Two postdoctoral positions in EU-law and constitutional law (PA2023/750)

Lund University is a full-scale and research-intensive university, and the only Swedish university to be part of the strong international networks League of European Research Universities (LERU) and Universitas 21 (U21). Lund University has partner universities in close to 70 countries and attracts more international students than any other higher education institution in Sweden.

The Faculty of Law is characterised by internationalisation, the intertwining of education and research, interdisciplinarity, as well as close and boundary-crossing collaboration with wider society. The Faculty’s research environment and PhD-education are markedly international and, alongside the professional law degree, the Faculty offers several international Master’s programmes.

Lund University and the Faculty of Law offer an inclusive work environment that fosters development within the broader dynamic research and innovation area of the Öresund region.

Subject 

EU-law and constitutional law.

Subject description

EU law comprises issues related to the study of the law of the EU institutions and its impact on the legal system of the Member States of the European Union. EU law constitutes a body of primary law (EU Treaties), secondary law (e.g. Directives and Regulations) and case law (most importantly from the Court of Justice of the European Union), which operates alongside and together with the national laws of the 28 Member States. Constitutional law corresponds to the study of national constitutionals and the study of constitutional rights.

The MMW project

Postdoc 1

The post-doctoral researcher, within the theoretical frame of the Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg (MMW)-funded project entitled ‘Lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic in future crises’, will undertake a comparative study of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) focusing on emergencies laws (if any) in this comparative setting, as well as the related case law and policy developments to bring a better understanding of the concept of ‘emergency’ in action, with special regard to the Covid-19 pandemic and to the climate emergency.

The MMW project is based on EU law and comparative constitutional law. It aims to better understand the legal conceptualisation of ‘emergencies’, and focusing on the Covid-19 emergency, identify political and legal constitutional safeguards accompanying these in the mentioned jurisdictions. Based on the findings, the aim is to identify possible ‘best practices’ to be applied in times of emergencies, and in the case of this project, with special regard to the climate emergency.

More specifically, the post-doctoral researcher will be required to take on four tasks:

To study emergency laws and their application against an EU constitutional-law framework, focusing on four major Scandinavian countries: Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.
To map the legal risks posed by emergency laws to human rights and the rule of law.
To highlight best political and legal practices, focusing on the Nordic countries.
To propose emergency rules based on the best practices developed in (c) to deal with other emergencies, primarily climate change.

Postdoc 2

The post-doctoral researcher, within the theoretical frame of the Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg (MMW)-funded project entitled ‘Lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic in future crises’, will undertake a comparative study of the concept of ‘emergency’. The research will encompass the study of Covid-19 measures in at least two Member States, with preference for Germany and France, against the national constitutional law setting, as well as that of EU law.

The MMW project is based on EU law and comparative constitutional law. It aims to better understand political and legal constitutional safeguards accompanying Covid-19 emergency measures in a selection of jurisdictions, and based on the findings, identify best practices to be applied in emergencies, especially in climate emergency. By drawing on best political and legal practices as rule of law safeguards in emergency measures, this project will propose ways in which states can act on the climate crises as a matter of urgency. More specifically, we take on four tasks:

To study emergency laws and their application against an EU constitutional-law framework, focusing on at least two EU Member States (with preference for Germany and France.
To map the legal risks posed by emergency laws to human rights and the rule of law.
To highlight best political and legal practices, focusing on the Nordic countries.
To propose emergency rules based on the best practices developed in (c) to deal with other emergencies, primarily climate change.

Duties

Mainly research but work duties include teaching for up to a maximum of 20 percent of working hours.

The researchers and teachers at the Faculty are expected to contribute to a dynamic research environment as well as to other Faculty activities, and to perform work primarily in the workplace provided by the Faculty.

Teaching staff employed as a post doctor are offered the opportunity to undertake further training in teaching and learning in higher education of at least three weeks within the scope of their employment.

Qualifications

A person shall be qualified for appointment as a postdoctoral fellow who has been awarded a doctor’s degree in legal science or a degree deemed equivalent to a doctor’s degree in legal science. Certificate that the qualifications requirements are fulfilled must have been received at the latest, three days after the application deadline. The applicant who has completed the doctoral degree no more than three years before the application deadline is primarily eligible. If special grounds exists, the doctoral degree can have been completed earlier.

Special grounds include leave of absence due to illness, parental leave, positions as elected representative in trade union organisations, mandatory service in connection with total defence preparations, or comparable circumstances, and practical training or other services/tasks of relevance for the advertised position.

For a post doctor at Lund University, the general qualification requirements concern being suitable for and having the ability in general that is needed to satisfactorily carry out the duties of the appointment in question.

Assessment criteria

The assessment criteria for the current post are a good ability to develop and carry out high-quality research teaching skills. The primary focus of the assessment shall be on research expertise.

Particular emphasis will also be paid to applicant´s subject knowledge of EU-law and constitutional law.

Postdoc- project (1) must include a comparative, Nordic and European perspective.

Postdoc- project (2) must include a comparative and European perspective.

Emphasis will be paid to the submitted plan of the research project.

Application process

The application shall include:

• personal letter
• a brief curriculum vitae (CV)
• copy of the doctoral degree certificate
• certificates from other experiences and competencies relevant for the employment position
• a plan of the research project (including plan of publications) the candidate wants to pursue as a post-doctoral researcher (max. 5 pages). The plan must be written in English, Swedish, Danish, or Norwegian.
• list of the PhD thesis and two other academic texts the candidate wishes to submit for assessment
• the PhD thesis and two other academic texts
• short description of teaching qualifications

Please note that documents submitted or drawn up as a result of this vacant employment position (such as applications, expert opinions and minutes) as a general rule are public. The documents may thus (with the exception if a document is classified as confidential) be read upon request.

Duration and terms of employment

Fixed-term employment, two years. The appointment can be extended if special grounds exist.

Conditions

The position is based on a collective agreement between the social partners (trade unions and employer's organisation) dated 19 November 2021.