The impact of the globalization of markets and people creates a pressing need to come up with transnational regulatory solutions to protect human health without stifling the progress that may come with the transformation of national borders.

Many questions that the Global Health RPA is exploring have strong legal dimensions. This holds for instance for the regulation of food: particularly sugar, alcohol and meat, and even the regulation of agriculture is deemed highly unsustainable by public health advocates and epidemiologists. This is only one example of the Global Health questions that involve challenges for law and policy that need integral solutions. Regulating for Universal Health Care (UHC), regulation of antibiotics, antivirals and vaccines in area’s in the world where regulation is lacking or non-existent, trade in medicines, the access to information and the protection of medical data: at global level institutional commitments are in flux and the increasing importance of public/private partnerships raises new questions for accountability, responsibility and the effectiveness of global cooperation on human health.

We are inviting applications for the position of a postdoctoral fellowship to support and kickstart research and funding applications in the area of Global health and European health law and governance.

What will you do?

You will:

• conduct and initiate interdisciplinary research into questions of global health law and policy broadly with a focus on the legal and policy questions raised by the interplay of health, environment, dignity, solidarity and technological developments;
• conduct research and support research funding applications;
• initiate research meetings and events;
• act as a daily mentor for PhD’s.

Within the project you will help in bringing together expertise on professional and medical liability, insurance and regulation of the medical field, universal access to medical care, the regulation of medicines, life sciences, medical products and sexual and reproductive health.

Furthermore, we will engage in research into the innovation of regulation for health-life problems, where threats to the environment and human health collide.

The ideal candidate:

• has a proven track record in legal research in (parts of) the research area;
• has a PhD in a relevant discipline, preferably law, or in ethics/philosophy, medicine, public health or political/social science;
• has an excellent academic publication record as evident from journal publications;
• has a national and international network in the field;
• has proven organizational, communication and team leading skills;
• is a self-starter, innovative and entrepreneurial;
• has some track-record in grant applications (science foundation programmes and otherwise);
• has experience working in interdisciplinary environments, and in working with societal actors;
• has excellent language skills in English and preferably Dutch.

Our offer

The position preferably starts between May - July.

The position concerns a temporary appointment of 38 hours per week for an initial term of 1 year, extended with 2 more years following a positive assessment. Te full-time gross monthly salary ranges from €3,637 to €5,656 per month (salary scale 11-12), depending on relevant experience. A part-time position at 80% is an option. Secondary benefits at Dutch universities are attractive and include an 8% holiday pay and an 8,3% end-of-year Bonus. The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities applies. 

What else do we offer you?

The postdoctoral fellowship is positioned in the Amsterdam Law School and part of the Research Priority Area for Global health, working in close ties with the Amsterdam Medical Centre, the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development and the Faculty of Social Sciences, particularly the group of Medical Anthropology.

This initiative is led by professor Johan Legemaate and dr. Anniek de Ruijter, within the Amsterdam Law School group on health law and international and European law. The fellow will become part of a thriving international research community with excellent facilities and support for academic career development.

University of Amsterdam

With over 5,000 employees, 30,000 students and a budget of more than 600 million euros, the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is an intellectual hub within the Netherlands. Teaching and research at the UvA are conducted within seven faculties: Humanities, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Economics and Business, Law, Science, Medicine and Dentistry. Housed on four city campuses in or near the heart of Amsterdam, where disciplines come together and interact, the faculties have close links with thousands of researchers and hundreds of institutions at home and abroad.  

The UvA’s students and employees are independent thinkers, competent rebels who dare to question dogmas and aren’t satisfied with easy answers and standard solutions. To work at the UvA is to work in an independent, creative, innovative and international climate characterised by an open atmosphere and a genuine engagement with the city of Amsterdam and society.

Amsterdam Law School – Section Public Law

The Amsterdam Law School prides itself on its international orientation and strong social commitment. This is reflected by both its research and educational activities. The Amsterdam Law School offers three Bachelor’s programmes, including the interdisciplinary English-language Bachelor Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics (PPLE) in cooperation with two other Faculties, as well as a variety of Master's programmes, several of which are taught exclusively in English (i.e. International and European Law, European Private Law, International Criminal Law, and Law & Finance). The Amsterdam Law School prepares students for a wide variety of legal careers including law firms, government, business and industry, the national and international judiciary, public service, human rights advocacy, and academia. With 4000 students and over 450 staff members, it is one of the largest law faculties in the Netherlands.