Research professor in Social and Cultural Psychology (BOFZAP)

3 Apr 2026
Job Information

Organisation/Company

KU LEUVEN

Research Field

Psychological sciences » Psychology

Researcher Profile

Recognised Researcher (R2)

Application Deadline

1 Sep 2026 - 23:59 (UTC)

Country

Belgium

Type of Contract

To be defined

Job Status

Full-time

Offer Starting Date

1 Sep 2027

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by a EU programme

Reference Number

BZI-2026-22

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

The successful candidate is expected to develop an internationally respected research program in the domain of social and cultural psychology, advancing our understanding of the interdependence of social structure and/or cultural context and the psychologies of individuals, dyads, and groups, and addressing one or more societal and/or global challenges. The successful candidate is expected to be part of national and international research networks, and to engage in inclusive and equitable research collaborations within the Center for Social and Cultural Psychology, with other researchers and research units at KU Leuven and across disciplines. The candidate will:•be an excellent researcher of Social and/or Cultural Psychology who advances novel and theory-based research that has the potential to address societal and/or global challenges, •bring in a variety of state-of-the-art research methods and paradigms which they flexibly adopt in function of the research questions at hand (see above),•strengthen existing research at the Center for Social and Cultural Psychology by bringing in complementary skills and expertise into research collaborations (see above),•publish in international peer-reviewed journals,•develop an internally cohesive, theoretically sound research program, as evident from acquiring competitive research funding from national and/or international agencies to establish their own lab group (or at least submitting effective research proposals for this purpose),•be an effective mentor for master students and PhD and postdoc researchers to foster their personal growth as well as to help them perform research according to international scientific standards,•establish both within and outside KU Leuven, national and international equitable partnerships in the context of the research program,•strive for excellence in research, including advancing theoretical perspectives and critical thinking, thereby contributing to the international research reputation of the Center for Social and Cultural Psychology, the Faculty of Psychology & Educational Sciences, and KU Leuven.
Although the emphasis at the start of the appointment will be on research, the successful candidate is expected to have a small teaching load (from the start of employment, making gradually increasing contributions to the psychology curriculum). The candidate will also contribute to the pedagogic project of the faculty/university: They develop teaching in accordance with KU Leuven’s vision on activating and research-based education and make use of the possibilities for educational professionalization offered by the faculty and the university. 
The full intended course-package to be developed in a gradual stepwise way over the first ten years likely consists of teaching in an Advanced Research Methods course and research-based courses such as Topics in Social and Cultural Psychology and Lectures in Psychology, Culture and Society (advanced BA or MA-level) in English, as well as – over time – develop an introductory course and accompanying practicum on Social Psychology in Dutch for first year BA psychology students, and a new social psychology module for interfaculty teaching. Candidates do not have to be proficient in Dutch at the time of hiring, but it is a condition (level B2) for tenure after 5 years, and level C1 is required for teaching courses in Dutch.
The candidate:•should have a broad background that allows them to teach in domains such as social psychology, cultural psychology, and/or intergroup relations.•should be able to teach advanced research methods, and state-of-the-art substantive theory and research in social and cultural psychology. •should demonstrate a sincere interest in teaching.•having prior teaching experience and/or teaching qualifications is considered as having an advantage.
Candidates are expected to provide service to science, society, and the university (administrative and/or institutional), with expectations increasing by faculty rank. We welcome candidates who engage with stakeholders, policymakers, interest groups, the broader public, and/or the media, and who are able to translate scientific insights into accessible formats and contribute to informed public debate and evidence-based or evidence-informed policy.
•You have obtained your PhD (recommended at least three years ago) in Social or Cultural Psychology, a related subdiscipline of Psychology, or in another field with demonstrable affinity with Social and/or Cultural Psychology. If you have recently obtained your PhD, it is important that you provide evidence for your research and growth potential (e.g., demonstrate potential through multiple publications, academic references, promising research projects, and articles in preparation).•You have a strong research profile in the field and an indisputable research integrity.•The quality of your research is proven by publications in prominent international peer-reviewed journals, its adequate use of state-of-the-art methods, a high level of critical thinking, and its potential for theoretical innovation.•International research experience or strong international collaborations accompanied by research visits are considered an important advantage.•You have demonstrable qualities related to academic teaching. Teaching experience is a plus. •You possess organizational skills and have a cooperative attitude. •You have demonstrated good leadership and mentoring skills within a university context.•Your spoken and written English is excellent. The official administrative language used at KU Leuven is Dutch, while in the Center for Social and Cultural Psychology both Dutch and English tend to be used. If you do not speak Dutch (or do not speak it well) at the start of employment, KU Leuven will provide language training to enable you to take part in administrative meetings. Before teaching courses in Dutch (likely only after a few years into your appointment) you will be given the opportunity to learn Dutch to the required standard (C1). •You can provide evidence as to your potential to meet the expectations outlined above with regard to research, service and teaching. •You provide academic references from at least two established academic colleagues with whom you have closely collaborated and who can vouch for your theoretical and research potential, academic citizenship, and active contributions to an inclusive, supportive, and collaborative academic environment. 
•We offer full-time employment – with the option to temporally reduce your contract with several schemes in case of parenting or other care-roles. •We offer an intellectually challenging environment. KU Leuven is a research-intensive, internationally oriented university that carries out both fundamental and applied scientific research. Our university is highly focused on inter- and multidisciplinarity and strives for international excellence. In this regard, we actively collaborate with research partners in Belgium and abroad. We provide our students with an academic education that is based on high-quality scientific research.•Depending on your qualifications and academic experience, you will be appointed to or tenured in one of the grades of the senior academic staff: assistant professor, associate professor, professor, or full professor. In principle, junior researchers are appointed as assistant professor on a tenure track for a period of 5 years. After this period and a positive evaluation, they are permanently appointed as an associate professor. •You will work in Leuven, a historic and dynamic and vibrant city located in the heart of Belgium, within twenty minutes from Brussels, the capital of the European Union, and less than two hours from Paris, London, and Amsterdam. At the CSCP we strive for everyone to be on campus about 60% of their appointed time.•KU Leuven is well set to welcome foreign professors and their family and provides practical support with regard to issues such as immigration and administration, housing, childcare, learning Dutch, and partner career coaching.•To facilitate scientific onboarding and accelerate research in the first phase, a starting grant of 110.000 euro is offered to new professors (subject to eligibilty criteria). 

