Call for Applications: Researcher and PhD candidate
The Research Group on Law, Science, Technology & Society (LSTS) and the Health and Ageing Law Lab (HALL) are looking for motivated PhD researchers to join their team.
The multidisciplinary Research Group on Law, Science, Technology & Society (LSTS) is an independent entity within the Faculty of Law & Criminology at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). With more than 45 researchers at all levels of experience, LSTS has become a prominent European research institute in the area of technology regulation. The staff comprises several postdoc researchers, doctoral researchers, associated researchers and affiliated professors.
The Health and Ageing Law Lab (HALL) is a subgroup of the LSTS. It is a team of researchers who are specialised in themes linked to matters of health and ageing, focusing on the articulations of law, science, technology, ethics & society. It is looking to expand its group with the recruitment of two new promising researchers/PhD candidates.
As part of their duties, the successful candidates will be conducting innovative research primarily in the area of data protection laws, contributing to commissioned reports, advising upon the development of novel security-by-design solutions for the oversight of IoMT devices, including connected in-vitro devices and leading the organisation of international conferences, workshops and meetings in the field, in line with the research project commitments. They will also be expected to put advanced research in areas related to Health and/or Aging Law in the form of publications and ultimately a doctorate thesis.
The researchers are specifically expected to:
- contribute, in cooperation with research partners from other EU countries, to legally and ethically sound development of IoMT cybersecurity oversight systems;
- provide research and support in the drafting of legal and ethical deliverables;
- actively join in the academic activities of HALL, helping in competing in national and European funding opportunities, attending and presenting in seminars, assisting in organizing conferences and workshops, participating in international events;
- (co-)author scientific and professional articles in high-ranked journals;
- develop a thorough proposal for a doctoral degree (PhD) and complete a doctoral thesis.
Eligibility criteria
Candidates are expected to possess the following qualifications:
- a master’s degree in law or criminology, preferably with a specialization in ICT law, Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity, Medical Sciences awarded by the deadline for applications;
- fluency in written (academic) and spoken English, and the ability to conduct research in at least one other language;
- good organisational and communication skills;
- the ability to work independently, under pressure, respect deadlines, and produce quality work.
It is a plus, if the candidate also possesses:
- previous experience in the field of Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) or Medical Devices Regulatory science or European Data Strategy or Cybersecurity Benefit-Risk Analysis or Data Protection Law;
- other relevant working experience (including internships and traineeships), as well as broader research experience (e.g. Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, nationally funded projects, grant-based individual projects);
- basic skills or previous experience in the organisation of events and meetings.
A prior knowledge of EU laws on cybersecurity and/or medical devices would be an asset.
Conditions of employment
The successful candidate will be integrated in a dynamic team, composed of both experienced and early-career researchers. The candidate will collaborate closely with the other members of LSTS and HALL and will have access to doctoral training offered by the VUB, as well as to all facilities of the university. Office space and equipment will be provided along with a budget for travelling for project-related activities and other research‐related expenses.
Contract: full‐time research grant for one year. Extension of the contract is possible (up to 4th year) subject to the agreement of the doctoral committee. Remuneration is at the level of a full-time research assistant at a Flemish university (i.e. approximately €2.100 net per month) and includes contributions for social security. Secondary employment is not allowed. The PhD degree will be awarded in law. For more information about facilities and benefits at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, please visit http://www.vub.be.
Application and Deadlines
The following application documents are to be consolidated into a single PDF file and sent by email to Prof. Paul Quinn paul.quinn@vub.be and Ashwinee Kumar ashwinee.kumar@vub.be.
Applications (in English) should include the following:
- a curriculum vitae (CV);
- a cover letter (maximum 1 page);
- a draft research proposal for a doctoral thesis (maximum 1 page);
- a recent publication, essay or thesis in English to support your application, for the research and writing skills requirement (any topic is acceptable);
- 1 letter of recommendation.
The deadline for the submission of applications is 31 July 2023, 23:59 Brussels time. The applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis until the position is filled. The interviews with the short-listed candidates will be held in August 2023. The hiring institution reserves the right to contact only selected candidates.
The position is likely to start on 1 September 2023 (the start date could be subject to change).
If you are interested in learning more about VUB-LSTS, please visit the LSTS website https://lsts.research.vub.be/. If you are interested in learning more about VUB-HALL, please visit the HALL website https://hall.research.vub.be/ .