nature of this project, you are able to work independently while also collaborating effectively in an international research environment. You bring excellent collaboration and communication skills, allowing you to engage constructively with diverse perspectives, work effectively in teams, and demonstrate openness and resilience. You are adaptable, proactive, and comfortable navigating complexity. You think beyond conventional approaches, demonstrate an entrepreneurial mindset, and are not afraid to critically question assumptions. You consider teaching a way to broaden your skill set and knowledge.

Furthermore, you bring:

• A completed Master's degree in Psychology, Behavioral Economics, Marketing, Sustainability, Management, Data Science, or a related field before September 2026.
• A strong and demonstratable interest in consumer behavior, sustainability, and behavioral research.
• Solid quantitative and methodological skills, including experience with research methods and statistics.
• Excellent proficiency in English, both verbally and written.

PhD Candidate Translational local drug delivery

PhD Candidate Translational local drug delivery

• Our goal: Local controlled drug release by degradable biomaterials holds great promise as safe and effective tool to treat local disease, as compared to systemic administration commonly inducing side effects. However, the discrepancy between in vitro release of newly developed formulations and actual release in the body has been a major barrier. A recently granted ZonMW project aims to develop algorithms that can be used to design local drug release formulations matching the desired in vivo release profile.
• Your colleagues: Your work will be intimately intertwined with the machine learning modelling of the consortium members of the Computing Sciences department, and the Pharmaceutical Sciences department in Utrecht, in which latter you will learn to prepare the drug release formulations to be tested in the project. At Maastricht University, you will be embedded in the Experimental Pain Medicine group of the department of Anesthesiology and the Mental Health and Neurosciences research institute of Division 3.

Your role will be to generate large datasets on release profiles for different formulations to feed the developing machine learning models. Most data will be generated hight throughput in vitro, but a subset of formulations will also be tested in vivo in a rodent models, where you will apply advanced imaging technologies and intrathecal sampling to follow drug release and to determine fluid exchange rates in the intrathecal space, which will serve as model release location.

What you do
In this role, your key activities will include:

• Production of microsphere-drug combinations and initial characterisation (DLS, Z potential, buffer release profiles etc.);
• Release profile generation in predefined complex media using in vivo molecular components of the extracellular fluid (In vivo Near Infrared Imaging, Spectrofluoroscopy, ELISA, UPLC);
• MRI intrathecal contrast imaging in a rat model (at UMCU high field facility);
• Intrathecal injection, microdialysis and serum sampling for systemic pharmacokinetics, perfusion fixation in rats;
• Histology for drug location.

Are you ready to set the course for the years ahead? Then we’d love to meet you.

What you bring
We’re not looking for checkboxes; we’re interested in who you are and what you bring. Do you recognize yourself in this?

We are looking for a strong team player who can work independently when needed, with a keen learning attitude and a passion for science.

Furthermore, you bring:

• A Master’s degree in Pharmacology or Biomedical Sciences
• Experience with, or a demonstrated interest in, drug delivery
• Experience with, or a demonstrated interest in, translational interdisciplinary research
• FELASA accreditation (art 9), because of the intended animal experiments

Information Security Officer

Information Security Officer

• Ons doel: De Universiteit Maastricht veilig houden door informatiebeveiliging continu te versterken en te waarborgen.
• Jouw collega's: Een deskundig en betrokken CISO-team dat samenwerkt aan een veilige en toekomstbestendige universiteit.

Het CI-Office, onder leiding van de CIO, vormt jouw thuisbasis. Je maakt deel uit van het CISO-team, waaraan de CISO functioneel leiding geeft. Samen met de CISO en je collega Information Security Officers werk je aan het versterken van informatiebeveiliging en cybersecurity binnen de UM. In deze tweedelijns rol adviseer en ondersteun je de organisatie bij het beheersen van risico’s en het naleven van beleid.

Je werkt nauw samen met de Local Information Security Officers (LISO’s), die binnen de verschillende beheerseenheden het eerste aanspreekpunt zijn op het gebied van informatiebeveiliging. Je draagt onder andere bij aan de implementatie van wet- en regelgeving, de inrichting van het Information Security Management System (ISMS), risicoanalyses, leveranciersbeoordelingen en informatiebeveiligingsaudits. Daarnaast adviseer je faculteiten en servicecentra, coördineer je verbeterplannen, stel je rapportages op en lever je een actieve bijdrage aan het vergroten van het veiligheidsbewustzijn binnen de universiteit.