Before you start your application, please read the full description of the procedure and important information about attachments and templates under 'Call for Research Professorships (BOFZAP)' and 'Procedure application and selection’ under 'More information'.

More information on the content of the job can be obtained from the academic contact person prof. dr. Karen Phalet, mail: karen.phalet@kuleuven.be or prof. dr. Jozefien De Leersnyder, mail: jozefien.deleersnyder@kuleuven.be . 

More information on the guidelines, regulations and application file is available from Ms. Kristin Vermeylen (kristin.vermeylen@kuleuven.be ) or Ms. Martine van Nierop (martine.vannierop@kuleuven.be , tel. +32 16 32 76 98).

Where to apply

Website

https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/jobs/60651333?hl=en

Requirements

Research Field

Psychological sciences

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Research Field

Psychological sciences » Psychology

Years of Research Experience

4 - 10

Additional Information
Benefits

•We offer full-time employment – with the option to temporally reduce your contract with several schemes in case of parenting or other care-roles. •We offer an intellectually challenging environment. KU Leuven is a research-intensive, internationally oriented university that carries out both fundamental and applied scientific research. Our university is highly focused on inter- and multidisciplinarity and strives for international excellence. In this regard, we actively collaborate with research partners in Belgium and abroad. We provide our students with an academic education that is based on high-quality scientific research.•Depending on your qualifications and academic experience, you will be appointed to or tenured in one of the grades of the senior academic staff: assistant professor, associate professor, professor, or full professor. In principle, junior researchers are appointed as assistant professor on a tenure track for a period of 5 years. After this period and a positive evaluation, they are permanently appointed as an associate professor. •You will work in Leuven, a historic and dynamic and vibrant city located in the heart of Belgium, within twenty minutes from Brussels, the capital of the European Union, and less than two hours from Paris, London, and Amsterdam. At the CSCP we strive for everyone to be on campus about 60% of their appointed time.•KU Leuven is well set to welcome foreign professors and their family and provides practical support with regard to issues such as immigration and administration, housing, childcare, learning Dutch, and partner career coaching.•To facilitate scientific onboarding and accelerate research in the first phase, a starting grant of 110.000 euro is offered to new professors (subject to eligibilty criteria). 

Eligibility criteria

•You have obtained your PhD (recommended at least three years ago) in Social or Cultural Psychology, a related subdiscipline of Psychology, or in another field with demonstrable affinity with Social and/or Cultural Psychology. If you have recently obtained your PhD, it is important that you provide evidence for your research and growth potential (e.g., demonstrate potential through multiple publications, academic references, promising research projects, and articles in preparation).•You have a strong research profile in the field and an indisputable research integrity.•The quality of your research is proven by publications in prominent international peer-reviewed journals, its adequate use of state-of-the-art methods, a high level of critical thinking, and its potential for theoretical innovation.•International research experience or strong international collaborations accompanied by research visits are considered an important advantage.•You have demonstrable qualities related to academic teaching. Teaching experience is a plus. •You possess organizational skills and have a cooperative attitude. •You have demonstrated good leadership and mentoring skills within a university context.•Your spoken and written English is excellent. The official administrative language used at KU Leuven is Dutch, while in the Center for Social and Cultural Psychology both Dutch and English tend to be used. If you do not speak Dutch (or do not speak it well) at the start of employment, KU Leuven will provide language training to enable you to take part in administrative meetings. Before teaching courses in Dutch (likely only after a few years into your appointment) you will be given the opportunity to learn Dutch to the required standard (C1). •You can provide evidence as to your potential to meet the expectations outlined above with regard to research, service and teaching. •You provide academic references from at least two established academic colleagues with whom you have closely collaborated and who can vouch for your theoretical and research potential, academic citizenship, and active contributions to an inclusive, supportive, and collaborative academic environment. 

Selection process

Before you start your application, please read the full description of the procedure and important information about attachments and templates under 'Call for Research Professorships (BOFZAP)' and 'Procedure application and selection’ under 'More information'.

More information on the content of the job can be obtained from the academic contact person prof. dr. Karen Phalet, mail: karen.phalet@kuleuven.be or prof. dr. Jozefien De Leersnyder, mail: jozefien.deleersnyder@kuleuven.be . 

More information on the guidelines, regulations and application file is available from Ms. Kristin Vermeylen (kristin.vermeylen@kuleuven.be ) or Ms. Martine van Nierop (martine.vannierop@kuleuven.be , tel. +32 16 32 76 98).

Website for additional job details

https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/jobs/60651333?hl=en

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

KU LEUVEN

Country

Belgium

City

Leuven

Geofield

Contact

City

Leuven

STATUS: EXPIRED

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