Senior Scientist Universität Wien

Job description:

At the University of Vienna, almost 11,000 people work together on the big questions of the future. Approximately 7,700 of them are academic staff members. These are individuals who, with their curiosity and their continuous pursuit of excellence, engage in international cutting-edge research and teaching. With us, you will also find space to unfold your potential. We are looking for a/an ...

Senior Scientist

Explore and teach at the University of Vienna, where over 7,500 brilliant minds have found a unique balance of freedom and support. Join us if you’re passionate about groundbreaking international research and academic excellence. Ready to be part of our team? Let’s shape the future together!

Your place of work:

The Faculty of Psychology at the University of Vienna comprises the Dean's Office, a Student Service Center, four institutes, and the Outpatient Unit for Research, Teaching and Practice. 

Your future position is based with the new Professorship of clinical-psychological intervention research (Prof. Dr. Johanna Böttcher), which will be established in October 2026 at the Institute for Clinical and Health Psychology. The research group investigates innovative digital interventions for mental disorders and psychological distress. The research focuses on acceptance, effectiveness, and mechanisms of action in various digital settings.  
Other key research areas of the professorship include:

• Transdiagnostic processes and approach 
• Transcultural Psychotherapy
• Side Effects of Psychological Treatment

The working group actively promotes open and reproducible science (e.g., through pre-registration and the sharing of materials and data) and values diverse perspectives.

Your future tasks:

You will be responsible for and oversee the development of a digital intervention platform that enables the conduct and evaluation of clinical studies with diverse populations. The platform uses the open-source DIRECT platform as its own instance (https://www.ewi-psy.fu-berlin.de/psychologie/einrichtungen/cmhds/direct/index.html) and is intended to be available to all psychology departments. 
Your responsibilities include:

• You communicate with the developers of the DIRECT platform as well as with the DIRECT community (researchers and programmers).
• You analyze, manage, and consolidate the platform requirements of the various departments.
• You plan necessary adjustments and enhancements to the platform, commission them, and oversee the development process.
• You are responsible for hosting, maintenance, and support for the live platform.
• You analyze the regulatory framework (e.g., data protection, medical device law) and incorporate it into the planning, consultation, and implementation of research projects on the DIRECT platform.
• You plan data exports and analyses of usage data.
• You participate in research projects and publications.
• You assist with project proposals and the acquisition of third-party funding.
• You give presentations at national and international scientific conferences.
• You participate in and independently conduct courses in accordance with the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement.
• You participate in evaluation measures and quality assurance.
• You supervise students. 

This is part of your personality:

• Completed doctoral/PhD degree in psychology, medicine, behavioral sciences, public health, human-computer interaction, or related fields.
• Experience in the development and evaluation of (clinical-psychological) digital interventions. 
• Ability to translate psychological or psychotherapeutic concepts into digital formats
• Experience collaborating with interdisciplinary teams (e.g., developers, designers, therapists, researchers)
• Analytical and communication skills to bridge gaps between disciplines
• Knowledge of quantitative data analysis (e.g., using R, Python)
• Ability to collaborate across disciplines.
• Leadership and management skills.
• Ability to work meticulously and independently.
• Strong sense of responsibility. 
• Excellent written and spoken English skills.

Desirable qualifications are:

• Interest in the intersection of clinical psychology research, practice, and digital Technologies.
• Interest in technical development processes and digital infrastructures.
• Excellent written and spoken German.
• Proven research competence and initiative, as demonstrated by international publications in peer-reviewed journals.
• Teaching experience.
• Experience in supervising students (undergraduate and graduate students).

What we offer:

Work-life balance: Our employees enjoy flexible working hours, remote/hybrid upon agreement.

Inspiring working atmosphere: You are part of a friendly and supportive team with excellent research infrastructure and connections to other interdisciplinary research initiatives. We will help you refine your research profile and actively support your professional development.

Good public transport connections: Your workplace is easily accessible by public transport.

Internal further training & Coaching: Opportunity to deepen your skills on an ongoing basis. There are over 600 courses to choose from – free of charge.

Fixed-term contract and fair salary: The position is initially limited to 1 year. If the collaboration goes well, it can be converted into permanent employment. The basic salary of EUR 5.014,30 (14 times a year) increases if we can credit professional experience. 

Equal opportunities for all: We welcome every additional/new personality to the team!

It is that easy to apply:

• We look forward to receiving your detailed application with a letter of motivation (max. two pages).
• Please include your academic CV in tabular form (including your list of publications and a list of courses and lectures you have given, if applicable).
• Contact details of at least two people who could provide reference letters.
• Degree certificates, official notifications.
• A brief description of a digital intervention study you would conduct during the first year of your employment (max. 1 page).
• Via our job portal/ Apply now – button.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Johanna Böttcher  

johanna.boettcher@univie.ac.at

We look forward to new personalities in our team! 
The University of Vienna has an anti-discriminatory employment policy and attaches great importance to equal opportunities, the advancement of women and diversity. We place particular emphasis on enhancing women’s representation among the academic and general university staff, particularly in leadership roles, and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Given equal qualifications, preference will be given to female candidates.

University of Vienna. Space for personalities. Since 1365.

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​Application deadline: 08/06/2026 

Apply now