Postdoc position: Shaping Open Science Culture

Why do some researchers adopt Open Science (OS) practices while others do not? And how does the research culture within departments influence these behaviours? These questions are central to the Shaping Open Science Culture (SOSC) project, funded by Open Science NL.

As a postdoc, you will investigate how research environments shape the uptake of open science practices such as open data, open methods, and preregistration. The project combines metascience, behavioural science, and research culture interventions to better understand how open science can become standard practice within academia.

The project consists of two complementary phases. In the first year, you will analyse publication behaviour of early-career researchers in the Netherlands who changed departments after completing their PhD. Using publication records, you will study whether researchers adopt or abandon open science practices after moving to a new research environment. In the second year, you will design and evaluate low-cost departmental interventions aimed at strengthening open science culture through peer accountability, shared commitments, and social recognition.

The SOSC project is a collaboration between Amsterdam UMC, VU Amsterdam, Tilburg University, and Eindhoven University of Technology, within the Netherlands Metascience Coalition.

As a postdoc, you will coordinate and execute the project from data collection to implementation and dissemination. You combine quantitative research with practical intervention development and collaboration across institutions.

Your work includes:

• analysing publication and bibliometric data using sources such as OpenAlex and Metacheck to study open science practices;
• designing and implementing culture interventions within research departments at participating universities;
• coordinating collaboration between consortium partners and monitoring project progress;
• writing open-access scientific publications and contributing to practical outputs such as intervention toolkits and policy briefs;
• contributing to the organisation of open science events and the development of an open science mobility dashboard.

This role offers substantial freedom and responsibility within a collaborative national research network.

We are looking for an independent and collaborative researcher with a strong interest in metascience and research culture.

You have:

• a completed PhD, or are close to completion, in a relevant discipline;
• experience with quantitative research methods, preferably including bibliometric analyses, field experiments, or multilevel modelling;
• programming and data analysis skills in R and/or Python;
• demonstrated affinity with open science, metascience, or research integrity;
• excellent written and spoken English communication skills.

In addition, you work proactively, enjoy interdisciplinary collaboration, and are motivated to translate scientific insights into practical change.