Teaser Text
The Centre would especially welcome PhD proposals that relate to the following line of research in the field of public international law: Accountability, sanctions or international legal approaches towards economic crime.
If this line of research is of interest to you and you are strongly motivated to conduct PhD research, please submit your application, which should include a (i) CV, setting out relevant experience, (ii) a letter of motivation, (iii) a PhD research proposal (max. 500 words, aims and objectives, method/approach); and (iv) a writing sample (e.g. LLM thesis, or published article/book chapter.
What you will do
PhD research within the Grotius Centre is carried out within the framework of the Graduate School of Legal Studies, which provides a targeted research and training infrastructure for PhD candidates. PhD candidates within the Centre are supervised by two senior members of staff. You are expected:
- To engage in supervised scientific research that will ultimately result in a doctoral thesis;
- To carry out a systematic review of scholarly and policy material related to the PhD topic;
- To present your work at international conferences;
- To participate in the educational, research related and administrative activities of the Grotius Centre, including the Bachelor courses in international law.
Where you will work
The Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies is a leading academic institution in the field of international law and part of Leiden University’s Faculty of Law. The Centre is focused on high-level research, education and training in public international law and global justice. It is one Centre in two cities, with homes in Leiden and The Hague. It hosts several international research projects, leading scientific journals (e.g., Leiden Journal of International Law), a regular and two advanced LLM programmes in international law, several International Law Moot Court Competitions (e.g., Telders, ICC), as well as high-quality training courses, Summer Schools, lectures series, seminars and conferences. Research within the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies is part of the Research Programme ‘Exploring the Frontiers of International Law’.
What you bring
In this team, we are looking for someone who can work independently. Every job is different, so in the beginning we will devote attention to your onboarding. If some of the work activities are new to you, we will look together at what you need, and draw up a development plan. This position is a good fit for you if you recognise yourself in the following:
- Excellent command of English;
- An LL.M. in public international law from an internationally recognised research-intensive university. Previous research or working experience is an asset;
- Demonstrated research skills, as evidenced by a Master thesis and/or relevant publications in scientific journals;
- Excellent writing and presentation skills;
- Strong dedication and commitment to the goals and objectives of the Centre, including a willingness to assist with undergraduate and LLM teaching;
- A high sense of initiative, and the ability and willingness to work collaboratively and collegially in a team.
If you immediately recognise yourself in this profile, or if do you not quite meet all the requirements, but you believe that this is the right job for you, we look forward to your application!
What we offer
Our goal is to work together to create a transparent and inclusive work environment in which everyone feels welcome and appreciated. Our organisation is always evolving and we need your ideas for improvement and innovation to take us further. We want to devote attention to your personal development.
You can count on an enjoyable job within the socially relevant world of education and research. The University's challenging and international work environment is located just steps away from Leiden’s lively city centre or the bustling city centre of The Hague. We also want to work with you to devote attention to your health and vitality, for example with the fun activities we organise through Healthy University.
We also offer:
- An employment contract for a fixed-term period of 4 years. Continuation after the first year is dependent on a positive evaluation. This contract falls under the CLA of Dutch Universities;
- A salary in accordance with the Collective Agreement of Dutch Universities for academic personnel, starting with € 3.059 gross per month in the first year and gradually rising to € 3.881 in the final year, based on a full-time appointment (38 hours). Information on Leiden University employment conditions can be found at: www.medewerkers.leidenuniv.nl;
- A holiday allowance (8%), an end-of-year bonus (8,3%), and an attractive pension scheme at ABP;
- Full reimbursement of public transport commuting costs for home-to-work travel;
- Flexible working hours: as a standard, you are entitled to a minimum of 29 leave days on the basis of a full-time working week of 38 hours.
- Lots of options when it comes to secondary employment conditions. Within our terms of employment individual choices model, you can exchange leave days and/or salary for benefits such as an advantageous sports subscription and bicycle scheme;
- The University will provide you with a laptop.
For more information about employment conditions, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at/job-application-procedure-and-employment-conditions
What we value
Promoting an inclusive community is central to Leiden University’s values and vision. We strive to be an open community in which all students and staff members feel valued and respected, and are able to fully develop themselves. We consider an inclusive academic environment, where students and staff can share their experiences and viewpoints, to be essential for the development of talent.
Want to apply or find out more?
If you would like more information about what the job entails, please contact dr. Cecily Rose, at c.e.rose@law.leidenuniv.nl. You can apply until 28 June 2026; You will receive a response to your application no later than two weeks after the vacancy closing date.
To help us get to know each other better, we follow a number of steps in the application procedure. For more information, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at/job-application-procedure-and-employment-conditions
- You live and are officially registered as resident in The Netherlands or are willing to relocate upon starting the position.
- A pre-employment screening (references, diplomas, certificate of good conduct (VOG)) may be part of the selection procedure.
- We ensure that our lecturers have a good level of English competency. Lecturers who teach subjects in English have a minimum level of C1 for their English proficiency. We also believe it is important for international staff to have at least a passive understanding of Dutch. Language courses are offered by the University.
- You are expected to complete two courses covering basic didactic skills within the first year of your appointment. Leiden University provides PhD candidates with the opportunity to obtain a full Basic Teaching Qualification (BKO).
- Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated. If you nevertheless choose to send us CVs, no rights can be derived from this. #LI-Hybrid