Looking for MSCA PF 2026 candidates: Universidad de Sevilla (Spain) - Department of Social Psychology

Professor Isidro Maya-Jariego, from Department of Social Psychology at the University of Seville, welcomes postdoctoral candidates interested in applying for a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA-PF) in 2026 at this University. Please note that applicants must comply with the Mobility Rule. 

Brief description of the Centre/Research Group 

Isidro Maya Jariego is Full Professor at the Universidad de Sevilla. His research focuses on social network analysis applied to community intervention, with particular emphasis on social integration, personal networks, social support, and evidence-based programs for vulnerable populations. He has coordinated several national and international research projects and has an extensive publication record in peer-reviewed journals.  The Laboratorio de Redes Personales y Comunidades (LRPC) is an interdisciplinary research group devoted to the study of personal and community networks. It combines quantitative and qualitative methods to examine social dynamics, community cohesion, and social inclusion. The LRPC develops innovative tools for the collection and visualization of relational data, and collaborates with public institutions and non-profit organizations in the design, implementation, and evaluation of intervention programs. Its applied orientation and international collaborations make it a suitable environment for researchers
applying to Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.

 Project description

Multilevel dynamics of psychological sense of community in urban neighbourhoods. This project examines the psychological sense of community (PSC) in urban neighbourhoods as a multilevel and relational process. Building on prior work by Isidro Maya Jariego and the Laboratorio de Redes Personales y Comunidades (LRPC), it integrates community psychology and personal network analysis to understand how place-based interactions and relational structures shape subjective belonging. Previous studies show that PSC varies according to residential trajectories, socioeconomic context, and everyday mobility across adjacent neighbourhoods, highlighting the importance of inter-neighbourhood ties and access to shared interaction settings. At the same time, this line of research emphasizes moving beyond static, place-bound notions of community by incorporating ecological levels and patterns of social interaction embedded in urban environments. The project pursues three objectives: (1) to analyse how personal networks and spatial practices jointly configure multiple senses of community; (2) to identify profiles of residents based on network cohesion, mobility patterns, and perceived belonging; and (3) to assess how these configurations relate to social inclusion and community well-being in socioeconomically diverse neighbourhoods. Methodologically, the project combines ego-network analysis, geolocated activity mapping, and multilevel modelling across comparative case studies. It also incorporates validated PSC scales and innovative tools for visualizing relational data. Expected outcomes include a refined theoretical model of PSC as a dynamic, context-dependent construct, and evidence-based guidelines for community intervention. By linking subjective experience with observable interaction patterns, the project contributes to the design of urban policies that foster cohesion, inclusion, and cross-neighbourhood integration, in line with the priorities of Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.

Evaluation panel:

Social Sciences and Humanities (SOC)

IMPORTANT: Applicants should check their elegibility to apply to the MSCA PF 2026 Call: 

• Any nationality (European Fellowship) / European national or long-term resident of a Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country (Global Fellowship)

• Be in a possession of a doctoral degree (PhD)

• Have a maximum of 8 years full-time equivalent experience in research, measured from the date of award of the doctoral degree

• Comply with the mobility rule: not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Spain (for European Postdoctoral Fellowships), or in the country of the host organisation for the outgoing phase (for Global Postdoctoral Fellowships) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline.

For a correct evaluation of your candidature, please send the documents below to Professor Isidro Maya-Jariego (isidromj@us.es)

• CV

• Recommendation letter

If you are ultimately selected to submit your application alongside Professor Isidro Maya-Jariego ,you will be able to benefit from the Coaching and Advising Programme offered by the International Projects Office at USE, providing additional resources and a proposal review service to the MSCA PF 2026 candidates.