We are looking for behavioral scientists with a strong empirical background and an interest in virtual reality and crime prevention. You will work with an international and interdisciplinary team of researchers and virtual reality developers to create and subsequently test interventions to reduce crime in urban settings.

The challenge

The criminologist’s key predicament resides in its object of study: crime takes place outside our field of view. As a consequence, criminologists have historically prioritized studying properties of individuals and the social factors that propel them into and out of crime (e.g., peers, gangs, neighborhoods, dispositions) over their decision-making and examining the crime event. The MAXLab Virtual Twin Program will seek to address this gap by using virtual reality (VR) to test the effect of interventions to prevent crime and/or increase public safety. VR replicas of street segments, squares, or other public spaces, i.e., “virtual twins”, of the city of Freiburg (and potentially other cities) will be developed for this purpose. This approach enables realistic and ecologically valid versions of these areas to be generated while maintaining researcher control. Additionally, different from field experiments, VR experiments provide access to the research population and hence can tap into their motivations, emotions, and cognitions. This can offer unique insights into how interventions may work and for whom. Consequently, the research project can break new ground in advancing our understanding of criminal and anti-social behavior and how to reduce it.

Interventions may involve human presence (e.g., number and type of guardians present, ‘eyes on the street’) or entail physical changes to the environment (e.g., CCTV cameras, dynamic street lighting). Candidates will be encouraged to come up with their own ideas for innovative interventions, which they subsequently test in virtual reality. The first phase of the postdoc project will be dedicated to designing the intervention(s), consulting with practitioners, officials, and other stakeholders, and to the organization of a hackathon in which researchers from different disciplines, VR developers, and other stakeholders join forces to provide the basis for the next generation of criminological intervention research. Implementation, testing, and data analysis are likely to begin during the second year of the position.

You have

• a PhD in psychology (e.g., social, developmental), (empirical, spatial) criminology, communication science, behavioral economics, sociology, or a similar discipline;
• a strong publication record;
• a strong background in statistics;
• a strong interest in crime research and novel research methods;
• experience with experimental research designs;
• a highly creative mindset;
• a highly collaborative attitude: you value teamwork;
• excellent social and communication skills;
• an interest in developing applied solutions in order to reduce crime.

Ideal candidates are committed to open science and transparent research practices. Speaking German is an asset but not a prerequisite for the position, nor is experience with VR or 3D modelling.

Fixed-term contract: 5 years with the possibility of extension for a maximum of another 2 years.

Our institute offers unrivalled 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 hackathons, workshops, seminars, and conferences.

The position is available from the earliest possible starting date. Contracts are awarded for a period of five years with the possibility of extension for a maximum of another two years. 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 Collective Agreement for the Public Service (TVöD Bund), pay category 13 or 14 (entry level depending on prior experience), 100% (see https://oeffentlicher-dienst.info/tvoed/bund/). 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. There are also a number of daycare spots at a nearby childcare facility.

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.

The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunity employer and supports diversity in the workplace. Applications from disabled persons are welcome. We also aim to increase the percentage of female staff in fields in which they are underrepresented and therefore expressly encourage women to apply. Applications are particularly welcome from persons with backgrounds that have so far been underrepresented in science and research with regard to gender, age, professional and cultural background, family situation, sexual orientation, and nationality.

For information about our institute, please visit our website.

The Department of Criminology at the MPI-CSL offers a highly interdisciplinary and dynamic research environment in which psychologists, sociologists, mathematicians, criminologists, 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. MAXLab Freiburg, the department’s own virtual reality and behavioral science research facility, is the first of its kind (https://csl.mpg.de/en/maxlab). The Department of Criminology currently hosts three researchers with prestigious individual European Research Council (ERC) grants.

The institute, with its approximately 150 employees, is located in Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany), a dynamic university city with a 900-year history. The city in the trinational border region (Germany, Switzerland, and France) impresses newcomers with its high quality of life and international flair. Freiburg ranks third on Lonely Planet’s “Best in Travel 2022” list of the top ten city destinations in the world.