We are hiring

PhD Position in Judgment & Decision Making

We are inviting applications for a fully funded PhD position focused on human-AI interaction starting in October 2026. The candidate will be supervised by Dr. Štěpán Bahník and Dr. Emir Efendić. 

• Our goal: To understand how human cognitive biases interact with biases present in state-of-the-art AI systems. The project you will be working on will investigate how AI interactions can augment, but also diminish, our reasoning and decision-making skills. 
• Your colleagues: You will join an interdisciplinary research team as a part of the Decision Lab Prague at the Prague University of Economics and Business and the Marketing and Supply Chain Management (MSCM) department at Maastricht University.

This PhD position offers a double degree structure awarded by Maastricht University (UM) and the Prague University of Economics and Business (VŠE). You will spend the first two years at VŠE in Prague, embedded in the Decision Lab and its active behavioral research community, before relocating to Maastricht for the final two years, where you will complete and defend your dissertation. This setup gives you the opportunity to build your research skills across two internationally recognized institutions, drawing on distinct academic communities, laboratory facilities, and professional networks in both Prague and Maastricht.

You will design and conduct controlled behavioural experiments—both online and in the laboratory—to investigate how human cognitive biases interact with biases present in AI systems. Humans are known to rely on mental shortcuts that lead to systematic errors, and AI systems may exhibit similar biases, partly because they are trained on human-generated data and are often designed to align with users’ beliefs or preferences. For instance, an AI model may be more likely to suggest confirming as opposed to disconfirming examples, not because it is inventing a new bias, but because confirmation bias is backed into the historical training data. 

The consequences of this interaction are not immediately clear. AI may help reduce human biases by providing structured and consistent input, but it may also amplify them if users over-rely or engage less critically with AI-generated decisions. This project, therefore, asks whether human–AI interactions can be designed to counteract human biases and improve decision quality.

• Translate high-level research ideas into testable questions and hypotheses grounded in scientific literature.
• Develop and run controlled behavioural experiments (online and/or lab-based).
• Apply advanced statistical methods appropriate for experimental and observational data.
• Ensure reproducibility and transparency of analyses (maintaining code, data pipelines, and documentation).
• Write up research findings and prepare research papers.
• Present work at international academic conferences and internal research seminars.
• Complete the required coursework in the first year of the studies.
• Commit to spending the first two years of the PhD in Prague, subsequently moving to Maastricht for the last two years. 
• Participate in teaching and supervision of students.

What you can expect 

You will work closely with the supervisors as part of a small, collaborative research team, while also developing increasing independence over the course of the PhD. The position involves a mix of conceptual work, experimental design, data collection, and rigorous analysis, with expectations comparable to leading research-oriented business schools. Room will also be provided for growth, learning, and personal development. Both universities provide structured Ph.D. programs with a strong focus on developing skills required for positions in research and academia (VŠE, UM).

Essential qualifications

• A completed Master’s degree in psychology, behavioural economics, management, or a related field before October 2026.
• Demonstrated interest in behavioural decision-making research (e.g., through a Master’s thesis, research assistantship, or internship).
• Strong quantitative and methodological skills, including experimental design and statistical analysis.
• Excellent written and spoken English (C2 level), suitable for academic writing and collaboration. No knowledge of Czech or Dutch is needed.

Desirable 

• Experience with advanced statistical methods (e.g., multilevel modelling, Bayesian methods).
• Prior involvement in peer-reviewed publications or academic conference presentations.
• Experience with programming and analytic languages such as Python or R. 
• Advanced methodological skills, such as familiarity with causal inference or applied statistical modeling, are considered a strong asset.
• Interest in applying behavioral decision-making research to the business context.

What we offer 

• Opportunity to obtain a double degree from two high-ranking business schools in Europe. 
• Spend research time at two attractive European locations, expanding your network and skills. 
• Four-year financial support for your PhD project. 
• Work in an international, open, and engaged environment.
• Opportunity to contribute to active research projects.
• Travel funding for conferences and/or summer/winter schools/workshops.
• Participation in advanced graduate courses and training.
• Participation in international seminars with visiting scholars.