Are you?

• A curious and creative legal researcher with an interest if not background in decolonial approaches?
• Interested in debates related to universality, objectivity and/or research integrity?
• An engaged team player interested in helping organize joint research projects involving diverse communities?
• Interested in teaching in a diverse academic context?

Then the job of Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Amsterdam is perfect for you.

What does this job entail?

You will be conducting innovative research and be actively contributing to a project entitled Integrity and Objectivity in Legal Research: What Should Legal Analysis Become? The project is embedded within the Amsterdam Center for International Law (ACIL) and connects to the University Research Priority Area (RPA) 'Decolonial Futures'-a collaboration between the faculties of Law, Humanities (lead), and Social and Behavioural Sciences (to start in 2023). Briefly: On the one hand, 'new humanities' and critical legal theory have emphasized the partiality and situatedness of all knowledge production. On the other hand, past and present predicaments and future-oriented approaches might push for a new approach to universality. Rightly so? Relatedly, the Law Faculty's report on Scientific Integrity demands a renewed take on crucial questions about inescapably situated knowledge that still aspires towards universality. The research project's overarching questions include: What should legal analysis become amidst nested crises? Do universals require an impossible 'view from nowhere'? What are the possibilities of a 'view from everywhere'? What can ethics in law become in the absence of universal claims? What is the impact of genealogy critique that draws out the partiality and situatedness of all knowledge on claims to integrity and objectivity? Besides your individual research projects, you will also actively contribute to the organization of events at ACIL, the Law Faculty and in the Decolonial Futures RPA, working within interdisciplinary and diverse teams. Finally, as part of your role, you will contribute to teaching innovative courses in public international law and thesis supervision (up to 30% of your position).

The successful candidate is a curious and creative researcher with a completed dissertation in international public law, legal theory, or a closely related field.

You have:

• A PhD in Law or a related discipline.
• Excellent command of English.
• Depending on your profile, knowledge of and/or interest in public international law, legal theory, decolonial approaches.
• Knowledge of other disciplines besides law is an advantage.
• A proven track-record of excellent research and active participation to research communities.
• Teaching experience in international public law is an advantage.

We particularly welcome applications from candidates from underrepresented backgrounds.

We offer an employment contract for two years with a probationary period of two months. The start of employment should be as of 1 May, or as soon as possible thereafter depending on the availability of the successful candidate. The employment contract is for 38 hours a week.

Your salary, depending on your relevant experience on commencement of the employment contract, ranges between €3974 to €5439 gross per month on the basis of a full working week of 38 hours. This sum does not include the 8% holiday allowance and the 8.3% year-end allowance. The Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU) is applicable.

Besides an attractive salary and an inspiring international work environment, our fringe benefits include:

• 232 leave hours per year (at fulltime employment) and extra leave days between Christmas and 1 January;
• A variety of training opportunities, such as time management courses and an online platform with more than 100 different courses;
• 7 weeks of paid birth leave and partially paid parental leave;
• the opportunity for hybrid working and support for your home office;
• a pension with ABP, the pension fund for employees in the government and education sectors, to which UvA contributes two thirds

Amsterdam Law School

The University of Amsterdam is the largest university in the Netherlands, with the broadest spectrum of degree programmes. It is an intellectual hub with 39,000 students, 6,000 employees and 3,000 doctoral students who are all committed to a culture of inquiring minds.

Amsterdam Law School

Committed, responsible and open-minded. This is how we at the Amsterdam Law School view the role of law in a constantly changing (international) society. With over 5,000 students and 550 staff, we are one of the larger law faculties in the Netherlands. We educate legal professionals who know how to apply the law effectively with the aim of actually contributing to solutions for society. We respond to social developments through innovative and pioneering research. In this way, we always keep in touch with society.

Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.