"PhD Position (f/m/div) Short-Term Mindsets and Crime"

Job Description

The Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law (MPI-CSL) is a growing European center for research in criminology, public security matters, and criminal law. The Institute is part of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science – Germany’s flagship research organization.

Position

The Department of Criminology at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law, in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany (Director: Professor Jean-Louis van Gelder) is seeking to recruit a PhD Position (f/m/div) Short-Term Mindsets and Crime: From Theory to Intervention.

About the Department

The Department of Criminology at the MPI-CSL offers a highly interdisciplinary and dynamic research environment in which criminologists, psychologists, sociologists, mathematicians, and computer scientists work together to understand the causes and consequences of criminal behavior and to develop effective interventions for the prevention of crime and the facilitation of offender rehabilitation. The department pushes the boundaries of crime research through the application of innovative methods, developmental theories of crime, and real-world application. It currently hosts three researchers with prestigious individual European Research Council (ERC) grants. The Institute, with its approximately 190 employees, is located in Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany), a dynamic university city with a 900-year history. The city is nestled within the trinational border region – Germany, Switzerland, and France – and impresses newcomers with its high quality of life and international flair.

Your Profile

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate with a strong interest in experimental and interdisciplinary research on crime and decision-making. You will join our international and interdisciplinary team to advance this cutting-edge research program on the role of short-term mindsets in crime, exploring their causes and dynamics, as well as the potential for intervention. The ideal candidate has a background in psychology, criminology, behavioral science, or a related field, and a keen interest in bridging theory and application. Experience with advanced research methods—such as experimental designs, longitudinal data, or ecological momentary assessment (EMA)—is an asset but not required.

The Challenge

Why are some people more likely to commit crime than others? Criminology has long debated whether crime is best explained by stable traits (i.e., dispositional perspectives), such as low self-control, or by social and situational influences (i.e., sociogenic perspectives), such as peers or financial hardship. Despite identifying hundreds of correlates of criminal behavior, a crucial gap remains: it is unclear how these different influences interact in real time and why crime propensity fluctuates across situations.

A New Way Forward: Short-Term Mindsets Theory

The recently proposed Short-Term Mindsets Theory (STMT) (Van Gelder & Frankenhuis, 2025; Van Gelder et al., 2025) offers a new way forward by unifying the many fragmented predictors of crime. STMT proposes that these diverse influences are connected by an underlying mechanism: Short-term mindsets (STM). STM is defined as the degree to which individuals focus on immediate vs. long-term outcomes. Understanding how this short-term orientation emerges and fluctuates offers a powerful new framework for explaining and preventing crime than single traits or contexts alone. Crucially, it also opens up new avenues for prevention: if short-term orientations fluctuate and can be shifted, then even temporary interventions may reduce crime risk.

This PhD position is part of a broader research program at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law that investigates short-term mindsets as a dynamic mechanism of crime. You will contribute to advancing this agenda by designing and conducting innovative empirical studies on the causes, consequences, and potential malleability of short-term mindsets. There is scope to develop your own research ideas within this framework—for example, by focusing on situational triggers, decision-making processes, behavioral proxies, or interventions that target short-term orientations. You will join an ambitious interdisciplinary team in Freiburg im Breisgau and collaborate with international researchers in criminology, psychology, and related fields. Together, we aim to push the boundaries of current crime research and build new approaches to prevention and intervention.

Requirements

You have:

• A completed (or close to completing) university degree (master’s or equivalent) in psychology (e.g., social, developmental), pedagogy, (empirical) criminology, behavioral economics, sociology, or a similar discipline;
• A background in statistics;
• Experience with experimental research;
• A strong interest in crime research and novel research methods;
• A highly collaborative attitude (you value teamwork);
• Excellent written and spoken English language skills;
• Excellent social and communication skills.

Ideal candidates are committed to open science and transparent research practices. Speaking German is an asset but not a prerequisite for the position.

Our Offer

Our Institute offers unrivaled research conditions, including access to top-notch laboratory facilities as well as access to exceptional specialist libraries and databases, well-equipped workspaces, and comprehensive administrative and academic support. Collaboration with other researchers and international partners at the Institute is a key element of our work. Additionally, there are many opportunities for researchers to design, convene, or participate in workshops, seminars, and conferences. The position is available from the earliest possible starting date. The position is limited to four years and it is a fully funded research position with no teaching obligations. The position is full-time (currently 39 hours/week). Remuneration and social benefits are based on the German Civil Service Collective Agreement (TVöD Bund), pay category 13, 65% (see details). The salary includes all mandatory social insurance contributions for health care, long-term care, unemployment, and retirement. The work location is Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany). We are committed to ensuring a positive work-life balance and offer flexible work options as well as generous opportunities for personal and professional development, including free in-house German language courses. There are also a number of daycare spots at a nearby childcare facility.

The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunity employer and supports diversity in the workplace. Applications are particularly welcome from persons with backgrounds that have so far been underrepresented in science and research with regard to gender, disability, nationality, age, professional and cultural background, family situation, and sexual orientation.

Your Application and Further Information

To apply, please submit your application through the application form on the website, with the following documents:

• A motivation letter (max. one page, 10-pt Times New Roman), including an explanation of how your interests and profile match the project goals and selection criteria;
• Name and email address of at least one scholar who has agreed to provide a reference for you;
• Your CV, including a list of publications (if any, either as first author or co-author);
• A writing sample, e.g., your Master’s thesis, a seminar paper, a first-authored journal article, etc.;
• Study certificates and transcripts of records.

Please submit your application via our online application portal. The deadline for applications is 31 December 2025. Applicants will be informed in the week of 12 January 2026 whether they are invited for an interview. Online interviews with shortlisted candidates are currently planned for February 2026.

Questions may be directed to Prof. Dr. Dr. Jean-Louis van Gelder (j.vangelder@csl.mpg.de) or Dr. Annika Hampel, Recruitment Officer (a.hampel@csl.mpg.de). For information about our Institute, please visit our website.

Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law
Günterstalstraße 73
79100 Freiburg