PhD position on the Effects of Events and Faultiness on Multiteam System adaptation

Welcome to Maastricht University!
Complex problems are often solved by systems of teams working together interdependently on a common goal. The current project applies both laboratory and field study designs to investigate how such multi-team systems adapt to unexpected events. Thereby we specifically focus on the role of faultlines--the imaginary dividing lines that split up a system into subgroups—on multi-team system adaptation.

PhD position on the Effects of Events and Faultiness on Multiteam System adaptation

• Our goal: With this project, we aim to better understand how multi-team systems adapt to unexpected events. In particular, we focus on the role of faultlines—the imaginary dividing lines that split a system into subgroups—in shaping how teams collaborate and perform under pressure. By advancing knowledge on these dynamics, we seek to contribute to both scientific theory and practical solutions for organizations.
• Your colleagues: This PhD position is part of a larger project, funded by the US Army Research Institute for fundamental research. The research team consists of dr. Sjir Uitdewilligen (Maastricht University), prof. dr. Ramón Rico (Universidad Carlos III, Madrid), and prof. dr. Sherry Thatcher (University of Tennessee, US), as well as an additional PhD student who will be working at Universidad Carlos III in Madrid.

The project contains experimental studies in which multi-team systems are studied with participants in a laboratory setting, as well as field studies, in which members of multi-team systems in a variety of organizations will be interviewed and asked to fill in questionnaires over time. As a PhD student on this project, you will be involved in designing and conducting these laboratory and field studies in close collaboration with your supervisors. You will develop hypotheses, collect and analyse data, communicate with participants and organizations, write scientific papers, and present findings at scientific conferences.

You will be embedded in the Department of Work & Social Psychology at Maastricht University, where you will join an enthusiastic team of PhD candidates, assistant and associate professors. They will support you in developing your research and teaching skills, while offering a collaborative and international research environment.

As part of the PhD trajectory, you will:

• Develop hypotheses, design empirical studies, collect and analyse data, present findings at international conferences.  
• Communicate with organizations working with multi-team systems.
• Write articles to be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals that will be part of the PhD thesis. 
• The position includes a 10% teaching component, which may involve tutoring master's courses and supervising bachelor’s or master’s theses. 

Requirements
For this project, we are searching for a proactive and organized candidate who is able to coordinate complex research projects and feels comfortable to communicate with members from a variety of organizations. Given the nature of the project, we look for a candidate with strong academic reasoning ability who is not afraid of some uncertainty and complexity. 

The following criteria apply to this position: 

• A Master's degree in Social Psychology, Work & Organizational Psychology, Management, or a related field. 
• Quantitative research and data analytic skills; Qualitative data analysis skills are a pre.
• Demonstrable scientific writing skills.
• High proficiency in written and spoken English.

Are you ready to shape the future of research on multi-team systems? Then we would be delighted to welcome you to Maastricht University.

What we offer
As PhD position at Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, you will be employed by the most international university in the Netherlands, located in the beautiful city of Maastricht. In addition, we offer you:

• Good employment conditions. The position is graded in scale P according to UFO profile PhD, with corresponding salary based on experience ranging from €3059,00 and €3881,00 gross per month (based on a full-time employment of 38 hours per week). In addition to the monthly salary, an 8.0% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus apply.
• An employment contract for a period of 12 months with a scope of 1,0 FTE. Upon a positive evaluation, an extension of 3 years will follow. 
• At Maastricht University, the well-being of our employees is of utmost importance, we offer flexible working hours and the possibility to work partly from home if the nature of your position allows it. You will receive a monthly commuting and internet allowance for this. If you work full-time, you will be entitled to 29 vacation days and 4 additional public holidays per year, namely carnival Monday, carnival Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day. If you choose to accumulate compensation hours, an additional 12 days will be added. Furthermore, you can personalize your employment conditions through a collective labor agreement (CAO) choice model. 
• As Maastricht University, we offer various other excellent secondary employment conditions. These include a good pension scheme with the ABP and the opportunity for UM employees to participate in company fitness and make use of the extensive sports facilities that we also offer to our students. 
• Last but certainly not least, we provide the space and facilities for your personal and professional development. We facilitate this by offering a wide range of training programs and supporting various well-established initiatives such as 'acknowledge and appreciate'. 

The terms of employment at Maastricht University are largely set out in the collective labor agreement of Dutch Universities. In addition, local provisions specific to UM apply. For more information, click here.

Maastricht University
Why work at Maastricht University?
At Maastricht University (UM), everything revolves around the future. The future of our students, as we work to equip them with a solid, broad-based foundation for the rest of their lives. And the future of society, as we seek solutions through our research to issues from all around the world. Our six faculties combined provide a comprehensive package of study programmes and research.

In our teaching, we use the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method. Students work in small groups, looking for solutions to problems themselves. By discussing issues and working together to draw conclusions, formulate answers and present them to their peers, students develop essential skills for their future careers.

With over 22,300 students and more than 5,000 employees from all over the world, UM is home to a vibrant and inspiring international community.

Are you drawn to an international setting focused on education, science and scholarship? Are you keen to contribute however your skills and qualities allow? Our door is open to you! As a young European university, we value your talent and look forward to creating the future together.

Click here for more information about UM. 

Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience
The Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN) is an international faculty with students and staff from various cultural backgrounds, who are connected by their shared curiosity about human behaviour and our brains.   

This curiosity inspires us to explore the wide field of psychology from different perspectives (such as a biological and cognitive viewpoint). By using small-scale and student-centred methods, such as problem-based learning and project-based learning, we encourage a similar kind of curiosity in our students, as we provide them with the tools to discover the world of the human brain.  

 
Department
The PhD will be a member of the Work and Organizational Psychology (WOP) section that is, together with the Applied Social Psychology (ASP) section, embedded in the Department of Work and Social Psychology of the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience of Maastricht University. With its research activities, the WOP section seeks to contribute to a better understanding of how the challenges of a changing world of work can be addressed and working conditions can be created that benefit both organizations and employees. With this goal in mind, the WOP team investigates a broad range of topics in the area of occupational health, team flourishing, leadership, and organizational behavior (https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/wsp/research/work-and-organisational-psychology). 

We are committed to conducting high-quality research that addresses societal challenges while at the same time being theory-driven and contributing to a refined understanding of psychological processes in the context of work. We value collegiality, knowledge exchange, and collaboration within our research group as well as with other research groups within and outside Maastricht University.

Curious?
Are you interested in this exciting position but still have questions? Feel free to contact dr. Sjir Uitdewilligen at  sjir.uitdewilligen@maastrichtuniversity.nl for more information.
 

Applying?
Or are you already convinced and ready to become our new PhD position? Apply now, no later than 22 September 2025, for this position.

Please click on 'apply now' to register and upload your CV, university transcripts, and a motivation letter outlining your motivations for applying for this position and including the contact details of two referees we may approach.

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

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.