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RU CiTiP - PhD scholarship holder (100%)

KU LeuvenLeuven, Belgium

8 dagen geleden

Functieomschrijving

The KU Leuven Centre for IT & IP Law (CiTiP) is a research unit of the Faculty of Law and Criminology with the mission to develop legal knowledge in the field of ICT, ethics, digital media and intellectual property. The Centre is affiliated to imec, and is part of the Flemish Knowledge Centre for Data & Society, DigiSoc, Leuven Centre on ICT (LICT) and Leuven.AI. CiTiP has over 30 years of experience conducting research into legal and ethical aspects of innovative information and communication technologies, privacy and security, intellectual property and biotechnology, in both the public and private sectors. CiTiP currently consists of over 80 researchers and fellows, apart from 6 professors, a research and a valorisation expert, 9 postdoctoral researchers, teaching assistants and administrative support. CiTiP is involved in interdisciplinary projects financed through programs such as Horizon Europe / H2020, Digital Europe, Marie Curie, FWO, ICON, Belgian and Flemish authorities, as well as through bilateral contracts. For more information, please check the website.

Project

The ORCHID project is looking for an enthusiastic and proactive PhD researcher to join its team. This FWO-funded project investigates the impact of the new chapters of the EU Digital Rulebook on children’s rights to privacy and data protection, as framed by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). It focuses on mapping and assessing the interplay between these legal instruments, offering interpretative pathways and identifying gaps that may undermine children's rights. Areas of particular interest of the project include age assurance mechanisms, children’s profiling, educational technologies (edtech), online safety and cybersecurity. This project is a collaboration between Prof. Laura Drechsler, at CiTiP, and Prof. Simone van der Hof, at eLaw – Leiden University. Your day-to-day contact point will be Dr. Elora Fernandes, post-doctoral researcher at CiTiP in charge of the ORCHID project. You will have the opportunity to contribute to the development of the project’s deliverables while pursuing your own line of research leading to a PhD thesis. Your key responsibilities will include :

Contributing to the core research activities of the project, including empirical research methodologies;
Developing and writing a PhD thesis aligned with the project's objectives;
Presenting academic results through peer-reviewed journals and at national and international conferences;
Assisting in the organisation of meetings, workshops, and events with project stakeholders;
Supporting the management of the project’s communication channels;
Disseminating the project’s outcomes to the public, especially children, through diverse formats such as blog posts, podcasts, and videos;
Contributing to the preparation of new project proposals and funding applications;
Assisting in the supervision of master’s students;
Providing support for exam supervision and other academic duties as required.

Profile

You have obtained a Master’s degree in Law and are knowledgeable in the field of law and technology in the EU, as evidenced through an LLM and / or equivalent work experience;

You are eager to learn and fascinated by the impacts of digital technologies on children’s rights;

You strive for excellence and can demonstrate it by excellent academic results or other achievements;

You have an analytical mind, creative thinking skills, and a passion for critical reflection;

You have strong communication skills, both oral and written (to be demonstrated through academic publications such as a master's thesis or scientific articles, as well as practice-oriented publications, such as client memos, blog posts...);

You are flexible and comfortable working both individually and in a(n) (interdisciplinary) team, with external and international partners;

You can plan your work independently, prioritise where necessary, respect deadlines, and also work under time pressure with respect for your colleagues;

You have an excellent command of English which can be demonstrated by your earlier texts (thesis, academic and / or professional publications, etc.);

Knowledge of Dutch is an important asset;

Professional experience in relevant areas (e.g. government, legal practice,...), especially on children’s rights in the digital environment and / or cybersecurity, is considered an asset;

Expertise on empirical research methodologies is considered an asset.

Offer

Full-time PhD scholarship with a standard fixed term contract for one year, with a real possibility of renewal and with a view to develop a doctoral trajectory. We warmly welcome and KU Leuven supports the visa process for internationals. Stimulating environment characterised by a mixture of independence, trust and support. Access to all facilities offered by the University. A number of other benefits, such as a wide range of training and educational programmes, a bicycle allowance, eco vouchers, preferential rates at sports and cultural facilities, etc.

ORCHID

Interested?

If you feel this role aligns with your skills and aspirations, even if you don’t meet all the requirements, we welcome your application until 14 July 2025! Please provide the following documents with the application for the first round :

CV (max. 2 pages);

Motivation letter describing why you would like to pursue a PhD in this area and how your profile aligns with the vacancy requirements (max. 2 pages). In case of problems with the online application, please contact [email protected].

KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.

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Scholarship Holder • Leuven, Belgium