An Early Stage Researcher (ESR) position for a fixed-term of 3 years is available at Erasmus University Rotterdam, within the EU-funded Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network (H2020-ITN-ETN) for the consortium entitled Network of Excellence of Training on Hate (NETHATE, GA 861047). The ESR will work within Erasmus School of Law School on a PhD research project.

PhD-position description: The research project has the provisional title Religiously-motivated speech targeting LGBTs: An International Human Rights Analysis. The ESR will work under the supervision of Professor Dr. Jeroen Temperman, Professor of International Law and Religion, on a PhD thesis aiming to investigate whether states may or indeed should, in the light of international human rights standards, have legislation in place prohibiting anti-LGBT hate speech. This research reflects on what this legislation should look like and what type of hateful speech acts should come within this legislation’s ambit. Particular emphasis shall be on the question as how to ensure that free religious speech, also guaranteed by international law, is not disproportionately restricted by such measures combating hate speech.

The ESR will benefit from a wide-ranging training programme featuring local, European Training Network (ETN)-wide, and external activities with opportunities for travel to other ETN partners. Training will take place through Advanced Training Courses and topical conferences organised by ETN partners across Europe. The ESR will contribute to ambitious and carefully planned research, outreach, impact, and dissemination activities benefiting from the expertise of world-leading senior academics. Planned brief secondments (to be confirmed) partly designed to expose the ESR to relevant working environments outside academia, include two Netherlands-based LGBT rights civil society organizations.

A career development plan will be prepared for each fellow in accordance with his/her supervisor and will include training, planned secondments and outreach activities in partner laboratories of the network. The ESR fellows are supposed to complete their PhD thesis by the end of their employment.

You have a university master's degree in law, preferably with an international (human rights) law specialization. You can demonstrate relevant scientific research skills, proven, for example, by academic publications or by the quality of your master thesis. You have excellent (certified) oral and written skills in English. Candidates must fulfil the entrance requirements for the PhD programme at Erasmus (Graduate) School of Law. Furthermore, you must have had less than four years full-time equivalent research experience and must not have already obtained a PhD.

Other qualifications include:

• Evidence of conducting academic legal research and very good academic writing skills

• Evidence of excellent organisational skills and ability to meet deadlines;

• Ability to work highly efficiently and meet competing priorities;

• Highly motivated, with excellent organisational skills and with strong attention to detail and quality;

• Willing to travel to attend secondments, training and academic events.

Desirable Requirements & Skills include furthermore: Evidence of affinity with human rights law and particularly with LGBT rights and religious freedom, as evidenced e.g. through internship, thesis research, publications; At least one academic publication (besides the LL.M. thesis), preferably in the area of international human rights law

Please note that an assessment is part of the application procedure.

Candidates will be required to meet the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Early Stage Researcher eligibility criteria: http://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/ and the entry requirements for the PhD programme at the host institution where the ESR is based.

The position come with good employment conditions, compliant with the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO NU). The initial contract will be for one year (1.0 fte). If you have given sufficient proof of your abilities, the temporary contract will be renewed for a further two years. The salary is in accordance with the doctoral candidate scale of the CAO NU. For a full-time appointment, the salary is € 2,395 gross per month during the first year, which will increase annually up to € 2,920 gross per month in the third year. In addition, the attractive employment package includes an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%, generous leave provisions for a healthy work-life balance, a good pension scheme, excellent options for collective insurance, and a provision for the use of the Internet at home. The employee may also use a few campus facilities, such as sports facilities and the library.

EUR offers a Dual Career Programme to partners and spouses of new international employees at EUR. This programme is executed in close cooperation with nearby universities of Leiden and Delft. It aims to facilitate partners and spouses in their search for a job on the Dutch labour market. See www.eur.nl/en/working/international-staff-eur/family/work-partners

Erasmus University Rotterdam is an equal opportunities employer, committed to promoting equality, diversity and fairness irrespective of age, disability, gender, pregnancy or marital status, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Please note that there are residency requirements for each ESR position, you must not have resided in country where ESR position is located more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the appointment. The researcher must undertake transnational mobility.

Researchers may be of any nationality. In regards researchers with refugee status, time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status (under the 1951 Geneva Convention and the 1967 Protocol) are not taken into account (for mobility rules). It should be noted, however, that any time spent in the country of the beneficiary after refugee status has been obtained is then counted when determining eligibility.

Researchers at risk are especially encouraged to apply. ‘Researchers at risk’, under the current MSCA work programme refers to “researchers who are either at risk in their origin countries (due to discrimination, persecution, suffering and/or violence), or are seeking refuge out of these reasons or have recently found refuge in Europe”.
 

Erasmus University Rotterdam

The Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), named after Rotterdam-born humanist and theologian Erasmus, is a research university with a strong international orientation and a pronounced social focus, both in its education and research activities. On the lively, modern campus, more than 28.000 students and scholars of more than 100 nationalities are constantly encouraged to develop their talents and meet their ambition. Our more than 2700 scientists and employees work together with all our students to solve challenges faced by global society, drawing their inspiration from the consistently dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. The academic education offered at our faculties is intensive, engaging and strongly focused on practical application. We increasingly perform our research in multidisciplinary teams, which are closely interwoven with international networks. In terms of research impact and the quality of its degree programmes, EUR can compete with the foremost universities in Europe, which is reflected in its consistent top-100 position in most major universities rankings. Erasmus University Rotterdam’s key values are daring, curiosity, social involvement, breaking new ground and striving for success www.eur.nl

Erasmus School of Law

Erasmus School of Law employs 500 members of staff and is attended by around 5000 students. Erasmus School of Law offers bachelor programmes in Law, Tax Law and Criminology, with a focus on active academic learning. Students can subsequently choose from a wide variety of master programmes. Erasmus School of Law also collaborates in Double Degree programmes combining law and (business) economics or law and business administration and is one of the founders of the European Master in Law & Economics. Once students have completed their master’s degree, they may choose from several postgraduate tracks provided by Erasmus School of Law (in collaboration with Erasmus Academy and others).

The fundamental premise underlying academic research conducted at Erasmus School of Law is that law cannot be considered in splendid isolation or as an end in itself. It is embedded in an economic and social context that shapes law. At the same time, law itself shapes society and defines economic relationships. In line with this vision, our mission is to conduct innovative research on the function of law in its economic and social context. This research has a strong social and business-driven orientation. Erasmus School of Law is committed to promoting international and interdisciplinary research, as shown by its participation in several international research collaborations.

We engage in research-driven education, in which research questions as well as the interdisciplinary and international approach are embedded.