PhD Student in Meta-Science and Clinical Psychology University of Bern in Switzerland

University of Bern is hiring a PhD student in Meta-Science and Clinical Psychology within the Psychology of Digitalisation research group. The project, QUEST ("Quantifying effect size inflation in clinical psychology trials"), is an SNSF-funded meta-science PhD focused on how questionable measurement practices and questionable research practices may inflate estimates of psychotherapy efficacy across clinical psychology.

The position is based in Bern, Switzerland, and is an in-person role with no remote option. The successful candidate will work with Ian Hussey and Malte Elson, alongside a postdoc colleague, in an international English-speaking research environment. The work combines meta-science, clinical psychology, research methods, statistics, and computational approaches such as multilevel meta-analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Monte Carlo simulations, and the use of large language models for psychological research.

Research tasks include curating and harmonising clinical trial datasets for meta-analysis, conducting multilevel convergent validity and reliability meta-analyses, and designing/managing a large-scale online data collection study. The role also offers opportunities to develop skills in reproducible data pipelines, psychometric validity methods, and scientific writing, with teaching opportunities in English and/or German.

Eligibility highlights: a Master's degree in Psychology, Research Methods, Statistics, or a related field; strong R skills; familiarity with advanced statistical methods; strong written and spoken English; and willingness to relocate or commute to Bern. The post explicitly encourages applications from women and candidates from underrepresented backgrounds in academia.

Funding: the PhD is fully funded for 4 years at 100% FTE, with a gross salary of CHF 50,000 including the 13th month, plus pension contributions. Annual student fees are approximately CHF 200.

Application window: applications are considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled, with full consideration by 2026-05-17. To apply, send a motivation letter, academic CV, contact details for two references, and a sample of academic writing to [email protected].