For the Horizon Europe project ‘Using AI to Support Regulators and Policy Makers’ (AI4POL), we are looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher in Consumer Law & Digital Regulation. The goal of the project is to conduct both fundamental legal research on the development of EU digital regulation in three areas and to design future-proof governance structures enabling regulators and enforcers to maximize the potential and minimize the risks of AI and data technologies.

The AI4POL project is coordinated by the Tilburg School of Economics and Management (TiSEM) and will conduct research into the regulation of and by AI. AI4POL’s legal Work Package ‘Future-proofing the governance of and by AI’ is embedded at Tilburg Law School. 
The position carries a lot of independence and potential to do research and carry out the required work in ways you deem best (in coordination with the Work Package leader and subject to the promised deliverables). In particular, the Work Package includes three areas or case studies: (1) online consumer manipulation (under EU consumer law and the AI Act); (2) regulation of data sharing (under the Data Act); (3) regulation of self-preferencing in rankings (under the Digital Markets Act). Bringing together the three case studies, the Work Package will identify overarching principles for future-proof governance mechanisms for AI that are relevant for regulators and policy makers active in the area. Within the framework of AI4POL and beyond the deliverables laid down in the project, you will have some opportunity to pursue research of your own interest.

Next to your daily collaboration with the Work Package leader and other researchers from Tilburg Law School and TiSEM, the Work Package also comprises inputs from and collaboration with ethicists, economists and data scientists (who are based in Lithuania, United Kingdom, and the Netherlands). The research will both be academically path-breaking (with corresponding publication potential in academic journals) and have strong policy relevance (as we have direct access to key European and Dutch regulators and policy makers, via AI4POL’s Advisory Board).

We can offer a position of either 0.8 or 1 FTE and we will make this decision jointly with the selected candidate. In case of a 0.8 FTE appointment, the selected candidate will mostly spend their working hours on the AI4POL project and will be involved in thesis supervision and/or other tasks only to a limited extent. In case of a 1 FTE appointment, the selected candidate is expected to take up additional teaching and/or other tasks for the extra 0.2 FTE. This may include giving lectures in courses at the Bachelor and/or Master programs or in professional learning programs.

In both cases, the successful candidate will:

• conduct the research for and co-author the deliverables of the legal Work Package in AI4POL, together with other members of the team;
• be a key contact point for the legal Work Package and offer support in coordinating the work of the other consortium partners in the Work Package;
• independently and jointly pursue path-breaking research within the context of the AI4POL project, to be submitted to peer-reviewed international journals;
• actively contribute to other relevant Work Packages and all activities of the AI4POL project (including Work Package meetings, consortium meetings and public events); 
• supervise students in writing their Bachelor and/or Master thesis in law and reading and grading Bachelor and/or Master theses on a variety of topics;
• be an active member of TILT (Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology, and Society) and TILEC (Tilburg Law and Economics Center) by participating in and organising events and activities, presenting, and discussing research output within and outside Tilburg University.

What do we ask? 
Tilburg University believes that academic excellence is achieved through the combination of outstanding research and education in which social impact is made by sharing knowledge. In doing so, we recognize that excellence is not only achieved through individual performance but mostly through team effort in which each team member acts as a leader, connecting people. In view of our vision, 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.

• You have completed a PhD in the area of EU consumer or digital regulation (or at least a PhD manuscript approved by your supervisors);  
• You have a keen interest in the regulation of digital platforms (including EU consumer law and the Digital Markets Act) as well as the regulation of data and AI in the EU (including the Data Act and the AI Act), as evidenced by your motivation or earlier activities. Note that you will not be expected to cover all of these domains by yourself, as you will be joined by other team members. An interest in the broader area of EU digital regulation is expected, because the relevant Work Package of AI4POL will expose the selected candidate to these different legal frameworks;
• You have an excellent written and spoken command of English, as demonstrated by publications and conference presentations in English; 
• You have experience or affinity with working in a multidisciplinary environment; 
• You feel comfortable working in a team and express this through collaboration, sharing knowledge and experiences, and contributing to an open and inclusive work environment; 
• You have the ability to supervise students in writing their Bachelor and/or Master thesis in law and the ability to read and grade Bachelor and Master theses on a variety of topics; 
• You are prepared to be present at Tilburg University at least 2-3 days a week in line with TILT's hybrid working policy and commit to integrate in the environment provided by the AI4POL project, TILT and TILEC. 

