You will be offered the opportunity to collaborate with legal researchers and computer scientists, and to apply (and learn) computer science methods, including AI (symbolic or non-symbolic) in relation to the legal domain, whether it is for the purpose of analyzing data or engineering data infrastructures. The responsibilities are diverse. You will teach, conduct innovative and high-quality research, write research proposals, and participate in strategic and administrative activities. This set of responsibilities will, among other things, allow you to:

• Grow in academia
• Be a pioneer in the field of law and data science
• Collaborate with experts from law as well as computer science
• Perform individually and collaboratively
• Build networks
• Participate and lead projects
• Pursue strategies to translate research results into innovation
• Develop and advance courses and educational programs at the intersection of law and data science.

The application of computational methods in the legal domain will revolutionize legal academia and practice. There is a growing need to develop data infrastructures for the legal domain and to test methodologies for legal analysis in order to answer empirical research questions. This position helps address this need by contributing to cutting-edge research that applies data science and artificial intelligence to a legal or regulatory context.

We invite applications for a position at the Maastricht Law and Tech Lab, which closely collaborates with the Institute of Data Science and the Department of Knowledge Engineering at Maastricht University. It is an exciting and vibrant community where legal scholars and data scientists meet and form interdisciplinary teams that work at the intersection of Data Science and Law.

Applicants should fulfill the following main requirements:

• PhD degree in law, data science, artificial intelligence, computer science, mathematics, or a related field. Legal scholars with a doctrinal focus do not fit the profile;
• Formal training and experience in applying computer science methods (including AI, whether symbolic or non-symbolic);
• Excellence in research and, preferably, a track record of obtaining research funding;
• Experience in teaching; University Teaching Qualification (UTQ);
• Experience in supervising Bachelor, Masters, or PhD students;
• A personality characterized by vision, ambition, and collaboration;
• Fluency in the English language.
• (optional) Geek-friendly.

The exact terms of employment will depend on the qualifications and experience of the candidate.

You will be employed temporarily for 12 or 18 months (depending on your employment history) as associate professor (level 2) and will co-develop and agree to specific development goals. Towards the end of this contract period the decision will be taken on whether or not to grant an employment contract for an indefinite period. Your development goals will also allow you to grow further.

The salary depends on academic qualifications and experience. The salary will be set between minimum gross month salary of € 5,506 and maximum gross month salary of € 6,702 (according to associate professor 2), based on a full-time employment, of the Collective Labour Agreement of the Dutch Universities. For people recruited from abroad a reduced income tax rate may apply. Maastricht University has attractive employment conditions, which include a pension scheme, holidays, holiday allowance and an end of year bonus. The preferred starting date is January 2023 at the latest

The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO). Furthermore, local UM provisions also apply. For more information look at the website www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > About UM > Working at UM.

Maastricht University

The Faculty of Law of Maastricht University provides challenging and high-quality legal education for Bachelor's and Master's students. The faculty is a pioneer in small-scale and innovative education and trains lawyers for both the national and international labor market. The faculty is in the top 3 of law schools in the EU and, with 51% foreign students, is the most international law faculty in Europe. It has 3000 students and more than 300 employees. Maastricht University provides you a unique international experience in a Dutch city.

The research within the faculty is conducted within one of the faculty research institutes and the Maastricht Graduate School of Law. The focus of the research is on European and international aspects of law, human rights, migration, and Law & Technology. The faculty attaches great importance to both fundamental and more practical research and is known for its stimulating research and education climate.

Maastricht University (UM) is the most international university in the Netherlands and is still growing with its more than 22,000 students and 5,000 employees. The university distinguishes itself through its innovative educational model, international character and multidisciplinary approach to research and education. Thanks to the high quality of its research and education, as well as a strong social orientation, the university has built a solid reputation in its short existence. It is considered one of the best young universities in the world. UM has six faculties: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of Law, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience.

Maastricht University aims to be and remain an attractive employer. It is convinced that it can achieve this by challenging and encouraging staff and students to get the best out of themselves. By employing those staff members for the activities in which they can do their best work. And by hiring and retaining employees who fit the profile and ambition of UM.

The administrative unit under which the position falls is the Department of Private Law. This department consists of a dynamic group of researchers and lecturers. Colleagues describe the Department as an exciting, inspiring, and diverse yet inclusive environment that fosters professional development, ambition, and innovative research in the field of private law. The atmosphere is one of academic freedom. You will be able to engage in a variety of other activities both within and beyond the Law Faculty, be they educational, managerial, strategic or extra-curricular. Support for grant applications will be provided.

The research will be carried out at The Maastricht Law and Tech Lab. The Lab is embedded within the Faculty of Law and aims to produce cutting-edge research and to build a creative community of researchers, teachers and students at the intersection of law, technology, data science and knowledge engineering. The Lab aims to analyze how technology and data science interact with law and justice in society, how technology and data science can increase access to law and justice in society, and analyzes the ethical, legal, and social issues arising from technology and data science innovations. Activities are conducted in collaboration between lawyers, data scientists and / or knowledge engineers.