"Research Fellow (Centre for International Law)"

The Centre for International Law at the National University of Singapore is a university-level research centre, with the mission of producing cutting-edge research on international law. It is also at the forefront of capacity-building initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region through workshops, conferences, trainings and academic programmes reaching a diverse audience of government and private sector professionals as well as academics.

CIL is inviting applications for Research Fellow positions set to begin in September 2025. Initial appointments will be for one (1) year, with the potential for a second-year extension contingent upon satisfactory progress during the first year.

Applications are open to prospective fellows with research projects in all areas of International Law as well as other areas of public law with direct links to international law. We particularly seek candidates focusing on the Asia-Pacific region, technology and the digital economy, sustainable development, cybersecurity, international economic law, and international dispute resolution.

We promote interdisciplinary approaches, encompassing areas such as (1) human rights and technology, artificial intelligence, global health, international humanitarian law, and environmental issues; (2) trade and climate change or technology; (3) sustainable development and economic law; and (4) cybersecurity, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law.

Preference will be accorded to candidates aspiring to pursue an academic career, as the program is specifically designed to support such aspirations. Alongside specialized mentoring, the Research Fellow will have opportunities to participate in workshops which involves all aspects of academic life, including research design, writing, teaching and examination, publication strategies, supervision, and enhancing methodological skills.

Qualifications

The selection committee will consider the following criteria in making appointments:

1. Applicants must possess a doctoral degree in international law obtained within the last 4 years.
2. The primary selection criterion will be the applicant's potential for excellence in research and the quality and originality of his/her proposed project of research. The quality of the doctoral dissertation as well as any other publications will be the primary evidence of such potential. A PDF file of the PhD dissertation must be appended to the application as well as one or two samples of published work.
3. Three letters of reference are required, one of which, ideally, would be from the PhD Supervisor and/or a member of the Examining Committee. The reference letters should be sent confidentially to Ms Huong Tam (huong.tam@nus.edu.sg) by the deadline for applications and must in particular address to the scholarly contribution of the dissertation and an appraisal of the proposed research project as well as the applicant's potential to conduct high-quality research.

Benefits

The Research Fellow will be offered a competitive salary package, along with travel assistance and housing benefits for those who qualify. Additionally, a minimum budget of S$5,000 will be designated to facilitate participation in regional and international conferences, with the possibility of securing further funds upon the CIL Director's approval. The Research Fellow will also have access to shared office space within the CIL.

Programme Requirements

1. The Research Fellow will develop and carry out the research project as outlined in the application. He or she will be expected to take an active part in the post-doctoral academic community: workshops, presentations, commenting on colleagues work and the like.
2. The expectation is that