Postdoctoral researcher in Competition Law & Digital Regulation

The Department of TILT (Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology, and Society) has a vacancy for a Postdoctoral Researcher in Competition Law & Digital Regulation. The selected candidate will contribute to research projects on the regulation of digital platforms and data.

Job description

Your position 
The rise of digital platforms, data and AI is reshaping competitive dynamics in markets and challenging existing legal concepts. EU competition law is being complemented by other legislative instruments such as the Digital Markets Act and the Data Act, which aim to keep markets open and fair. Understanding how to balance the prospects and risks of digital platforms, data and AI is essential for effective regulation and enforcement in EU technology markets. We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher with a keen interest in doing cutting-edge research to help answer these questions. 

The research involves three projects:
•    The INCA Horizon Europe project, which involves a consortium of 12 universities, research institutes and non-academic actors across Europe. INCA analyses the impact of digital platforms on democracy from a multidisciplinary perspective. TILT is responsible for the legal and policy aspects within INCA, which includes an assessment of the influence of big tech firms on the implementation and interpretation of laws (such as the Digital Markets Act), and the development of codes of conduct to protect platform workers, business users and consumers.
•    An internally funded research project on the role of competition law in creative industries, focusing on music and gaming.  •    An internally funded research project on governing data in shared regulatory space, including the implementation of the data-related obligations of the Digital Markets Act. 

Within the last two projects in particular, there is room for the postdoctoral researcher to carve out areas of own interest.

The selected candidate will join the research teams of the three projects and can also be involved in education activities of TILT for a maximum of 0.2 FTE. More specifically, the successful candidate will:
•    independently and jointly pursue path-breaking research leading to excellent publications in double-blind peer-reviewed international journals;
•    actively contribute to relevant Work Packages and activities (including Work Package meetings, consortium meetings and public events) of the INCA Horizon Europe project;  •    be an active member of the department by participating in and organisin    g events and activities, presenting, and discussing research output within the department, and representing the department outside Tilburg University;
•    co-supervise students in writing their Bachelor and/or Master thesis in law and reading and grading Bachelor and/or Master theses on a variety of topics;
•    assist in courses at the Bachelor and/or Master programs that TILT is involved in, for instance by giving guest lectures.

Requirements

Your profile 
Tilburg University is curious about how you can contribute to our research, education, impact, and to the team you will be part of. Therefore, we would like to get the best possible picture of your knowledge, insight, skills, and personality. Below you can find the qualifications we consider important for the position.

•    You have completed a PhD in the area of Competition Law and/or Digital Regulation (or at least a PhD manuscript approved by your supervisors);  
•    You show interest in the regulation of digital platforms (for instance the Digital Markets Act) and/or the regulation of data (for instance the Data Act), as evidenced by your research and activities. Work that combines several domains is preferred;
•    You have an excellent written and spoken command of English, as demonstrated by publications and conference presentations in English;  •    You have experience or affinity with working in a multidisciplinary environment; 
•    You feel comfortable working in a team and express this through collaboration, sharing knowledge and experiences, and contributing to an open and inclusive work environment; 
•    You have the ability to supervise students in writing their Bachelor and/or Master thesis in law and the ability to read and grade Bachelor and Master theses on a variety of topics; 
•    You are available to start working for Tilburg University in January 2025;
•    You are prepared to be present at Tilburg University at least 2 days a week in line with TILT's hybrid working policy office hours and commit to integrate in the environment provided by the INCA Horizon Europe project, TILT and Tilburg Law School. 

To maintain a vibrant and active university community, it is important that we meet each other regularly and that the connection between us remains good. Therefore, the premise is that all staff members carry out their work in the Netherlands and that lecturing, when relevant, is done physically.

Conditions of employment

What do we offer? 

Tilburg University offers excellent benefits in a pleasant working environment: 

•     A position based on 0,8 – 1,0 FTE (32 - 40 hours per week). 
•     A salary of minimum of €4.492 and maximum €6.148 gross per month for full-time employment, based on UFO profile Researcher 3 and salary scale 11. Tilburg University uses a neutral remuneration system based on relevant education and work experience. 
•     This is a vacancy temporarily funded by project funding in accordance with Article 2.3 paragraph 7 under b of the CLA DU. You will be given a temporary contract of 30 months. Continuation of this position depends, among other things, on the  availability of funding.
•     Vacation pay of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3%. 
•     Over 8 weeks of vacation leave. 
•     The opportunity to work partly on campus and partly from home with a home office allowance of €2 per day.
•     Reimbursement for sustainable commuting: walking, cycling, and public transportation. 
•     A monthly internet fee of €25.
•     An Options Model in which you exchange benefits for things such as additional leave, more pension, a bicycle or personal training at our Sports Center. 
•     A moving allowance (subject to conditions). 
•     Employees from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for the 30% tax facility.
•     A pension with ABP; the most sustainable Dutch pension fund.
•     Training in personal development, career development, leadership, education, and research or a language course at our Language Center. 
•     A work culture in which we embrace differences, everyone is welcome and given equal opportunities. 
•     A vibrant campus in green surroundings that is easily accessible by public transport. 

For more information, see our website and the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities.

Employer

About Tilburg University

Tilburg University is an academic, inclusive, and engaged community. Together with nearly 3,000 employees, we are committed to broad prosperity, sustainably, and inclusion. For current and future generations. We develop and share knowledge for the requirements of people and our society. This is how we contribute to solving complex social issues and help society move forward.

We educate our 19,500 students of 110 nationalities to become responsible leaders with knowledge, skills, and character. With our education and research for broad prosperity, we exceedingly focus on themes such as mental and preventive care, an inclusive labor market, the energy transition, and digitalization.

Department

Tilburg Law School

Since its founding in 1963, Tilburg Law School has become one of the leading law schools in Europe. Through top research and the provision of high-quality university education, the School contributes to society. Tilburg Law School is organized into five Departments: Public Law and Governance; Law, Technology, Markets and Society; Private, Business and Labour Law; the Fiscal Institute Tilburg; and Criminal Law. The mission of the School is to understand and improve the role of law and public administration in addressing the social problems of today and tomorrow. Through research and education, our scholars contribute to that mission. 

More than 4,000 students pursue a Bachelor's, pre-Master's or Master's degree at Tilburg Law School. Through this education, we train students in law, public administration, and data science. The Tilburg Educational Profile (TEP) is unique in the Netherlands. Central to it are three core concepts: knowledge, skill and character. A university education provides students with the latest substantive knowledge and trains them to be critical thinkers and resilient professionals. In addition, the School is committed to innovative educational concepts and, partly in response to the coronavirus crisis, has invested heavily in the quality of online education and in innovative didactic tools to make and keep students inquisitive. 

Tilburg Law School's research is highly regarded nationally and internationally. The Tilburg Law School Departments work closely together in their research in four signature research programs: 1) Global Law and Governance; 2) Law and Security; 3) Connecting Organizations; and 4) Regulating Socio-Technical Change.