POSTDOC POSITION IN CONSUMER PSYCHOLOGY

A Postdoctoral Fellow position is available at the marketing department of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam starting from September or October 2026.

Postdoctoral researcher position

The postdoctoral researcher will primarily work together with Prof. Femke van Horen on a grant-funded project focused on the adoption of innovations. Specifically, you will apply a newly developed comparative judgment tool to assess the relation between similarity (with the prototype) and preference of innovations (e.g., robotic arms, AI chatbots, labgrown meat). Strong programming and analytical skills are required.

What you’ll do

• Conduct experimental research on the themes outlined above
• Analyse data
• Write high quality research papers
• Present research-in-progress at e.g. workshops/conferences
• Initiate meetings and share results with the involved researchers

Your profile

The potential candidate should:

• Have a Ph.D. in social or cognitive psychology, neuroscience, consumer behavior, behavioral economics, or a related discipline. The PhD must be completed prior to starting this position
• Have strong knowledge of research methods and experimental design
• Have advanced data analysis and programming skills (python, psychopy)
• Have affinity with the topic of sustainability and innovation
• Have high academic writing skills and ability to publish in the leading academic journals
• Demonstrable flexibility and strong communication skills required to collaborate with international and local researchers and societal partner(s)
• Be proficient in written and spoken English

What do we offer?

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world.

• A position for at least 1 FTE. Your employment contract will initially last 1 year
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• Contribution to commuting expenses
• A wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge
• Solid pension scheme (ABP)

About us

Marketing department

We are a research oriented group that offers a stimulating environment and a dynamic international culture. Our faculty publishes in the major marketing journals, as well as several top-notch outlets in economics, psychology, decision making, and interdisciplinary journals. We have a strong international network with many collaborations and visits across Europe and the US, and were home to the European Association of Consumer Research conference in 2023. The department offers courses at all levels from Bachelor to MSc and MBA, and participates in the school’s PhD program. Our MSc in Marketing has been rated best in The Netherlands. The department’s language of communication is English, teaching is either in English or in Dutch.

School of Business and Economics

We at the School of Business and Economics (SBE) at VU Amsterdam bring together socially relevant teaching and research in the areas of business administration and economics. We focus on real-life issues that have a huge impact on society, economics and ecology: from robotics to big data, and from job market participation to change management.

Are you interested in joining SBE? You will work in a stimulating, dynamic and international environment with motivated colleagues dedicated to helping society make informed choices.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research.