Postdoctoral Research Associate ( Wissenschaftliche*r Mitarbeiter*in, Salary level E 13 TV-L)

Creating knowledge. Making a difference. Shaping the future. This is what the University of Münster stands for as one of the strongest research-oriented universities in Germany and one of the largest employers in the region. Every day, over 7,000 employees devote themselves to cutting-edge research and excellent teaching. We share more than a workplace. We share the desire to make a real impact – regionally and internationally. Our day-to-day work is distinguished by diversity, openness and space to pursue one’s ideas. Become a part of our team – in academia, a technical or manual trade, or administration.

The Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences (Department of Sport and Exercise Psychology) in the Faculty of Psychology & Sports Science at the University of Münster, Germany is seeking to fill the position of a

Postdoctoral Research Associate ( Wissenschaftliche*r Mitarbeiter*in, Salary level E 13 TV-L)

commencing on 1 September 2026 or later. We are offering a full-time position (100 %) for a period of 3 years. Full-time employees are required to teach 4 hours per week during the semester.

In our research, we are currently focusing on the following key topics: (1) Investigating the complex interplay of individual and environmental predictors of physical activity and healthy development across different target groups. (2) Development and significance of social competencies in young people for a long-term active lifestyle. (3) Conditions under which dual careers take place, as well as factors that positively influence the compatibility of academic studies and elite sports. (4) Coaching and leadership in high-performance sports. A connection to these topics is desirable.

Your tasks:

• Conducting research that aligns with the core topics of the department
• Contributing to scientific projects within the research group
• Teaching 2 courses per week (each 2 semester hours per week) in the Bachelor’s program “Human Movement in Sports and Exercise” and the Master’s program “Sports, Exercise and Human Performance” in the areas of sport psychology and research methods. Teaching is conducted in English.
• Supervising theses
• Taking on responsibilities in academic self-administration
• This position is tied to working towards a Habilitation/Qualification for Professorship

Our expectations:

• An excellent doctoral degree in sport science or a related field to sport psychology (e.g., psychology)
• Strong interest in the department’s research topics
• Experience in acquiring and managing third-party funded projects
• Experience in teaching
• Very good command of English (spoken and written); knowledge of German is an advantage but not required
• Excellent knowledge of research methods, particularly in statistics and experimental design, as well as in sport psychology research, e.g., with a focus on expertise, perception and attention, social influences on performance and decision-making, motivation and emotion, or motor learning
• Ability to work in a team, strong communication and organizational skills, and an independent working style
• Interest in further academic qualification is appreciated

Advantages for you:

• Degree of autonomy in teaching
• Opportunities for further academic and scientific qualification
• Time for your own academic and scientific qualification is provided
• Responsible, diverse, and challenging tasks
• Participation in exciting research projects
• A friendly and committed team
• Appreciation, reliability, openness, and respect – these are values that are important to us

The University of Münster strongly supports equal opportunity and diversity . We welcome all applicants regardless of sex, nationality, ethnic or social background, religion or worldview, disability, age, sexual orientation or gender identity. We are committed to creating family-friendly working conditions. Part-time options are generally available.

We actively encourage applications by women. Women with equivalent qualifications and academic achievements will be preferentially considered unless these are outweighed by reasons which necessitate the selection of another candidate.

If you have any questions beforehand, please contact Prof. Dr. Maike Tietjens ( [email protected] ).

Are you interested? Then we look forward to receiving your application by 2026-05-30 at:

Universität Münster
Deparment of Sports Sciences
Prof. Dr. Maike Tietjens
Horstmarer Landweg 62 b
D-48149 Münster, Germany

You may also send us your application electronically in PDF format to: [email protected]

Applications should be written in English and include a cover letter, a CV, copies of degree certificates and transcripts, all combined into a single PDF (max. 20 MB). Please note that we cannot consider other file formats.

Reference number: 2026_04_30