Researcher in International Criminal Law

The researcher will join the research strand ‘In the public interest: accountability of the state and the prosecution of crimes’ within our Research Agenda ‘Rethinking public interests in international and European law’.

In the public interest: accountability of the state and the prosecution of crimes
This research strand examines i) the accountability of states - individually and collectively (for instance at the level of the United Nations or the European Union) - in light of public interest standards in the context of counter-terrorism; and ii) the prosecution of individuals for international and transnational crimes in the public interest. Moreover, to ensure both the accountability of the state and the prosecution of individuals, this strand also investigates iii) the role of journalists, the (new) media, human rights NGOs and academics in protecting and promoting public interest standards.

Description of the position:
The position will entail the coordination and implementation of various international criminal law-related projects at the Asser Institute, many of which are related to Ukraine. Examples are the International Crimes Database and the Nexus on Conflict and Crime, the Correspondents’ Reports (databases), our inter-university programmes in Lebanon and Ukraine (educational programmes) and our capacity building activities (including our MATRA-Ukraine project). Work would include strengthening domestic systems through international (human rights) law and assisting domestic authorities, but also criminal justice professionals, CSOs, defence and victims’ counsel, journalists, students and the public at large in pursuing accountability for international crimes, in a manner that is fully in compliance with international law.

Key responsibilities:

• Coordinate and implement a variety of international criminal law projects, as explained above;
• Conduct cutting-edge research in the field of international criminal law;
• Publish articles in academic and professional journals;
• Present research at academic conferences;
• Willingness to engage with the media;
• Engage with project partners and relevant stakeholders;
• Contribute to the drafting of proposals to acquire new (research) funding;
• Work closely together with other researchers;
• Engage actively with the Asser (research) community.

Requirements:
The successful candidate will meet the following requirements:

• A PhD in international criminal law;
• A strong interest in and understanding of current international criminal law debates, in particular in the context of Ukraine;
• Experience or a demonstrable interest in working, including conducting research, at the cutting edge of academia and practice;
• Ability to speak with both academics and practitioners, as well as funders and other stakeholders, from supreme court judges and ministers to students;
• Experience or a demonstrable interest in doing acquisition work;
• Experience or a demonstrable interest in coordinating and implementing (capacity building) projects;
• Experience or a demonstrable interest in working with databases and websites;
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team;
• Strong English language skills;
• Willingness to work and live in (the vicinity of) The Hague;
• Command of the Ukrainian language is an advantage.

What we offer:

• The appointment is initially for two years.
• The salary will be in accordance with the salary scales of the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities, scale 11, with a range of €4.332 to €5.929 gross per month (full-time), depending on the actual level of relevant education and experience. Secondary benefits at Dutch universities are attractive and include 8% holiday pay and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus.
• The employee will be appointed at the University of Amsterdam and seconded to the Asser Institute.

How to apply:
Candidates who are interested in applying should send their letter of motivation and their CV to po@asser.nl by 7 August 2023 at 10:00 CEST at the latest indicating ‘Application Researcher International Criminal Law’. Individual interviews will take place in the week of 14 August 2023. The envisaged starting date is 1 October 2023 or soon thereafter. Applications received after the deadline, not including the required two components (letter of motivation and a CV) will not be considered eligible.

The T.M.C. Asser Instituut 
The T.M.C. Asser Instituut is an internationally renowned research institute in the fields of international law and European law based in The Hague. The institute is affiliated with the University of Amsterdam.

Our values
The Asser community is a public-spirited community that is committed to excellence, integrity, inclusivity, and public values.

Our vision
We envision a world in which local, national and transnational public interests are protected and promoted by international and European public and private law. This is supported by critical reflection conducive to perspectives for action to confront our global challenges.

Our mission
The Asser Institute aims to contribute to the development of international and European public and private law by independently conducting fundamental, policy-oriented and applied legal research, as well as by initiating and facilitating academic and expert meetings, (professional) education, and public events that aim to disseminate knowledge of international and European law.