International and European Law - PhD position (100%) - the legacy pollution WP of ERC Advanced Grant CONJURERS

The department is a vibrant research community of PhD researchers, Postdocs, part-time teaching assistants with teaching and research responsibilities in the broad areas of international and EU law. This particular research project will be part of Prof Van Calster's work as both an academic and practitioner in the area of international business and human rights litigation. It is one of the 6 PhDs recruited to the CONJURERS project, granted by the European Research Centre 'ERC' as an Advanced Grant.

The supervisor of the PhD is Prof Dr Geert Van Calster, former head of the Department of International and EU law.

Unit website

Project

• This PhD project is one of 6 PhD positions currently advertised in the context of the ERC Advanced Grant for CONJURERS awarded to prof Geert Van Calster in the 2025 call. CONJURERS is an exciting opportunity for doctoral candidates in law to research in detail existing legal loopholes that facilitate the divestment of toxic assets, and to suggest solutions.
• This PhD will carry out a cross-jurisdictional root and branch examination of legacy pollution regimes as a potential tool to avoid undisciplined divestment of liability for toxic assets.
• Further particulars are available at the link above.

Profile

• You must have an LL.B. and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree. Candidates with a LL.M. degree only, must not apply.
• Candidates (particularly from common law countries) with an LL.B. degree only, may qualify provided they have documented research experience and /or relevant practice experience (i.e. proper legal practice in full-time employment, not just summer or other internships).
• You must provide documents demonstrating that you are proficient in written and spoken English. Knowledge of other languages, including but not limited to Dutch, is considered an asset.
• You must demonstratespecific interest, background, education and /or experience for this specific work package of CONJURERS, as further detailed in the link above.

Your tasks and opportunities will include

• Completion and public defence of a PhD in Law as a monograph.
• Publication of intermediate research insights in the form of journal articles, book chapters, and shorter contributions such as blogposts. Some of these will be co-authored pieces with the principal investigator (Prof Van Calster), the postdoc and other team members.
• Contribution to the outreach of the project, including podcasts and blogs.
• Public speaking and public engagement, including in international academic networks, with the associated travel.
• Individual focus and organisation alongside contribution to CONJURERS as a team and project.
• Opportunities for limited research supervision and teaching of graduate (Master of Laws) students, in the areas of private international law, international trade and investment law, international business law and environmental policy.

Offer

• The possibility to be part of a team of 8 researchers (six PhDs, one postdoc, and professor Van Calster) that will work together to achieve an internationally effective corporate ‘duty to stay’ and address past and current environmental, business and human rights, climate....liabilities, in the context of the highly reputable ERC Advanced Grants.
• Appointments to the PhD positions are for one year, thrice renewable (i.e. in principle 4 years).

Interested?

For more information please contact Prof. dr. Geert Van Calster, mail: geert.vancalster@kuleuven.be and consult https://tinyurl.com/yc7xd3k3.

You can apply for this job no later than October 25, 2026 via the online application tool

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