Postdoctoral Researcher in (Cyber) Security Law and Governance

Tilburg University | Tilburg Law School is looking for a POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER IN (CYBER)SECURITY LAW (1.0 FTE - 40 hours per week) for the Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology, and Society (TILT), located in Tilburg (NL). Contract duration: 48 months, temporary contract.

TILT is looking for a postdoctoral researcher for a project (NEPTARGOS) aiming to increase the resilience of maritime cyber-physical systems in the North Sea. The PostDoc will work in an interdisciplinary team to enhance (cyber) risk management of maritime infrastructure, helping governmental organizations, critical maritime infrastructure operators, and security professionals to design and implement effective defence and resilience models and measures for adversarial attacks.

The successful candidate will:

• Develop a robust and compliant governance model for cyber-physical systems;
• Provide input to project stakeholders, policymakers, and national authorities on cyber-physical regulatory and governance matters;
• Carry out, independently and jointly, research and administrative tasks for the project;
• Pursue research in the domain of European (cyber–physical) security law, policy, and governance, to be submitted to international conferences and peer-reviewed journals;
• Be an active member of TILT by participating in and organizing events and activities, presenting, and discussing research output within and outside Tilburg University;
• Have (limited) involvement in educational tasks (max 0,2 FTE).

We consider the following qualifications important for the position:

• You have completed a PhD (in law, strategic/security studies, or a neighbouring field), or have your manuscript approved by the PhD committee at the time of applying.
• You have relevant expertise in the security of cyber-physical systems, such as cybersecurity law and policy, or strategic/security studies, and are willing to focus on maritime (cyber-physical) security in particular.
• You have an excellent written and spoken command of English. It is an advantage if you have a good command of the Dutch language.
• You have experience with working in a multidisciplinary team or have ambition to do so. 
• You are organized, autonomous, and used to carry out your tasks independently.
• You are prepared to be present at Tilburg University at least 2 days a week.

Tilburg University offers excellent benefits in a pleasant working environment: 

• A position based on 1.0 fte (40 hours per week). 
• A salary of minimum € 4.537 and maximum € 6.209 gross per month for full-time employment, based on UFO profile Researcher 3 and salary scale 11. Tilburg University uses a neutral remuneration system based on relevant work experience. 
• This is a vacancy for a temporary position in accordance with Article 2.3 paragraph 5 sub b CLA DU. You will be given a temporary contract for the duration of 48 months .
• 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 transport. 
• A monthly internet allowance 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 abroad may be eligible for a tax-free allowance for extraterritorial expenses equal to 30% of taxable salary. 
• A pension with ABP; the largest 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 CLA Dutch Universities. 

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.

About 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) Regulating Socio-Technical Change; 3) Connecting Responsible Organizations; and 4) Crime, Criminal Justice and Vulnerability Theory. 

About TILT
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. 

Would you like to know more before applying? Feel free to contact Dr. Lorenzo Dalla Corte at l.dallacorte@tilburguniversity.edu.

We kindly invite you to apply before 5 April 2025; this can only be done online. In order to make a good selection, we ask you to provide the following documents: 

1. A cover letter, explaining your motivation for applying for this position; address your cover letter to Dr. Lorenzo Dalla Corte.
2. Your CV, including publication list;
3. A recent example of your written work (for instance a journal article or PhD chapter)
4. Contact details of two referees (including name, phone number, and e-mail address). We only approach referees for candidates invited to the interview rounds. 

The initial selection will take place between week 15 and 16 (7 April–20 April 2025); you will receive notification from us shortly thereafter. The first and, if necessary, the second selection interviews will take place between week 19 and 20 (5 May–20 May 2025), online or in person (at the candidate’s convenience). We expect to reach a decision shortly thereafter.   

The selection committee consists of: 

1. Dr. Lorenzo Dalla Corte, Assistant Professor in Data Protection and Cybersecurity Law 
2. Prof. Dr. Eleni Kosta, Full Professor of Technology Law and Human Rights
3. Dr. Irene Kamara, Assistant Professor Cybercrime law and Human Rights

You will ideally start working for Tilburg University on 1 July 2025. 

This vacancy has been published simultaneously internally and externally. In case of equal suitability, our preference is for an internal candidate.