Ben jij klaar om mee te bouwen aan een veilige universiteit? Dan ontmoeten we je graag.

Wat jij meebrengt
Het gaat ons niet om vinkjes, maar om wie jij bent en wat jij meebrengt. Herken jij jezelf hierin?

• Analytisch en kritisch – Je doorgrondt complexe vraagstukken en vertaalt risico’s naar heldere, praktisch toepasbare adviezen.
• Communicatief sterk – Je weet je boodschap af te stemmen op verschillende doelgroepen en bouwt gemakkelijk bruggen tussen techniek en organisatie.
• Samenwerkingsgericht – Je werkt graag samen, deelt kennis actief en zoekt verbinding met collega’s binnen en buiten je team.
• Stevige inhoudelijke basis – Je beschikt over hbo- of wo-werk- en denkniveau en hebt een relevante opleiding binnen het vakgebied afgerond.
• Ervaren professional – Je hebt enkele jaren ervaring binnen informatiebeveiliging, bij voorkeur vanuit organisatieperspectief.
• Bekend met standaarden en risicomanagement – Je hebt kennis van informatiebeveiligingsnormen zoals ISO 27000. Ervaring met ISMS, risicomanagement en/of Identity & Access Management is een pre.
• Nieuwsgierig naar ontwikkeling – Certificeringen zoals CISM, CISSP of een relevante GIAC-certificering zijn een pre. Heb je deze nog niet, dan ben je bereid deze binnen een redelijke termijn te behalen.
• Tweetalig en zorgvuldig – Je beschikt over goede mondelinge en schriftelijke vaardigheden in het Nederlands (minimaal B1) en Engels (minimaal C1).

Ben je enthousiast over deze functie, maar voldoe je niet aan alle eisen? We moedigen je aan om toch te solliciteren. Samen kijken we naar de mogelijkheden om je verder te ontwikkelen.

Management Assistent Juridische Zaken

Management Assistent Juridische Zaken

De afdeling Juridische Zaken ondersteunt de UM op juridisch en bestuurlijk vlak. Vanuit onze expertise adviseren wij over uiteenlopende juridische vraagstukken en dragen we bij aan zorgvuldige besluitvorming en goed bestuur binnen de universiteit. Met jouw inzet help je de afdeling optimaal functioneren.

Je werkt binnen de afdeling Juridische Zaken van Algemene Bestuurlijke Zaken (ABZ) en werkt samen met twee collega-management assistenten en circa 20 juristen binnen de afdeling. Daarnaast heb je regelmatig contact met interne stakeholders binnen de Universiteit Maastricht, waaronder collega’s van faculteiten, diensten en andere ondersteunende afdelingen. Samen zorgen jullie voor een professionele, toegankelijke en goed georganiseerde ondersteuning.

Jouw rol: Als Management Assistent ben je een belangrijke schakel in de dagelijkse ondersteuning van de afdeling en zorg je ervoor dat processen soepel verlopen. Je hebt organisatorische en administratieve taken, houdt overzicht, bewaakt processen en zorgt ervoor dat werkzaamheden tijdig en zorgvuldig worden opgepakt. Je werkt discreet en zelfstandig, maar staat ook continu in verbinding met collega’s.

Wat je doet

• Maakt dossiers aan en verwerkt administratieve gegevens zorgvuldig.
• Verzorgt de indiening en bewaakt tekenstukken bij de griffie van het College van Bestuur.
• Bewaakt termijnen en zorgt voor een tijdige opvolging van acties.
• Fungeert als aanspreekpunt voor voornamelijk interne contacten via e-mail en telefoon.
• Plant en coördineert afspraken en ondersteunt bij agendabeheer.
• Werkt nauw samen met collega-management assistenten en zorgt voor onderlinge vervanging tijdens vakanties of afwezigheid.

Ben jij degene die structuur brengt en graag ondersteunt in een dynamische werkomgeving? Dan maken we graag kennis met je.

Wat jij meebrengt

• Organisatietalent en nauwkeurigheid: je werkt gestructureerd, behoudt overzicht en hebt oog voor detail.
• Discretie en integriteit: je gaat zorgvuldig om met vertrouwelijke informatie en handelt professioneel.
• Servicegericht en flexibel: je bent toegankelijk, denkt mee en schakelt makkelijk tussen verschillende werkzaamheden. Voor een goede bezetting van het team is beschikbaarheid op vrijdag een vereiste.
• Zelfstandigheid én samenwerking: je werkt zelfstandig, maar bent ook een betrokken teamspeler die collega’s ondersteunt waar nodig.
• Digitale vaardigheden: je hebt ervaring met agendabeheer en MS Office (zoals Outlook, Teams en Word) en maakt nieuwe systemen, zoals Corsa, iBabs en SAP, snel eigen.
• Communicatie: je communiceert helder en professioneel in het Nederlands en Engels, zowel mondeling als schriftelijk.
• Opleiding en ervaring: je beschikt over mbo werk- en denkniveau en hebt bij voorkeur ervaring in een ondersteunende of administratieve functie.

