Tilburg Law School is seeking an enthusiastic colleague for the position PhD candidate in the Department of Criminal Law.

Despite their foundations in written (procedure) law, criminal trials are living instruments and can take different shapes and forms over time. Since the COVID-19 pandemic the use of communication technology and digital means in criminal courtrooms has increased considerably. This development raises fundamental questions as to how technology impacts and changes traditional concepts of (fair) criminal procedure. As a PhD researcher you will carry out independent academic research in this fascinating and largely unexplored area of criminal procedure (law) and your primary responsibility will be to write a PhD thesis. You will become part of the department of criminal law at TLS and are expected to contribute the educational program of TLS. 

To apply for this position, you are asked to write a research proposal (using the format in the application form) that fits the project description below. 

The envisaged project deals with ‘virtual criminal proceedings and their effect on (perceived) procedural fairness’. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented increase in the use of remote technologies in courtrooms such as Zoom, Teams, and other videoconferencing platforms. These justice innovations are attractive from many perspectives – cost efficiency and court productivity being the most important – but very little is known about whether and how they affect (perceived) procedural fairness. More specifically, there is a gap in existing research on whether and how the use of technology impacts the quality of human interaction during trial, how these remote proceedings are perceived and experienced by trial participants and – consequently – how they impact procedural fairness. This study seeks to fill this gap in existing research and generate insights that are crucial for a future-proof (re)conceptualization of procedural fairness. Given the projects focus on how proceedings are experienced the research will have a considerable empirical component. In the project special attention will be given to the concept of defendant vulnerability. While it is generally acknowledged that all defendants are potentially vulnerable and that certain safeguards should be in place to facilitate effective participation – respecting core components of procedural justice such as voice and trust – the concept of defendant vulnerability is fluid and ever-changing. Through the lens of procedural fairness, the study will analyze how the use of remote technology in the courtroom affects (exacerbates or mitigates) existing vulnerabilities and/or potentially creates new forms of vulnerability for – all or specific categories of – defendants. 

Please make sure your research proposal includes both a legal as well as an empirical component and includes the concepts of (perceived) procedural justice/fairness and defendant vulnerability. 

What do we ask? 
Tilburg University is curious about how you can contribute to our research, education, impact, and to the team you will be part of. Therefore, we would like to get the best possible picture of your knowledge, insight, skills, and personality. Below you can find the qualifications we consider important for the position.

We are looking for candidates who: 

• hold a relevant Master degree in law and/or social sciences (such as criminology and psychology) preferably completed with excellent grades
• at least have basic knowledge of criminal procedure (both in law and practice) and/or are familiar with carrying out social scientific research: experience in conducting empirical research is a plus
• have a high proficiency in Dutch and/or English (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) C2), allowing for effective communication and documentation
• show explicit interest in and motivation for scientific research 
• possess good communication, analytical and writing skills 
• are able to contribute to an open and inclusive organizational culture.

To maintain a vibrant and active university community, it is important that we meet each other regularly and that the connection between us remains good. Therefore, the premise is that all staff members carry out their work in the Netherlands and that lecturing is done physically.

What do we offer?
Tilburg University offers excellent terms of employment with attention to flexibility and room for (personal) development. We recognize and reward our employees and encourage the use of talents and strengths.

Tilburg University is committed to an open and inclusive culture, embracing diversity, and encouraging the mutual integration of groups of staff and students. We create equal opportunities for all our staff and students so that everyone feels at home in our university community. 

We work in a vibrant and lively (work) environment on our beautiful campus, close to the forest and easily accessible by public transport. We are committed to a sustainable society and challenge you to make an active contribution to this. 

For this position, we offer:

• A position based on 1.0 FTE (40 hours per week);
• It is a vacancy for 4 years. You will initially be appointed for a fixed period of 16 months with a statutory probationary period of two months. After 12 months, an evaluation will take place. If the performance evaluation is positive, your employment agreement will be extended for the remaining period of 32 months.
• A start salary €2,770 gross per month for full time employment, based on UFO profile PhD Candidate and salary scale P of the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. Tilburg University uses a neutral remuneration system for salary scaling;
• Vacation allowance (8%) and a year-end bonus (8.3%);
• Vacation days (41 days for a 40-hour work week);
• Full reimbursement of commuting expenses for sustainable travel: walking, biking and public transportation;
• Moving allowance;
• Options Model for benefits and reimbursement of expenses;
• Employees from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a tax-free allowance of 30/20/10% of their taxable wages. We will apply for this reimbursement for you;
• You will be enrolled in the General Pension Fund for Public Employers (ABP) through us;
• Various training courses, for example in leadership skills, personal effectiveness, and career development;
• A wide range of amenities and facilities and various arrangements to create an optimal work-life balance.

Visit working at Tilburg University for more information on our terms of employment. 

Tilburg University

Tilburg University's motto is Understanding Society. Based on this vision, our almost 2,800 employees conduct research, inspire more than 19,000 students of 110 nationalities, and bring people from different disciplines and organizations together to learn from each other. In this way, we want to contribute to solving complex social issues. In doing so, we work from the fields of economics, business and entrepreneurship, social and behavioral sciences, law and public administration, humanities and digital sciences, and theology. We seek the connection between the various disciplines to find solutions to the major issues we face as a society. Our students are educated to become responsible and entrepreneurial thinkers, driven by solidarity, a sense of responsibility, and empathy, who are able to influence and give direction to a rapidly changing society in an innovative way. Tilburg University has a culture of collaboration and co-creation, at local, regional, national, and international level.

Since its founding in 1963, Tilburg Law School has become one of the leading law schools in Europe. Through top research and the provision of high-quality university education, the School contributes to society. Tilburg Law School is organized into five Departments: Public Law and Governance; Law, Technology, Markets and Society; Private, Business and Labour Law; the Fiscal Institute Tilburg; and Criminal Law. The mission of the School is to understand and improve the role of law and public administration in addressing the social problems of today and tomorrow. Through research and education, our scholars contribute to that mission. 

More than 4,000 students pursue a Bachelor's, pre-Master's or Master's degree at Tilburg Law School. Through this education, we train students in law, public administration, and data science. The Tilburg Educational Profile (TEP) is unique in the Netherlands. Central to it are three core concepts: knowledge, skill and character. A university education provides students with the latest substantive knowledge and trains them to be critical thinkers and resilient professionals. In addition, the School is committed to innovative educational concepts and, partly in response to the coronavirus crisis, has invested heavily in the quality of online education and in innovative didactic tools to make and keep students inquisitive. 

Tilburg Law School's research is highly regarded nationally and internationally. The Tilburg Law School Departments work closely together in their research in four signature research programs: 1) Global Law and Governance; 2) Law and Security; 3) Connecting Organizations; and 4) Regulating Socio-Technical Change. 

The Department of Criminal Law has a multidisciplinary composition in which both criminal (procedural) law and social science approaches to crime and victimization have a place, and it provides education and research in the field of criminal law, criminology, victimology, and forensic psychiatry. Currently, the Department has about 30 permanent staff members. Particular value is placed on collaboration, both within the Department and with colleagues within Tilburg Law School and other Schools. The Department has an informal culture, where equality and providing an inspiring and safe working environment are paramount. Providing excellent education and conducting challenging research are seen as two main tasks that can only be accomplished together.