PhD Candidate: Enforcement of EU Law by National Regulatory Authorities (0.8 - 1.0 FTE)

• Employment: 0.8 - 1.0 FTE
• Gross monthly salary: € 2,434 - € 3,111
• Nijmegen School of Management
• Required background: Research University Degree
• Application deadline: 24 August 2021

We are looking for

We invite applications for a PhD position on the research project 'Enforcement of EU legislation by national regulatory authorities '. This is a multidisciplinary project based on a cooperation between the Department of Public Administration at the Nijmegen School of Management and the Department of International and European Law at the Faculty of Law. You will be stationed at the Nijmegen School of Management but you will carry out your work in close cooperation with, and under the co-supervision of, professors from the Faculty of Law. 

The project focuses on the enforcement of EU legislation by national regulatory authorities. It attempts to formulate answers to the following subquestions:

• How does EU law influence the positioning, powers, tasks and duties of national regulatory authorities?
• What approaches are used in the reception, operationalisation and enforcement of existing and new EU law for and by national regulatory authorities?
• Do these approaches differ between the EU Member States? If so, how can such differences be explained?
• How do national regulatory authorities assess the quality, complexity and enforceability of European law?
• How do national regulatory authorities determine their strategies in the face of the risk that their actions may cause public, legal or political dissent?

In order to research these topics, you will use a variety of methods. In addition to a study on the legal framework, based in part on (EU) law, policy documents and case law, qualitative empirical data will have to be gathered through, for example, in-depth interviews, small-scale surveys, participant observation and focus groups. The project's substantive focus is on the domains of competition, transport and food safety. The regulatory authorities that take centre stage in the research are the Consumer and Market Authority (ACM) and the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).

Your tasks will be to develop your own research project within the parameters of the project proposal, to set up and perform legal analysis and data collection, to conduct sound analyses, to write academic articles, and to complete your PhD thesis in time. You will participate in conferences, organise and facilitate academic and non-academic workshops and seminars, and contribute to teaching at the Nijmegen School of Management. In addition, you will fulfil administrative support activities for the multidisciplinary EUROPAL research group, for example, website maintenance and the organisation of research meetings.

We ask

• A Master's degree in Political Science, Public Administration or a related field, with an advanced understanding of EU (Public/Administrative) Law; or alternatively a Master's degree in European Law with an advanced understanding of Political Science, Public Administration or a related field. It will be considered an asset if candidates have graduated in both disciplines.
• Knowledge of the enforcement of EU law and the appropriate EU legal frameworks is desirable. You do not need to be an expert in one specific field or domain, but should have a demonstrable interest in multi-level decision making and governance.
• Excellent knowledge of qualitative research methods, as well as an eagerness to further develop this knowledge.
• The ability and passion to engage in multidisciplinary research.
• Outstanding study results, as demonstrated by grade transcripts and CV.
• Fluency in Dutch and English, both orally and in writing. Additional language skills for comparative research in other EU member states are recommended.
• The ability to arrange and conduct fieldwork, i.e. interviews, observations, small-scale surveys and focus groups.
• The ability to work both independently and in cooperation with the members of the research project.
• The ability to finish the PhD project in time, i.e. strong skills in project management, flexibility, a proactive approach and excellent academic writing skills.
• A strong commitment to professional and scientific integrity.

We are

The Nijmegen School of Management (NSM) is an academic centre of research and higher education at Radboud University, focusing on institutional and managerial issues concerning complex organisations in both the public and private domains. It covers seven disciplines: Business Administration, Public Administration, Political Science, Economics and Business Economics, Social and Political Sciences of the Environment, Human Geography, and Spatial Planning. NSM strives for a multidisciplinary approach whenever possible. NSM employs 280 FTEs, 75% of whom are academics. NSM currently has approximately 4,800 students. 

The Faculty of Law at Radboud University considers education and research to be its core tasks. The academic education provided focuses on training all-round lawyers and delivering postgraduate courses for lawyers. The Department of International and European Law participates in the public law-oriented Research Centre for State and Law (SteR), which explores developments in the field of public law at the national and transnational levels. The implementation and reception of EU norms and the role of conflict-solving institutions is one of the key research lines. SteR aims to stimulate the ongoing exchange of knowledge and experience between academia and practice, producing outputs that have an impact on legal science as well as the wider community.

As a PhD researcher, you will be part of the Department of Public Administration. This department is a centre of teaching and research in the areas of policy analysis, public governance, and public service delivery, with a strong profile in research methods. Research activities fall under the responsibility of the interdisciplinary Institute for Management Research (IMR). In line with the motto 'responsible governance for sustainable societies', IMR focuses on academic research into the development, design and effectiveness of the organisational and governmental structures that regulate, govern or manage human interactions. Finally, you will be embedded in the multidisciplinary EUROPAL research group, which unites researchers working on matters of Europeanisation of policy and law, at both the Institute for Management Research and the Faculty of Law.

Radboud University

We want to get the best out of science, others and ourselves. Why? Because this is what the world around us desperately needs. Leading research and education make an indispensable contribution to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. This is what unites the more than 24,000 students and 5,600 employees at Radboud University. And this requires even more talent, collaboration and lifelong learning. You have a part to play!

We offer

• Employment: 0.8 (5 year contract) - 1.0 FTE (4 year contract).
• The gross starting salary amounts to €2,434 per month based on a 38-hour working week, and will increase to €3,111 from the fourth year onwards (salary scale P ). 
• In addition to the salary: an 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• Duration of the contract: you will be appointed for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4 year contract) or 3.5 years (5 year contract).
• The intended start date is 1 November 2021.
• You will be able to use our Dual Career and Family Care Services . Our Dual Career and Family Care Officer can assist you with family-related support, help your partner or spouse prepare for the local labour market, provide customized support in their search for employment  and help your family settle in Nijmegen.

Additional employment conditions
Work and science require good employment practices. This is reflected in Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions . You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself, for example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports subscription. And of course, we offer a good pension plan. You are given plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.

Would you like more information?
For more information about this vacancy, please contact:
Prof. dr. Ellen Mastenbroek, Professor of European Public Policy
Tel.: +31 24 361 30 22
Email: [email protected]  

Prof. dr. Henri de Waele, Professor of International and European Law
Tel.: +31 24 361 57 07
Email: [email protected]

Apply directly

Please address your application to Prof. dr. Ellen Mastenbroek and submit it, using the application button, no later than 24 August 2021, 23:59 Amsterdam Time Zone.   

Your application should include the following attachments:

• A letter of motivation explaining your interest in the PhD position and your competence in the research field.
• Your CV including academic qualifications, relevant knowledge, relevant research experience, a transcript of grades, a list of publications (if applicable) and two suitable academic references (e.g. from your thesis supervisor or professors).
• A writing sample, for example, a chapter from your Master's thesis or a forthcoming paper, preferably in English.

The first interviews will take place on 1 September 2021. The second interviews will take place on 15 September 2021.

We drafted this vacancy to find and hire our new colleague ourselves. Recruitment agencies are kindly requested to refrain from responding.