Faculty of Behavioural Sciences and Psychology
The University of Lucerne is a modern, personal and dynamic university of human sciences in the heart of Switzerland and Europe. True to its guiding principle "Moving Human Sciences", its six faculties and two academies focus on people and their institutions. Our ambition is to develop the University of Lucerne into a forward-looking and internationally visible centre of research and teaching in the human sciences.
The Faculty of Behavioural Sciences and Psychology focuses on innovative research projects that support professional care in Switzerland and contribute to positioning Lucerne as an international research hub for the human sciences. It currently offers bachelor's and postgraduate programmes, with a master's programme to follow from 2027. The faculty also runs a practice unit and a behavioural science laboratory.
The Zug Institute for Blockchain Research (ZIBR) and the Faculty of Behavioural Sciences and Psychology invite applications for a
Professorship in Psychology and Blockchain (100%, open rank)
starting 1 February 2028 or by agreement.
Your role
As the holder of this professorship, you will play an active part in building the interdisciplinary Zug Institute for Blockchain Research (ZIBR) at the University of Lucerne. Based in the Canton of Zug, the institute is planned to comprise a total of nine professorships from four faculties of the University of Lucerne. These professorships examine the societal, political, legal, economic and health-related consequences of blockchain technology. The aim is to create an institute for human-science-oriented blockchain research that is unique worldwide in its breadth and diversity.
You will be responsible for the field of psychology and blockchain. Your proven research and teaching record may lie in any subfield of psychology that complements the existing professorships, such as social psychology, cognitive psychology or personality psychology. You will apply your theoretical and methodological expertise in innovative ways to questions in the context of blockchain technologies, decentralised digital systems and, where relevant, related data- and AI-based technologies. Possible topics include the study of cognitive, emotional and social processes in interacting with blockchain technologies and algorithmic systems, and their application to fostering trust, decision quality, transparency and quality in science and healthcare – particularly in the handling of patient data – as well as resilience and sustainability.
Your research programme will thus complement and expand the faculty's existing areas of expertise. You will teach courses in your field at bachelor's level and contribute your expertise to the master's programme and the doctoral programme. You are also prepared to acquire third-party funding and will build an innovative research programme with international reach.
Your profile
- A degree in psychology, with a solid background in and enthusiasm for teaching a core subfield of psychology such as social psychology, cognitive psychology, personality psychology, or emotion and motivation psychology
- Relevant peer-reviewed publications and competitively acquired third-party funding in your field
- Proven teaching expertise and experience in independent teaching and research
- Experience leading your own research group is an advantage
In addition to your academic qualifications, you are characterised by a high degree of collegiality and willingness to cooperate. You take an active part in the university's self-governance bodies and are open to interfaculty collaboration in teaching and research.
Appointment level
The professorship may be filled at the level of full or associate professor or as an assistant professorship with tenure track. A full or associate professorship requires a completed habilitation or an equivalent academic qualification; for the assistant professorship, a doctorate and a habilitation project in psychology are expected. Part-time employment is possible and subject to negotiation.
German language skills at level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) should be in place or must be acquired within a reasonable period.
The University of Lucerne seeks to increase the proportion of women in teaching and research and explicitly encourages qualified female scientists to apply.
What we offer
As holder of the Professorship in Psychology and Blockchain at the University of Lucerne, you will have the unique opportunity to help build a new faculty and to shape the further development of the psychology degree programme and its research specialisations.
Terms of employment are governed by the personnel law of the Canton of Lucerne.
Contact
For general information on the procedure, please contact the chair of the appointment committee, Prof. Dr. Andrew Gloster (berufungen-vpf@unilu.ch). For questions about the Zug Institute for Blockchain Research, please contact Prof. Dr. Alexander Trechsel (alexander.trechsel@unilu.ch).
Application
The application deadline is 29 November 2026. Please apply via the [application platform] in accordance with the requirements set out in our guidelines.
Trial lectures and interviews with shortlisted candidates will take place on 16 and 17 February 2027.
