fulltime vacatures in Een

PhD

PhD candidate Legal pluralism and corruption in Central Asia

Are you a (nearly) graduated law student with an interest in scientific research? If so, this position could be a great opportunity for you!

We are looking for an enthusiastic PhD student who wants to do research within the topic of legal pluralism and corruption in Central Asia.

Faculty of Law

Closing date: 31 januari 2026

1 - 1 FTE

€3.059 - €3.881

PhD candidate Legal pluralism and corruption in Central Asia

https://werkenbij.rug.nl/vacature/phd-candidate-legal-pluralism-and-corruption-in-central-asia-1321/?langlang=en

What are you going to do?

Focus: Globally, anticorruption programs are often premised on the idea of a singular and universal notion of "the rule of law." However, empirical sociolegal studies reveal that official state laws frequently coexist and compete with other informal normative systems. This project will examine how such legal pluralism impacts laws, policies, and programs aimed at combating corruption in Central Asia. It will also investigate how public officials, civil society actors, and businesses navigate and respond to these competing legal systems.

Fieldwork and secondment in Central Asia

Fieldwork and secondments constitute integral components of the SOCIAL Doctoral Programme. Accordingly, all PhD candidates admitted to the programme are required to undertake fieldwork and secondment in Central Asia as part of their doctoral training and research activities.

Faculty of Law

Closing date: 31 januari 2026

€3.059 - €3.881

Who are you?

You must have a completed Master's degree, preferably in law and/or a related domain that is relevant to the execution of the research proposal.

The ideal candidate has the following competences:

• creativity
• an analytical mind
• results-oriented
• a critical research attitude
• perseverance

Other requirements:

• good command of English
• experience with (or serious interest in) conducting empirical research
• work attitude focused on teamwork, flexibility and communication
• willingness to travel abroad for fieldwork and international secondments

The successful candidate will be required to work in a team, to travel to conferences and network training events, and to take part in an academic and non-academic secondment abroad.

All Doctoral Candidates are required to undertake two secondments abroad, one academic and one non-academic, of between two and six months duration.

*MSCA mobility rule: Candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies) in the Netherlands for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately prior to the date of recruitment. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to submit a signed Mobility Declaration covering the last 36 months, together with supporting documents (e.g., residence registration/tax certificate, employment or study attestations).

For further information on eligibility criteria and on Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks in general, please refer to: Doctoral Networks - Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions .

What can you expect from us?

• In accordance with the collective labor agreement for Dutch universities, we offer a salary of at least € 3.059 (Scale ) up to a maximum of € 3.881 (Scale ) gross per month for a full-time employment contract.
• 232 vacation hours per year, based on a 38-hour workweek (1.0 FTE). You can also work more or fewer hours in exchange for more or fewer free hours. For example, with a 40-hour workweek, you save 96 extra free hours, and with a 36-hour workweek, you lose 96 hours.
• End-of-year bonus of 8.3% and 8% holiday allowance.
• Extensive opportunities for personal and professional development.
• Contract duration: A temporary employment contract for a period of 4 years, under the condition of a positive assessment at the end of the first year.

Where will you be working?

At the University of Groningen (RUG), researchers across all branches of science and technology work on scientific challenges and societal issues. Lecturers train their students for meaningful careers in science or beyond. Interdisciplinary research and education, knowledge sharing, and collaboration with companies, government institutions, and societal organizations are highly valued at this top 100 university. RUG aims to be an open academic community with an inclusive and safe working environment that invites you to contribute your value.

The Faculty of Law is a broad-based faculty. Our community is characterized by an open and informal atmosphere and consists of approximately 4,500 students and 400 staff. We foster an environment that combines academic tradition and innovation, in a way that addresses national and international societal issues. Our research and teaching are groundbreaking, with special attention paid to current themes such as sustainability and energy, technological developments including AI, and the democratic rule of law. We prepare legal professionals to adopt a broad perspective, think critically, and adapt to a rapidly changing world. We place a strong emphasis on the development of both students and staff. We actively seek connection across legal fields and disciplines, and with partners within and outside academia. If you would like to learn more about the Faculty of Law, visit rug.nl/rechten .

Department Constitutional Law, Administrative Law and Public Administration

The PhD position is hosted by the Department of Constitutional Law, Administrative Law and Public Administration. The department consists of over 50 enthusiastic colleagues who provide teaching and conduct research across the full breadth of constitutional law, administrative law, and public administration.

At our department, we adopt a multidisciplinary approach in our research and teaching. We have a strong focus on classical legal-dogmatic research and teaching, but we merge the legal perspective with insights from social sciences. We often explore the practical functioning of law by posing questions such as: How does law operate in real-world scenarios? By incorporating this social science perspective, we foster a comprehensive understanding of the intricate relationship between law and society.

Groningen Graduate School of Law

In your doctoral research, under the supervision of your supervisors, you will conduct independent scientific research resulting in a dissertation. You will be accommodated at the Groningen Graduate School of Law (GGSL). The GGSL offers a training program to help carry out this research. Your training program will be tailored to your interests, and needs for development. During your appointment, you will publish and present (partial) results of your research in academic and professional journals and participate in academic activities and events, such as conferences and seminars.

Application procedure

Step 1: Your application

After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation by email.

The selection committee assesses your application and you will receive a response at the latest two weeks after the closing date.

Step 3: First interview

We would like to get to know each other better in a first interview, which can take place either online or on location.

Step 4: Second interview and possible assessment or guest lecture

We may schedule a second interview with you. Depending on the position, this interview can be complemented with an assessment or guest lecture.

Step 5: Terms of employment meeting

After a positive interview, we will discuss the terms of employment together. When everything is completed, we are happy to welcome you at the University of Groningen!

Does this sound like a challenge that suits you? Then apply immediately!

Do you meet our qualification criteria? If yes, you're requested to upload the following documents:

Your application comes with:

• A cover letter explaining why you want to do research, why this subject is specifically important and why you are ideally suited for this.
• A curriculum vitae.
• A list of marks or results acquired in your Bachelor's and Master's degrees.
• The name of a reference that we may contact and/or a written recommendation.
• A research proposal of maximum 3 A4 (excluding bibliography, but including footnotes) which includes the following:

1. the introduction of the research question
2. the definition of the question

1. the methodology

1. the plan of approach