Graduate teaching & research assistant in public law, with focus on asylum and migration law

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The Faculty of Law has the following full-time vacancy: graduate teaching & research assistant in the field of public law, with focus on asylum and migration law.

Position

As a graduate teaching & research assistant, you are part of the academic assistant staff (Dutch: Assisterend Academisch Personeel, AAP). You spend at least 50% of your working time preparing a PhD thesis. In addition, you play an assisting role in teaching, research and service activities.

PhD research

• You work actively on the preparation and defence of a PhD thesis in the field of migration and asylum law. The PhD project is in line with the research lines of the Research group Government & Law. Your research focuses on a migration or asylum related subject from a national and/or European public law perspective...
• You organise your own PhD research and report on your progress regularly.
• You participate in the doctoral study programme at the Antwerp Doctoral School to support your PhD pathway.

Education

• You provide support with teaching and also teach high-quality academic classes yourself + You will provide, among other things, legal skills education in the bachelor of laws. + You provide educational support for some course units, for example: - Bronnen en beginselen van het recht (bachelor in de rechten, 9 ECTS) - International & European Immigration and Asylum Law (master of laws, 3 ECTS) - Migratierecht (master in de rechten, 3 ECTS) - Moot court (master in de rechten en master of laws, 9 ECTS). + Your teaching role evolves along with the study programmes. + You supervise students and their Bachelor and Master dissertations and you assist in the evaluation of these dissertations.

Research

• You assist in ongoing research projects and the activities of the Government & Law research group.
• You present at academic conferences and aim to publish them in scientific journals.
• You contribute to attracting (intern)national research funding.

Services

• You play an active role in the academic and societal service provision of the Faculty of Law and the UAntwerp. You assist in student recruitment and alumni activities, supervise examinations and serve on boards and committees.

Profile

• You hold a law degree or a master's degree in law or you will have obtained it by the time you start work.
• You submit a PhD proposal (in Dutch or English) that is in line with the content of the research programme of the research group Government & Law...
• The prior conditions are conditions of admissibility.
• You can demonstrate excellent study results, especially in the area of public law (constitutional and administrative law, EU law, human rights law)...
• You have an adequate command of Dutch... and of English...
• Your research qualities are in line with the faculty and university research policies.
• Your teaching competences are in line with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision.
• You are able to plan and organise your own work well (taking priorities into account).
• You are self-reliant and stress-resistant.
• You are motivated to work actively on your further professional development.
• You act with attention to quality, integrity, creativity and cooperation.

What we offer

• We offer an appointment as a graduate teaching & research assistant for a period of two years. Following a positive evaluation, the appointment can be renewed twice up to a maximum period of six years.
• Your gross monthly salary is calculated according to the pay scale for an assistant (academic assistant staff, AAP).
• You will receive ecocheques, Internet-connectivity allowance and a bicycle allowance or a full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting.
• The planned start date is 15 September 2026 or as soon as possible after that date.
• You will do most of your work at the City Campus in a dynamic and stimulating working environment.
• Find out more about working at the University of Antwerp here and discover all the other benefits.

Want to apply?

• You can apply for this vacancy through the University of Antwerp’s online job application platform until Monday 2 March 2026 (CET)...
• Click on 'apply', complete the online application form and don’t forget to include the following document(s): 1. a motivation letter 2. your research proposal (see above, condition of admissibility) 3. a detailed account of your study results 4. your (academic) CV
• The selection committee will review all the applications as soon as possible after the application deadline... Please make a note of the following date: 26/03/2026 (interview).
• If you have any questions about the job itself, please contact dr. Dirk Vanheule, Tel. +32 3 265 58 43 – dirk.vanheule@uantwerpen.be.