Your PhD project will be embedded in the sectoral plans of Leiden Law School and the Dutch government. More specifically, your project contributes to the sub-theme of conflict resolving institutions. Within this theme, our research focusses on the role of courts in settling major, and often sensitive, societal disputes. Can and should courts, for example, solve societal disputes on the environment, immigration, or vaccination? And if they do, how should they solve these disputes in an effective and legitimate manner? In light of these questions, the research follows a multidisciplinary approach and actively brings together researchers from different legal disciplines as well as the social sciences.

Within the theme of conflict solving institutions we are specifically offering two PhD positions. Each position entails a full time contract (in the Netherlands PhD’s are part of the staff, not students), and focusses on the following two projects:

• Digitalization for future-proof (administrative) courts. Supervisors Bart Custers, email: b.h.m.custers@law.leidenuniv.nl, and Ymre Schuurmans.
• Adapting EU courts to human nature: applying insights from social psychology to improve the legitimacy and conflict solving capacity of EU courts. Supervisors: Armin Cuyvers, email: a.cuyvers@law.leidenuniv.nl, and Daniël Scheepers.

Your appointment should lead to a completed and successfully defended PhD-thesis, and entails participation in the PhD-school and courses of Leiden Law School.

• A Master’s degree and preferably have a background in both the law and one of the social sciences, giving you a solid methodological foundation;
• A demonstrable interest in capacity for conducting scientific research, proven inter alia by a strong and convincing master’s thesis, papers, and/or publications;
• You can work independently and in a team, you are strong analytically and have the perseverance and strength of character to complete a long-term, challenging project;
• Proficient in English, up to the standard required to conduct academic research and engage in an academic discussion in English. 

We offer a full-time one year position, with the possibility of an extension of three years based on a positive evaluation of the progress of the thesis, personal capabilities and compatibility. Salary range from €2,325.- to €2,972.- gross per month on a full-time basis (pay scale P, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities).

Leiden University offers an attractive benefits package with additional holiday (8%) and end-of-year bonuses (8.3 %), training and career development and sabbatical leave. Our individual choices model gives you some freedom to assemble your own set of terms and conditions. For international spouses we have set up a dual career programme. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break. More at Job application procedure and employment conditions.

Diversity
Leiden University is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from members of underrepresented groups.

Leiden University

With over 5,000 students and 450 members of staff, Leiden Law School is one of the largest faculties in the Netherlands. Yet, in all its diversity, it is still known for its ability to provide education on a small scale. The Faculty focuses on multi-faceted high-level teaching and research, both nationally and internationally. It does so by working with talented people and stimulating and supporting them in their professional and personal ambitions. The Faculty is housed in the beautifully restored Kamerlingh Onnes Building on the Steenschuur in Leiden. Working for the Leiden Law School means working in an inspiring scientific environment.