Teaser Text

The European threat landscape has shifted rapidly over the past several years. Extremist movements have grown more diverse and harder to classify, while foreign interference by hostile states has reached unprecedented levels as geopolitical shifts push the continent towards greater strategic autonomy. Additionally, polarization, disinformation, and increased threats to public officials have exerted a corrosive effect on the liberal-democratic foundations of many European societies. These shifts have profound effects on the work of the intelligence and security services traditionally seen as a first line of defence against such threats. How do they assess the significance of these developments? How do they prioritize ever-scarce resources and avoid strategic overstretch amid profound geopolitical change?

What you will do

In order to strengthen its capacity to teach and conduct research on these fundamental shifts and the questions they raise, Leiden University’s Institute of Security and Global Affairs (ISGA) is seeking to appoint a new Assistant Professor with expertise on intelligence and countering political violence such as terrorism and hybrid threats. The successful candidate will be appointed across two research groups: Terrorism and Political Violence and Intelligence Studies. This joint appointment reflects our commitment to advancing scholarship and teaching at the intersection of terrorism, political violence, intelligence practice, and the evolving role of security services in responding to hybrid and emerging threats.

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Develop and (co-)teach courses on intelligence studies, terrorism, and political violence more broadly;
• Conduct independent research on emerging and evolving security threats in Europe, including, but not limited to, hybrid threats, foreign interference, violent extremism, political violence, and the role of intelligence services in assessing and responding to these dynamics;
• Generate high-quality output in both academic and non-academic outlets, with a focus on international peer-reviewed journals;
• Participate in the public debate on the European threat landscape;
• Actively contribute to the renewal and ongoing improvement of educational practices at Bachelor’s and Master’s level;
• Work within a multidisciplinary team of colleagues and support the development and implementation of the Institute’s research strategy;
• Supervise thesis and capstone projects;
• Take on administrative and coordination tasks within the Institute and beyond;
• Acquire external funding and manage research and training projects.

Where you will work

The mission of the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs (FGGA) is contributing to society. The faculty does this through high-quality interdisciplinary education and the development of new scientific knowledge. Whether it is terrorism, security, artificial intelligence or a governance solution to the housing crisis, contemporary issues are comprehensively addressed at FGGA.

In the heart of The Hague, where important decisions are made, students and professionals come together to gain knowledge and skills. There is much collaboration with academic and societal partners, which ensures that students leave university with a smile and one foot in the future, ready to make a substantial contribution to society.

FGGA is one of the seven faculties of Leiden University. This young, entrepreneurial, innovative organisation has three scientific institutes, two centres, over 3,700 students and 425 staff members. For more information about the faculty, click here.

The Institute of Security and Global Affairs (ISGA) is a scientific institute specialising in security issues. ISGA is part of the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs at Leiden University.

ISGA analyses and studies security issues with local, national, transnational and global impact. These include crises, intelligence, terrorism, war, violence and cybercrime. The institute is characterised by a multidisciplinary research approach.

ISGA is based in the city of The Hague, the international city of peace, justice and security. Inspiring interactions are maintained with other knowledge institutions, regional, national and international governments, the private sector and NGOs.

What you bring

The research groups Terrorism and Political Violence, and Intelligence and Security Studies, are internationally recognized for their scholarship and contributions to the public debate. With this position, we are looking for a candidate who will help us grow our reputation for academic excellence with forward-looking scholarship, engaging teaching, and effective outreach to policymakers, practitioners, and the broader public. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate how their expertise and ambitions complement the teams already in place.

This position is a good fit for you if you recognise yourself in the following:

• A PhD degree in a field relevant to the topical focus, such as Security Studies, Criminology, Political Science, Public Administration, International Relations, Psychology, or Law;

• Demonstrable research experience engaging both with the study of terrorism/political violence and the role of intelligence and security services in understanding, anticipating, or responding to such threats;
• Outstanding research qualities manifest in an established or developing publication record that includes publications in international peer-reviewed journals;
• Demonstrable excellence in research-led teaching; 
• Demonstrable passion for education, in and out of the classroom; 
• Ability to teach across a variety of security-related themes and topics;
• Demonstrable commitment to a close-knit, interdisciplinary academic community;
• Excellent command of English; fluency in Dutch is considered an asset. You have the willingness to master a B1 level of fluency in Dutch within two years;
• Demonstrable command of a diversity of research methods and techniques;
• A growing network of academics and professional contacts relevant to the position’s topical focus;
• Ability to connect academic research to policy-oriented and societal impact;
• Leiden University requires teaching staff to obtain the University Teaching Qualifications (UTQ) within two years of joining;
• You live and are officially registered as a resident in the Netherlands or are willing to relocate upon starting the position.

If you immediately recognise yourself in this profile, or if you do 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 in 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 the duration of 1 year with a view to permanent employment. This contract falls under the CLA of Dutch Universities;
• A salary of a minimum of € 4.728,- and a maximum of € 6.433,- gross per month, based on a full-time appointment (38 hours) (scale 11);
• 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; you can also save for extra leave, for example by working 40 hours a week, and in this way accrue an extra 96 leave hours, or exchange 96 leave hours for a 36-hour week.
• Lots of options when it comes to secondary employment conditions; we can, for example, discuss options for a sabbatical or paid parental leave. Within our terms of employment individual choices model, you can exchange leave days and/or salary for benefits such as an advantageous sports subscription or bicycle scheme, and we also offer child-care options;
• If your work allows it, hybrid working is possible within the Netherlands;
• A home-working allowance (day and internet allowance) and attention for good workplaces. The University will also 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. Leiden University aims to be an inclusive community in which all students and staff members feel valued and respected, and are able to develop to their full potential. Diversity in experiences and perspectives enriches our teaching and strengthens our research. High-quality education and research means inclusive education and research.

Want to apply or find out more?

Please ensure that you upload the following additional documents in PDF format, quoting the vacancy number:

• Motivation letter (2 pages maximum);
• Curriculum vitae including a list of publications;
• A brief research statement describing which aspects of the current European threat landscape you propose to study, why this is academically and societally important, and how you would approach it methodologically (2 pages maximum);
• The names and contact details of three potential referees.

If you would like more information about what the job entails, please contact the chairs of the search committee: Prof. Bart Schuurman (Head of the Terrorism and Political Violence group, b.w.schuurman@fgga.leidenuniv.nl), or Dr. Damien Van Puyvelde (Head of the Intelligence and Security Research Group, d.t.n.van.puyvelde@fgga.leidenuniv.nl). You can apply up to and including 15 May 2026; applications will be processed immediately. A 1 September 2026 start date is envisioned.

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

• We believe mobility is very important. That is why we are also publishing this vacancy internally. In case of equal suitability, we will give priority to the internal candidate.
• A pre-employment screening (references, diplomas, certificate of good conduct (VOG)) may be part of the selection procedure.
• Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated. If you nevertheless choose to send us CVs, no rights can be derived from this.