Doctoral scholarship holder in well-being in legal professions
The University of Antwerp is offering a full-time doctoral scholarship holder position in the Faculty of Law on the topic of well-being in legal professions, with a particular focus on professionals specialized in criminal law. The successful candidate will work toward a PhD thesis on the well-being of legal professionals such as lawyers and judges, while contributing to research, teaching support, conference presentations, and scientific publication.
This doctoral project sits at the intersection of law, criminology, and psychology, and is especially relevant to applicants with an interest in criminal law, occupational well-being, legal psychology, and interdisciplinary empirical research. The role involves developing a research plan and methodology in consultation with the supervisors, conducting independent research, reporting progress to the doctoral committee, and defending the thesis publicly. The candidate is also expected to publish related scientific articles and support some teaching and research activities within the Law Faculty.
Applicants should hold, or expect to hold by the start date, a master’s degree in social sciences or humanities, such as law, criminology, or psychology. A strong academic record is required, together with a 5-page English research proposal covering the state of the art, research objectives, methodology, and bibliography. The proposal should support a 4-year doctoral trajectory. Good command of Dutch and English is required, and empirical or interdisciplinary research experience is considered an advantage.
The scholarship is offered initially for two years and may be renewed for a further two years after a positive evaluation. The position includes a monthly doctoral scholarship amount in line with University of Antwerp rules, plus ecocheques, an internet allowance, and either a bicycle allowance or reimbursement of public transport costs. Most work will be carried out at the City Campus in Antwerp. The planned start date is 1 January 2027, or as soon as possible thereafter.
Applications must be submitted through the University of Antwerp’s online application portal by 30 September 2026 at midnight Brussels time. Required documents include a motivation letter, academic CV with detailed study results, and the research proposal. Selection interviews are scheduled for 13 October 2026.
