Postdoctoral Research Fellow in European Union Law

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Law.

Fixed Term for four years - 1st September 2024 to 31st August 2028

Full time: 35 hours per week

We are looking for a committed and enthusiastic academic to join Edinburgh Law School as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in EU Law. This is a fixed term post available until the 31st August 2028 and part of an exciting new 4-year research project funded by the Leverhulme Trust entitled “Taming the Dark Energy of EU Law: The European Union’s Unwritten Constitution”. The successful applicant will be based in the Law School and work closely with Professor Niamh Nic Shuibhne and the project’s PhD researcher.

The successful candidate should have advanced subject knowledge of EU law with expertise in EU constitutional law and the legal dimensions of EU external action. They will have either completed a PhD (or be very close to completion) in EU law or have equivalent professional experience. They will be expected to develop and execute a realistic and achievable research plan, and to play a full part in the collegiate life of the project team, the EU Law Subject Area, and the Law School.

Edinburgh Law School is an international, vibrant community dedicated to research and teaching with local and global reach and diverse impacts. Our Law School would not be the community it is without our staff and students, and we welcome applications from under-represented groups.

All applicants must submit a short research proposal (max 2 pages), outlining their approach to the proposed research project, a CV, and a cover letter. Applicants are also asked to identify their two strongest publications (which may include work under review or accepted but not published, such as a PhD thesis chapter) and explain why – in their view – these publications are both original and significant (a form is provided to facilitate the completion of this step).

Download publications form (Word)

For informal inquiries, please contact Prof Niamh Nic Shuibhne, Principal Investigator and Head of the EU Law Subject Area, niamh.nicshuibhne@ed.ac.uk 

The Opportunity:

Complementing the work of a PhD researcher on the EU as an international actor, the Postdoctoral Research Fellow will explore how the EU has matured as an international subject and determine the extent to which the EU’s limited openness to external scrutiny reflects the constitutional standards projected inwards by the specific and essential characteristics. 

Your skills and attributes for success:     

• Ability to develop a research plan in the area(s) of expertise, including through high quality publications.
• Ability to plan and organise own workload, with guidance from and under the direction of the project PI, in order to meet the strategic aims of the project and ensure successful delivery of the research programme.
• Excellent communication skills.
• A commitment to promoting a collegial, nurturing, and mutually supportive working environment.
• A commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion across all activities.

Click to view a copy of the full job description (opens new browser tab) 

As a valued member of our team, you can expect: 

• A competitive salary of £39,347 - £46,947 per annum
• An exciting, positive, creative, challenging, and rewarding place to work. 
• To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community
• Comprehensive Staff Benefits, such as a generous holiday entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives, and flexible work options. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page (opens in a new tab) and use our reward calculator to discover the total value of your pay and benefits 

Championing equality, diversity and inclusion

The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality.

Prior to any employment commencing with the University, you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages (opens new browser tab)

The University is able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. If successful, an international applicant requiring sponsorship to work in the UK will need to satisfy the UK Home Office’s English Language requirements and apply for and secure a Skilled Worker Visa.

Key dates to note

The closing date for applications is Monday 20th May.

Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm GMT. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browsers local time zone. 

Interviews will be held on Friday 21st June.