The Utrecht Centre for Accountability and Liability Law (UCALL) of Utrecht University is looking for a PhD Candidate for a four-year PhD research project pertaining to Autonomous decision making, responsibility and liability. You may also be involved in the department’s educational activities.

Your job
Over four years, you will conduct PhD research with guidance from a supervisory team, led by Professor Elbert de Jong. The objective of your research is to generate relevant results for Dutch society and the legal community. The project falls within the Utrecht Centre for Accountability and Liability Law's research programme and is part of an NWO-funded initiative on the robust and safe control of remotely operated offshore vehicles. You will work in collaboration with an interdisciplinary consortium, including the Philosophy and Ethics of Technology group at Eindhoven University of Technology.

A clear ethical-legal framework of responsibilities and liabilities regarding the utilisation of semi-autonomous remote Vehicles is crucial to facilitate their (safe) development and application. This project investigates the ethical-legal framework that guides the allocation of responsibility and accountability amid complexity and uncertainty. Specifically, it addresses the interplay between algorithmic decisions, operational consequences, and ethical-legal aspects of accountability and liability. A further description of the project will be distributed upon request. Your letter of motivation should ideally express what appeals to you about this subject, and the ideas you have about the execution of the PhD research.

In addition to your research, you will share knowledge by participating in and helping organise research meetings, both internally and externally. Part of your time will also be allocated to training and development, including PhD courses, as well as a small amount of teaching experience.

• You hold a Master's degree in Law.
• You enjoy being part of a team, and express that by being open to various types of collaboration, sharing knowledge and experiences, and contributing to a collegial, open and inclusive work environment.
• You have good verbal and written communication skills.
• You are interested in civil law, accountability and liability, and new technologies - mainly in the ethical dimensions of technology and in developing legal frameworks that respond to technological innovations.
• You have experiences or interest in multidisciplinary research, particularly at the intersection of ethics, law, and technology, is considered an asset.
• You have good research skills, and are open to improving them further with the help of your supervisors’ feedback.
• In addition to English language proficiency at the C1 level (CEFR), some proficiency in the Dutch language is also relevant. You are willing to develop your Dutch language proficiency to at least the B1 CEFR level.

We offer:

• A position for 18 months, with an extension to a total of four years (40-hour work week) or five years (32-hour work week) upon a successful assessment in the first year;
• a gross monthly salary between €2,872 and €3,670 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday bonus and 8.3% end-of-year bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave, and flexible employment conditions based on the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities.

In addition to the employment conditions from the CAO for Dutch Universities, Utrecht University has a number of its own arrangements. These include agreements on professional development, leave arrangements, sports and cultural schemes and you get discounts on software and other IT products. We also give you the opportunity to expand your terms of employment through the Employment Conditions Selection Model. This is how we encourage you to grow. For more information, please visit working at Utrecht University.

Universiteit Utrecht

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

The Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance is a faculty at the heart of society, with a strong focus on social issues. Our subjects of Law, Economics and Governance give us a strong mix of academic disciplines that complement and enhance each other. This is a unique combination and a mark of our faculty's strength.

UU School of Law
The Utrecht University School of Law has provided quality research and education for more than 350 years. Constant innovation has enabled the School to maintain its leading position. Top-ranking research is conducted in all important legal fields: private law, criminal law, constitutional and administrative law, EU law, public international law. Researchers collaborate intensively with foreign partners, mainly from the angle of European and comparative law. The School of Law also conducts contract research and consultancy for other organisations. The extensive educational programme is based on academic research conducted within the faculty of Law, Economics and Governance. Students are trained to be highly qualified, internationally-oriented lawyers on the basis of modern didactical principles.

For more information about this position and a further description of the project, please contact professor Elbert de Jong at e.r.dejong@uu.nl.

If you would like to hear more about what it’s like to work in this position directly from one of our colleagues, then please contact Esther Nauta (postdoc at UCALL) at e.e.nauta@uu.nl.

Esther Nauta, postdoc at the Utrecht Centre for Accountability and Liability Law: "At UCALL, we work collaboratively in an innovative academic environment, with lots of opportunities for contributing to impactful research that influences both national and international legal landscapes. It’s an intellectually stimulating space, perfect for young researchers who are passionate about legal challenges tied to societal and global responsibilities."