Doctoral Student (m/f/d) Max Planck Institute for Legal History and Legal Theory

We provide a forum for reflecting on law. We explore its theory and history in a comparative and global perspective. We address societal challenges by contributing to a deeper understanding of law.

The Max Planck Institute for Legal History and Legal Theory in Frankfurt/Main is a world leading research institute with a staff of more than 150. Its three departments with more than 70 scholars, the unrivalled collections of its specialized library and its numerous national and international co-operations make it the central research hub for a global scientific community investigating the past, present and future of legal regimes.

We are now looking to recruit for October 1st, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter,

a Doctoral Student (m/f/d)

for the Fellowship project ‘The History of European Union Labour Law’, under the supervision of Professors Thorsten Keiser and Stefan Vogenauer.

Your tasks

You will develop, co-ordinate and pursue a doctoral project turning on the topic mentioned above. You will publish your findings and actively participate in the research activities of the Institute under the guidance of Professors Keiser and Vogenauer.

Your profile

You hold a first-class or high upper second-class degree, preferably in law, alternatively in a different branch of the humanities or social sciences. You are fully proficient in the English language and willing to learn German if necessary. French language skills are desirable.Your CV should demonstrate your potential to pursue research at a very high international level. You are able to work independently and are committed to adopting interdisciplinary and comparative approaches.

Our offer

We offer an attractive and international work environment with an unparalleled research infrastructure and a good working atmosphere. The payment is currently 3,185.72 € per month (gross), which equals approximately 2,163 € after taxes, depending on family circumstances, plus a special annual payment. The job is a full-time position (currently 39 hours per week). While you will be based in Frankfurt/Main, there are generous opportunities for mobile working (at present, up to 40 percent per month). The position is a fixed-term appointment for three years, with the possibility of renewal for a further year in exceptional circumstances. There is no obligation or expectation to teach, although we encourage you to take up limited teaching assignments if you wish to do so.You will have unlimited access to our world-leading library and a multitude of databases. You will be provided with a workspace and will receive extensive academic and administrative support. There are generous grants for research trips to archives and libraries, as well as for attending conferences. A variety of personal and career development opportunities is available, including funding for German or French language classes.We are located on Campus Westend, one of the most beautiful university campuses in Europe, right at the heart of the thriving and cosmopolitan city of Frankfurt, the center of finance, banking and the legal professions of Europe’s biggest economy, with many law firms and job opportunities for lawyers.The research programme is conducted jointly between the Department ‘European and Comparative Legal History’ and the Law Department of Justus Liebig University Gießen, where work spaces will be made available and where you will also be awarded the doctoral degree upon successful completion.

Application procedure

Your application should be written in either English or German and contain the following documents:

• Cover letter with reference to your research proposal and an explanation as to how your profile matches the selection criteria;
• Names and addresses (postal and electronic) of two scholars who have agreed to provide a reference for you;
• Detailed CV;
• List of publications;
• Research proposal (up to five pages);
• Transcripts of your achievements at school and university, copies of degree certificates;
• A sample of writing of some 20 pages length (seminar paper, university dissertation, masters thesis, journal article, book chapter etc).

Your application must be submitted online via our application portal by the closing date of 01.06.2026.Please provide your referees with all the documents that you submit for your application and ask them to send their references direct to jobs@lhlt.mpg.de by the closing date of June 1st, 2026. References may only be submitted by email. They do not have to be signed as long as they are emailed from the official mail address of the referee.Strong applicants will be invited for an interview.

Contact

Informal enquiries as to the substance of the research topics may be directed to Professors Thorsten Keiser (Thorsten.Keiser@recht.uni-giessen.de) or Stefan Vogenauer (vogenauer@lhlt.mpg.de). Questions as to the terms and conditions of employment may be directed to Anna Heym (jobs@lhlt.mpg.de).