1 - Working at the VUB
For more than 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for freedom, equality and solidarity, and this is very much alive on our campuses among students and staff alike.
At the VUB, you will find a diverse collection of personalities: innovators pur sang, but above all people who are 100% their authentic selves. With some 4,000 employees, we are the largest Dutch-speaking employer, in the private sector, in Brussels; an international city with which we are only too happy to connect and where (around) our 4 campuses are located.
Add to this our principle of free research - in which self-reflection, a critical attitude and an open, creative mind around scientific and social issues are central - and you have a university that is fundamentally groundbreaking and pioneering in education and research. In short: the VUB all over again.
Moreover, the VUB is a member of EUTOPIA, an alliance of like-minded European universities, all ready to reinvent themselves.
2 - Position description
The Faculteit Recht en Criminologie, Department Metajuridica, Research Group Law, Science, Technology & Society is looking for a PhD-student with a doctoral grant.
More concretely your work package, for the preparation of a doctorate, contains:
We invite you to apply for a PhD position supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network HARNESS - Harnessing AI and Data-Intensive Technologies, funded by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe programme. You will be based in Brussels, Belgium and will enroll as a PhD student at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). The main line of research will be the “Interplay of the GDPR and the New Data Laws: Between Fundamental Rights and Data Markets”. The PhD research is expected to focus on exploring potential ways to develop an integrated legal approach to data with the aim to facilitate better regulation based on reconciling internal market interests with EU fundamental rights.
HARNESS is an international, interdisciplinary and cross academic-industry training network hosted across Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Italy and Belgium (MSCA Doctoral Network) formed to train a new generation of 13 Doctoral Candidates (DCs) as PhD graduates in the disciplines of law, ethics or computer science with the common goal of researching methods and tools to make Integrated Assessments of risks and impacts for current Data intensive and AI technologies.
Research Fields:
EU digital policy, Technology regulation, European Data Strategy, European Data Protection Law, AI Act
Key Responsibilities:
- Conduct research as outlined in the project’s objectives under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Paul De Hert and produce high quality research outputs.
- Engage in secondments as part of the project’s training activities (6 months at Utrecht University under the co-supervision of Dr. Christina Santos, 3 months remote at Brightflag)
- Contribute to academic publications, project reports, deliverables and other dissemination activities.
- Participate in structured training programs and network-wide events organized by the consortium.
- Collaborate with international partners and other Doctoral Candidates within the network.
For this function, our Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene) will serve as your home base.
3 - Profile
What do we expect from you?
- A Master's degree (or equivalent) in Law.
- Proven research skills and a deep understanding of the Law and Technology research field
- Excellent organisational and communication skills
- The ability to work both independently and as part of a team
- Strong academic writing skills, previous publications are a plus
- Excellent command of English language (both written and spoken)
- You are not in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment.
- You are required to undertake trans-national mobility (i.e., move from one country to another) when taking up the appointment. Due to the mobility rules of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie program, the recruited applicant for this position must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Belgium for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately prior to their recruitment. Short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into account.
- You have not performed any works in the execution of a mandate as an assistant, paid from operating resources, over a total (cumulated) period of more than 12 months.
The VUB wants to be a reflection of the society where everyone's talent is valued, regardless of gender, age, religion, skin color, migration background, disability and neurodiversity.
4 - Offer
Are you going to be our new colleague?
You’ll be offered a full-time PhD-scholarship, for 12 months (extendable up to max. 48 months, on condition of the positive evaluation of the PhD activities), with planned starting date 01/10/2025.
You’ll receive a grant linked to one of the scales set by the government.
The financial package includes the following:
Monthly living allowance (adjusted by applying the country correction coefficient)- corresponds to the monthly gross salary
Monthly mobility allowance (private mobility related costs)
Monthly family allowance (if applicable, depending on family situation)
The net salary calculation depends on the employment rules and conditions in each country. The total allowances received for the doctoral candidate’s salary are subject to tax and social contributions (employer’s and employee’s).
IMPORTANT: The effective result of the doctorate scholarship is subject to the condition precedent of your enrolment as a doctorate student at the university.
At the VUB, you’re guaranteed an open, involved and diverse workplace where you are offered opportunities to (further) build on your career.
As well as this, you will also enjoy various other benefits:
- Extensive homeworking options, a telework allowance of 50 euros per month OR an internet fee of 20 euros per month;
- An open and informal working environment where attention is paid to work-life balance, and exceptional holiday arrangements with 35 days of leave (based on a fulltime contract), closure between Christmas and New Year and 3 extra leave days;
- Cost-free hospitalisation insurance;
- Full reimbursement of your home-to-work commute with public transport according to VUB-policy, and/or compensation if you come by bike;
- A wide selection of meals in our campus restaurants at attractive prices;
- Excellent and affordable facilities for sport and exercise, a range of discounts via Benefits@Work (in all kinds of shops, on flights, in petrol stations, amusement parks...) and Ecocheques;
- Nursery near campus, discount on holiday camps;
- The space to form your job content and to continuously learn through our VUB learning platforms and training courses;
- And finally: great colleagues with a healthy drive.
5 - Interested?
Is this the job you’ve been dreaming of?
Then apply, at the latest on 30/06/2025, via jobs.vub.be, and upload the following documents:
A research proposal along the lines of the following topic: “Interplay of the GDPR and the New Data Laws: Between Fundamental Rights and Data Markets”.
A detailed CV
A cover letter explaining why you want the position and what qualifies you for it.
A publication or report in English demonstrating previous research experience (e.g. Master’s thesis, policy brief)
Copy of Master’s degree diploma
A completed HARNESS eligibility form
Contact information of 2 references
Do you have questions about the job content? Contact Onntje Hinrichs at [email protected] or on 026292010.
Would you like to know what it’s like to work at the VUB? Go to jobs.vub.be, and find all there is to know about our campuses, benefits, strategic goals and your future colleagues.
Would you like more information about EUTOPIA? Go to eutopia-university.eu, and read more about the role of the VUB in the development of the EUTOPIA alliance.