Associate or Full Professor: Philosophy and the City

Associate or Full Professor: Philosophy and the City

Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS)

• Our goal: To contribute to a growing research initiative on urban transformations in post-industrial regions, anchored in the cities of the Meuse-Rhine Euregion and aimed at generating theoretical insights with global relevance.
• Your colleagues: At FASoS, you will join an international community of researchers in the humanities and social sciences. FASoS values interdisciplinary collaboration across its research groups and with external partners in the region and beyond. FASoS has five departments (Philosophy, Society Studies, Literature and Arts, History, and Politics) and four interdisciplinary research programmes (MUSTS, AMC, ESPO, and GTD). This position is situated in the Philosophy department and the MUSTS (Maastricht University Science and Technology Studies) Research Programme.

This is a research-led position as Associate or Full Professor of Philosophy (depending on your track record and experience). We are looking for a colleague with an internationally recognised research agenda at the boundaries between philosophy and fields such as urban studies/urban sociology, heritage studies, cultural and human geography, and critical infrastructure studies.

This position anchors philosophical inquiry to FASoS’s engagement with urban futures, critical infrastructure, the arts and urban culture, urban heritage, and sociotechnical change in the cities of the Euregio (where Maastricht is located) and beyond.

In this role, you will actively engage in national and international academic networks, attract external research funding at both national and European levels, and build a team around this research line.

In addition, you will build lasting partnerships with local and regional urban communities and institutions, establish national and international academic networks, and collaborate across the university, including with the Faculty of Science and Engineering, the Faculty of Law, and the Maastricht Sustainability Institute.

Your work contributes to Maastricht University’s position as a key knowledge centre for the sustainable transformation of urban regions with developing collaborations in local and regional municipalities. You will offer a critical, historical, or conceptual take on urban life and change and bring this body of work into dialogue with UM’s strategic ambitions.

What you do

• Conduct and publish original philosophical research on the city as a site of political, material, artistic, and social inquiry.
• Teach at BA and MA level within the undergraduate and graduate programmes of the faculty and contribute to teaching and curriculum development across the university.
• Supervise BA, MA and PhD students.
• Contribute to research platforms and projects engaging with urban resilience, critical infrastructure, and post-industrial transformation.
• Develop and apply for external research funding.
• Engage with regional partners, including municipalities and civic institutions, where research interests align.
• Contribute to collegial governance and academic service within FASoS and the broader UM community

Are you ready to set the course for the years ahead? Then we’d love to meet you.

What you bring

• Expert in Philosophy and Urban Life/Philosophy and the City: You carry out field-leading research at the boundaries between philosophy and fields such as urban studies/urban sociology, heritage studies, cultural and human geography, and critical infrastructure studies.
• Interdisciplinary thinker: You bring different theoretical and methodological approaches together and can thrive in a context where interdisciplinarity is a leading organizing principle of teaching and research.
• Experienced researcher: You have a proven publication record in high-ranking venues, a strong track record in grant acquisition and the leadership of research teams, and you have an excellent international reputation as a scholar with a distinct research profile.
• Engaged scholar: You actively share your insights beyond academia and collaborate with relevant partners and stakeholders, in the Maas-Rhein Euregion, the Netherlands, and beyond.
• Inspiring teacher: You have demonstrated experience in course coordination, teaching innovation, and thesis supervision. You encourage active student participation and value team teaching within our Problem-Based Learning (PBL) system. You have obtained the Dutch University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) or an equivalent (or are willing to acquire the UTQ within the first two years at FASoS).
• Experienced manager: You have successfully fulfilled senior management roles, such as director of an educational or research program, head of department, and vice-dean of education or research. You have excellent people management skills. (desirable).
• Collegial and community-minded: You contribute to our academic environment through openness, collaboration, and a willingness to take on shared responsibilities.
• Multilingual communicator: You have excellent command of English (C1 level, written and spoken). Non-Dutch speakers are expected to acquire an intermediate level of Dutch (B1) within three years. Dutch language skills are a strong plus.