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, when relevant, 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 temporary postdoctoral researcher position for 3 years, based on either 0.8 or 1 FTE (32 or 40 hours per week);
• A salary of minimum €4.492 and maximum €6.148 gross per month for full time employment, based on UFO profile Researcher 3 and salary scale 11 of the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. Tilburg University uses a neutral remuneration system for salary scaling that is based on relevant education and work experience;
• This is a vacancy for which the work is (partly) temporarily externally funded by Horizon Europe project in accordance with Article 2.3 paragraph 7(a) of the CLA for Dutch Universities. You will be given a temporary employment contract for the duration of 36 months in total.
• Vacation pay of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3%. 
• Over 8 weeks of vacation leave. 
• The opportunity to work partly on campus and partly from home with a home office allowance of €2 per day.
• Reimbursement for sustainable commuting: walking, cycling, and public transportation. 
• A monthly internet fee of €25.
• An Options Model in which you exchange benefits for things such as additional leave, more pension, a bicycle or personal training at our Sports Center. 
• A moving allowance (subject to conditions). 
• Employees from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for the tax reduction facility.
• A pension with ABP; the most sustainable Dutch pension fund.
• Training in personal development, career development, leadership, education, and research or a language course at our Language Center. 
• A work culture in which we embrace differences, everyone is welcome and given equal opportunities. 
• A vibrant campus in green surroundings that is easily accessible by public transport. 

For more information, see our website and the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities.

Tilburg University

Tilburg University is an academic, inclusive, and engaged community. Together with nearly 3,000 employees, we are committed to broad prosperity, sustainably, and inclusion. For current and future generations. We develop and share knowledge for the requirements of people and our society. This is how we contribute to solving complex social issues and help society move forward.

We educate our 19,500 students of 110 nationalities to become responsible leaders with knowledge, skills, and character. With our education and research for broad prosperity, we exceedingly focus on themes such as mental and preventive care, an inclusive labor market, the energy transition, and digitalization.

Tilburg Law School
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 Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology, and Society (TILT) is home to teaching and research on the effects of socio-technical change on the regulation and management of economic activities in an era when information technology is a key driver of innovation. TILT is one of the leading research groups in Europe at the intersection of law, technology, and society. It is based on multidisciplinary research on socio-technical change, aimed at understanding the interaction between technology and social and normative practices to clarify how to address the regulatory challenges of socio-technical change.

The Tilburg Law and Economics Center (TILEC) supports and stimulates academic research on the governance of economic activity, aiming to be a global leader in this field. Gathering more than 40 legal scholars and economists at Tilburg University and with over 50 extramural fellows, TILEC fosters academically path breaking and practically relevant research. The center is a leading law & economics research center in Europe with an excellent reputation both in the academic and in the policy worlds, globally. TILEC members meet once a week to discuss the latest research both with external seminar speakers and internal researchers, the latest relevant academic papers or legal cases.

We invite you to apply online for this position by 27 October 2024 (23:59 CEST). 
More information can be obtained from Inge Graef (i.graef@tilburguniversity.edu).

Please attach the following documents to the application:
1) a cover letter, explaining your motivation for applying for this position;
2) your CV, including publication list;
3) a research statement of up to 1000 words, discussing your ability and interest to contribute to the case studies of the legal Work Package of the AI4POL project as described above;
4) a recent example of your written work (for instance a journal article or PhD chapter);
5) contact information for two referees (including name, phone number, and e-mail address). We only approach referees for candidates who go to the second interview round.