"Postdoctoral Researcher in Regional Human Rights Regimes (the inter-American system)"

Job Description

Do you enjoy legal and social science research and writing on regional human rights regimes and their effectiveness? Being part of a vibrant research community and working in a team? Participating in academic exchanges about the intersection of law, history and social sciences and about legal developments in the field of human rights? Understanding and analyzing the domestic impact of international human rights law in non-democratic contexts? Giving guidance to junior academics that you are working with? Then the job of postdoctoral researcher at the University of Amsterdam is perfect for you!

Beyond Compliance: Rethinking the Effectiveness of Regional Human Rights Regimes

We are inviting prospective researchers to apply for a postdoctoral project within the ERC project ‘Beyond Compliance: Rethinking the Effectiveness of Regional Human Rights Regimes’ led by Dr. Dilek Kurban.

In light of the growing authoritarian challenge to human rights, the project investigates the limitations and possibilities for regional human rights regimes to be effective in non-democratic contexts. Beyond Compliance investigates, based on an inter-disciplinary approach combining historical, legal and social science research, how the European, African and inter-American human rights regimes have developed and enforced their norms against states engaging in gross violations, legal repression, and/or systemic rule of law violations.

Within this overall framework, the postdoctoral researcher, together with the principle investigator who will work on the European system and the other postdoctoral researcher who will be working on the African system, and based on the same multi-method approach, will investigate:

• how the inter-American system has enforced its norms against states engaging in systemic and gross violations; and
• how, meanwhile, it responded to the legal mobilization of domestic human rights advocates.

The postdoctoral researcher is expected to conduct innovative research leading to the completion of several individual and co-authored publications in leading peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes. As part of the team of researchers for the overarching project, the successful applicant will design and carry out an individual research plan in an independent fashion but within the framework of the overarching research project.

This is what you will do

• Design the scope of the postdoctoral research project, and fine-tune the theoretical framework, research questions and methodology together with the whole research team;
• Engage autonomously in the collection and interpretation of data (e.g. document analysis and interviews);
• Present intermediate research results in internal discussions and at workshops and conferences;
• Contribute to project activities, such as organizing academic events and outreach; and communication of research results to activists, relevant communities of practitioners and policy makers; and
• Optionally, and in mutual agreement with the project leader and in line with the teaching needs of the International and European Public Law Department, have teaching responsibilities.

What we ask of you

• (or are about to obtain very soon) a PhD in a field of law relevant to the project (candidates from social science disciplines may be considered provided they focus on law and have a demonstrable knowledge of and experience in international human rights law);
• an interest in conducting multi-method research on a topic related to the broader theme of the project, namely the effectiveness of regional human rights regimes;
• a commitment to work independently and as part of the team to produce outputs that are publishable in leading English-language international peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes;
• demonstrable knowledge and insights about the political and legal context in Latin America and the inter-American human rights regime. Prior experience regarding the latter would be of advantage;
• experience with conducting academic research and writing in English;
• very good knowledge of Spanish, in order to read documents and conduct interviews; and
• the ability to set and attain your (own) goals and work independently.

This is what we offer you

We offer a temporary employment contract for 30.4 hours a week. The contract duration is for up to two years with a probationary period of 2 months. Depending on the level of relevant prior experience of the candidate there may be an evaluation for extension beyond the first year;

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between € 3,546 to € 5,538. This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.

You will work in this team

You will be part of a project funded by an ERC Starting Grant, as part of a team consisting of the principle investigator, two postdoctoral researchers, one PhD researcher, and one student assistant.

The project team will be based at the Amsterdam Center for International Law (ACIL), the Center of Excellence for Public International Law of the University of Amsterdam. ACIL’s research activities aim at a critical understanding of international law in society, its progressive development, and its effective rule. In order to do that, it typically starts by critically reflecting on the roles that the law plays in its context, in the pursuit of justice and the perpetuation of injustice.

ACIL is situated at the Amsterdam Law School, which views the role of law in a constantly changing (international) society to be committed, responsible and open-minded.

Application Instructions

If you feel the profile fits you, and you are interested in the job, we look forward to receiving your application consisting of the documents listed below. Please apply online via the link below. We will accept applications until 1 March 2026.

We plan to conduct the interviews 30 March to 2nd of April. Depending on the current location of eligible candidates, interviews may also be conducted online. Depending on the progress of these interviews, a second round of interviews may take place 13 to 16th of-April.

Please note that it is only possible to upload two documents, therefore please combine the required files in two (PDF) documents.

File 1

• Motivation letter;
• a CV of no more than two pages, including the names and email addresses of two referees;
• research plan of no more than 1,500 words, excluding references, in which you sketch your ideas about implementing your part of the research proposal in line with the attached summary of the project; and
• writing sample of a recently written, single authored manuscript (e.g., a chapter of your PhD thesis) in English.

If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact: Dr. Dilek Kurban d.kurban@uva.nl