Assistant professor Forensic Psychology

Welcome to Maastricht University!
Are you a forensic psychologist who enjoys combining research, teaching and clinical work? In the Forensic Psychology section, we examine psychological questions that arise in legal and forensic contexts, in close connection to practice. We are looking for a new Assistant Professor who wants to contribute to this work and inspire the next generation of professionals.

Assistant professor Forensic Psychology

Our goal: We are looking for an assistant professor forensic clinical psychology who has a genuine passion for teaching, an active and ambitious research agenda, and hands-on clinical forensic expertise.

Your colleagues: The section Forensic Psychology consists of 12 permanent staff members, several internal and external PhD candidates and two postdoctoral candidates (see here for more information https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/fpn/forensic-psychology.

Section staff members’ research interests span forensic psychological assessment and treatment, procedures in police investigation, detection of deception, and decision-making processes in legal contexts. | Some staff members work as experts in legal cases | The section is responsible for the Master’s in Forensic Psychology and Legal Psychology.

 What you do
As assistant professor in the section Forensic Psychology, you will have the following responsibilities and tasks:

• You conduct empirical research that fits within the section Forensic Psychology;
• You teach in the two-year Master program Forensic Psychology and the one-year Master Legal Psychology; you are a mentor in the Bachelor Psychology;
• You publish your research in (inter)national peer-reviewed journals and present findings at national and international scientific meetings;
• You supervise research at the bachelor, master, and PhD level;
• You make efforts to attract external and internal research funding;
• You have experience with and endorse the principles of open science;
• You make positive contributions to the organization and cooperation within the section and faculty and have a strong proactive and collaborative approach;
• You have excellent communication (oral and written) skills in English and Dutch (or you are willing to learn Dutch if you are not yet fluent in the language).

The time allocation between teaching and research activities is approximately 50-50.

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

What you bring 

• You have obtained a certification as clinical psychologist (in Dutch: specialization klinisch psycholoog or GZ psycholoog) or international equivalent;
• You have obtained a PhD degree in forensic psychology, legal/criminological psychology, or a related clinical discipline;
• You preferably have clinical experience in a forensic mental health setting (e.g., prison, secure forensic hospital, juvenile justice setting, outpatient forensic care);
• You have an affinity with problem-based learning and are willing to acquire the University Teaching Qualification (UTQ);
• You preferably have some teaching experience, e.g., in forensic psychology and/or legal/criminological psychology.

What we offer
At Maastricht University, you’ll work in an international, open, and engaged environment. We offer:

• An 18-month contract (0.8-1.0 FTE) with the prospect of a permanent contract based on mutual satisfaction. 
• A gross monthly salary between €4728,00 and €6433,00 (based on full-time employment of 38 hours per week). 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus.
• 29 vacation days (based on full-time), four additional days off (Carnival Monday and Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day), and the possibility to accrue up to 12 extra days through compensation hours.
• Flexible working hours, a home office allowance, and the option to work from home.
• Freedom and space to shape your work independently and develop your ideas.
• A close-knit community of colleagues to collaborate and grow with.
• A solid pension plan via ABP, company fitness schemes, and access to various university sports facilities.
• An inspiring work environment in the heart of Europe.

About the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN)
At FPN, we share a curiosity about the human brain and behaviour. Together with our students, we explore how our brains function and learn why we do what we do. We connect perspectives and contribute to living together in society.

Interested?
Want to know more about this position or what it’s like to work at our university? Reach out to Melanie Sauerland at melanie.sauerland@maastrichtuniversity.nl. The end date of the publication is 25 March 2026. Interviews for this position will likely take place on 13 April 2026.

Please upload your CV, motivation letter, contact details of 2 references, a statement of research interest, and a statement of clinical experience if applicable. The preferred starting date for this position is 1 August 2026.

Apply now via the button below. We look forward to getting to know you!

About Maastricht University
At Maastricht University, we collaboratively seek solutions to help move the world forward. We do this with 23,300 students and 5,400 employees across 5 regional locations, 6 faculties, and more than 70 research institutes. We encourage you to push boundaries and discover new opportunities for yourself and the world around you. Together, we can find the answers for tomorrow.

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.

At Maastricht University, we prefer to contact potential candidates directly. We therefore kindly ask that no agencies or intermediaries submit offers or approaches.

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.