As an assistant professor, you will have a diverse set of responsibilities. You will teach, conduct innovative and high-quality research, write research proposals, and participate in administrative activities.

Although the development and application of artificial intelligence (AI) has taken off, many vulnerable persons such as victims, social media users, children, and consumers are left unprotected or even exploited because they do not have access to legal information or to law enforcement. AI has the potential to assist in empowering those vulnerable persons, but because there is no commercial interest for such activities, the protection of vulnerable persons is severely lagging behind.

There is a growing need to apply computational methods to develop data infrastructures and methodologies, and to apply them to answer empirical research questions that contribute to protecting vulnerable persons in a legally compliant way. This position helps address this need. You will be offered the opportunity to collaborate with data scientists and legal researchers, and to apply (and learn) data science methods and solutions in relation to the legal domain.

The successful candidate will contribute to a cutting-edge research program that applies data science and artificial intelligence in a legal or regulatory context. The candidate will take part in multidisciplinary research teams, participate in interdisciplinary teaching, and pursue strategies to translate research results into innovation. We welcome applicants whose research has led to, or has the potential to lead to real-world applications and/ o r strong collaborations with industry.

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;
• Experience in applying data science (individually and/or jointly);
• Experience in an academic environment after the PhD period is preferred;
• Excellence in research and, preferably, a track record of obtaining research funding;
• Experience in teaching;
• Experience in supervising Bachelor, Masters, or PhD students;
• A personality characterized by vision, ambition, and collaboration;
• Fluency in the English language.

Fixed-term contract: 5 years.

We offer a rewarding position at a young university in the heart of Europe, with a distinct global perspective and a strong focus on innovative research and education.

• A competitive salary set in scale between 11.00 and 11.11 of the collective labour agreement of the Dutch Universities depending on qualifications and work experience (expected minimum € 3.746,00 and maximum € 5.127,00) for a full-time job (38 hours/week). An 8% holiday and an 8.3% year-end allowance is also provided;
• In addition, we offer an attractive package of fringe benefits such as, collective health insurance, substantial leave arrangements, parental leave packages, attractive retirement benefits and application for attractive fiscal arrangements for employees from abroad;
• 38 hours per week;
• The duration of the appointment is initially for 5 years as Assistant Professor (level 2), with the possibility for permanent position based on target agreements;
• The starting date is flexible (no later than 1 January 2021);
• We offer an attractive package of fringe benefits including reduction on collective health insurance, substantial leave arrangements, parental leave packages, attractive retirement benefits and application for attractive fiscal arrangements for employees from abroad;
• We provide a stimulating, collaborative, and interdisciplinary work environment with excellent opportunities for professional and personal development;
• Maastricht University has an excellent international reputation, and Maastricht itself is a beautiful, open-minded city located in the center of Western Europe;

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 http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > Support > UM employees.

Maastricht University

Maastricht University is renowned for its unique, innovative, problem-based learning system, which is characterized by a small-scale and student-oriented approach. Research at UM is characterized by a multidisciplinary and thematic approach, and is concentrated in research institutes and schools. Maastricht University has around 18,000 students and 4,400 employees. Reflecting the university's strong international profile, a fair amount of both students and staff are from abroad. The university hosts 6 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, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience.

Maastricht Law and Tech Lab

The Maastricht Law and Tech Lab, embedded within the Faculty of Law, 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.