Postdoctoral Fellow in Law

Job description

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15.000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, as well as technical and social service provision on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities.
With its 11 faculties and more than 85 departments offering state-of-the-art study programmes grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.

YOUR JOB

For the Faculty of Law and Criminology, Department of Business Law, Financial Law Institute we are looking for a m/f/x doctoral fellow

Prof. Hans De Wulf (Financial Law Institute, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, Private and Business Law) is looking for a researcher willing to write a doctoral dissertation in law on the role of the financial sector (particularly banks and asset managers) in human rights and sustainability due diligence. The Ph. D. dissertation must therefore address the possible duties of financial sector actors to investigate their clients for possible (possibly indirect) involvement in human rights violations or unsustainable practices. Such duties could come into play, for example, on the occasion of lending by a bank, investments by an asset manager, or other financial services. The potential role of the financial sector in raising client awareness of the clients’ own supply chain due diligence obligations may also be addressed. The dissertation must have a legal focus, but empirical research into practices and potential best practices in the financial sector can also be integrated. The research is part of an FWO-SBO (strategic fundamental research funded by the Flemish Science Foundation) project on the role of stakeholders/intermediaries in sustainability/human rights due diligence in the food sector. The HIVA research institute at KU Leuven is the lead coordinator of this project, and the Ghent Institute for International and European Studies (political science) is also part of the research consortium. The Ghent Institute for Financial Law (Prof. Hans De Wulf) is conducting research on the financial sector within this project. As a doctoral candidate, you should participate in this research.

Job profile

• You hold a Master’s degree, preferably in law; but holders of a Master’s degree in another field (e.g. economics, political science, …) that could be relevant for the research as outlined above (“your job”) may also apply, if they think they will be able to convince the selection committee of their aptitude for legal research. You need to have obtained the Master’s degree before your contract starts, which means people who will graduate in August or early September 2025 are also welcome to apply.
• You are intent on doing academic research in law. An international mindset and international experience (studies abroad, experience working for an international NGO, research already performed in an international context, …) will be considered a bonus. You are interested in studying the behaviour of firms.
• You obtained excellent study results.
• You are able to function as a member of a team, especially since your doctoral research will be part of a wider project with researchers from the KULeuven as well as political scientists from Ghent University.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU 

• We offer a full-time position as a doctoral fellow, consisting of an initial period of 12 months, which - after a positive evaluation, will be extended to a total maximum of 48 months.
• Your contract will start on 1 October 2025 at the earliest.
• The fellowship amount is 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances. The individual fellowship amount is determined by Team Personnel Administration based on family status and seniority. A grant that meets the conditions and criteria of the regulations for doctoral fellowships is considered free of personal income tax. Click here for more information about our salary scales
• All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits.

How to apply

Send your CV, a copy of your diploma (if already in your possession) and a motivation letter to prof. Hans De Wulf at hans.dewulf@ugent.be by September 2 at the latest.

We do not accept late applications.

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Hans De Wulf (hans.dewulf@UGent.be); secretary: hannah.defoer@ugent.be, tel. +32(0)9/264 68 29. Prof. De Wulf will be on holiday between July 18 and August 17, but can be contacted by email during that period, except between July 27 and August 4, 2025. The Secretary's office is closed between July 11 and July 31.