KU Leuven is a research-intensive, internationally oriented university that conducts both fundamental and applied scientific research. It has a strong inter- and multidisciplinary focus and strives for international excellence. To this end, the Faculty and the Research Unit actively collaborate with research partners in Belgium and abroad.
The Faculty of Law and Criminology of the Humanities and Social Sciences Group of KU Leuven has a vacancy for a full-time position as a Tenure track assistant professor at the Institute for Tax Law (Research Unit Economic Law). The position involves scientific research, teaching at an academic level and additional tasks of an academic nature, including service tasks.
The Faculty of Law and Criminology has a strong national and international reputation for teaching, research and service in the broad area of Tax Law. It pursues leadership in each of these spheres at the national, European and international levels. In doing so, the Faculty wishes to distinguish itself through the academic nature of its work and its awareness of the major societal role of this research area. The technicality of the legal domain is therefore to be transcended through originality in research, attention to values, awareness of the interaction of legal rules in a multi-layered legal order, and intra- and interdisciplinarity.
The Research Unit Economic Law is a large and well-organised entity within the Faculty of Law and Criminology. Its various institutes and centres are dedicated to teaching, research and the provision of scientific services regarding all aspects of economic law: general commercial and economic law, European economic law, consumer law, market and competition law, financial law, Tax Law, insolvency law, market practices, methodology of law and corporate law.
The unit’s research and educational activities concern multilevel law (national, European and international law) and show an attention to intra-, extra-, and interdisciplinarity and the comparative law perspective. Courses are taught in Dutch and English at bachelor’s, master’s and advanced master’s level at the KU Leuven campuses in Leuven, Antwerp, Brussels and Kortrijk, as well as in Hasselt. Provision of scientific services consists of consultancy to all levels of government; many researchers also have close ties with legal practice.
The research unit currently has over 90 researchers (including 17 senior academic staff), the majority of whom are appointed full-time.
Duties
Research
As a Tenure track assistant professor, you will develop a broad research programme with a focus on national, European and international Tax Law, partly in collaboration with professors and staff with extensive expertise in neighbouring research areas.
You will be expected to:
- carry out independent research, develop an internationally competitive research programme and pursue excellent scientific results;
- develop national and international partnerships;
- be open to a multidisciplinary approach and intensive collaboration with other research groups at KU Leuven;
- supervise and coach master’s students, PhD/junior researchers and postdoctoral researchers;
- seek to acquire competitive research funding from national and international funds;
- have a keen interest in fundamental research, while also paying attention to the valorisation and practical application of research results, e.g. through contacts with policymakers and stakeholders and by engaging in applied research that is relevant for decisionmakers and legal practice.
Teaching
Both the Research Unit and the Faculty attach importance to strong personal commitment to teaching assignments and broad employability as a lecturer.
Your teaching must meet the requirements of academic programmes in terms of level, orientation and substance, and must in particular be research-based and -oriented. It must be consistent with KU Leuven’s vision on activating and research-based education and learning. A commitment to the overall high quality of our educational programmes is considered self-evident.
The successful candidate will teach in the area of Tax Law. Most of these courses are to be taught in Dutch; a much more limited number of courses are to be taught in English. The emphasis of the courses will be on business taxation, corporate income tax and transfer pricing. Student audiences will consist of large and smaller groups of students, students with and without a background in law, and students of all levels (bachelor, master and advanced master in Taxation). The candidate may be required to teach at all the different campuses of KU Leuven (a.o. Antwerp, Brussels and Leuven) and also supervises master’s theses.
Service
Your duties also include the provision of scientific, societal and internal services (such as serving on University and Faculty committees and availability to the government, society and press for science communication).
You help to develop specific initiatives, including in the context of KU Leuven Engage.
As a senior academic staff member working at our campus in Brussels, you are expected to play an active part in the general management of our campus in Brussels. Furthermore, you are expected to actively contribute to the financial stability of the Research Unit by raising funds for research and/or education, and to supervise ongoing projects and coach junior researchers who are applying for grants.
You will contribute to the academic flourishing and visibility of the Research Unit, the Faculty of Law and Criminology, and KU Leuven in general, by helping to organise conferences, workshops, and other events.
Profile
You have achieved excellence in study and research and you hold a PhD in Law (or at the very least you have set a date for your public PhD defence that is prior to the starting date of the appointment) and can demonstrate expertise in Tax Law through publications and other research achievements.
You have an excellent research track record, which includes national and/or international peer-reviewed publications and/or other research achievements that demonstrate originality, a capacity for abstraction and openness to intra- and/or interdisciplinary research.
We will take into account your current career stage when evaluating your application.
You have a well thought-out vision of and the capability to provide high-quality, research-based academic education and possess excellent didactic skills. Teaching experience is an asset. If you have evaluations of previous teaching assignments at your disposal, please add them to your application.
Finally, you possess demonstrable organisational, social, professional and leadership skills, as well as the collegiality and flexibility necessary to join an existing team.
Experience is not required, but can be considered an asset.
The official administrative and teaching language of KU Leuven is Dutch. Because the successful candidate will have to take up different teaching assignments in Dutch soon after appointment, he/she is required to have mastery of Dutch at CEFR level C1 at the time of appointment.
In addition, a good oral and written command of English is required. Knowledge of other languages, especially French or German, is a plus. KU Leuven offers training opportunities to strengthen your language skills.
Offer
We offer a full-time employment in an intellectually stimulating environment
You will be recruited at the rank of Tenure track assistant professor for a period of 5 years.
In Belgium, each of these ranks are positions with ius promovendi that offer a prospect of promotion to full professor without your needing to apply for a new vacancy.
As a senior academic staff member, in the course of your career you will have the possibility to make use of periods of sabbatical leave, during which you are exempted from regular duties. The purpose of these sabbaticals is to allow you to focus (even more) on your professional development or to recharge your academic batteries, without loss of salary.
KU Leuven is well equipped to welcome foreign professors and their families and where possible offers practical support in the areas of immigration, housing, child care, learning Dutch, career coaching for the candidate’s partner, ...
To facilitate scientific onboarding and accelerate research in the first phase a starting grant of circa 110,000 euros is offered to new professors if they meet the eligibility criteria determined by KU Leuven.
More information
Terms of employment senior academic staff
KU Leuven Engage
KU Leuven vision on education and learning
Start-up grant for starting senior academic staff
Interested?
Please attach the following documents to your application:
- your biosketch (max. 2 pages; more information: see link above to website on terms of employment);
- an extensive cv including a full publication list;
- a statement outlining your vision on academic research and your research plan for the coming 3 years that demonstrates your added value for the research within our Research Unit;
- a file on your 5 most important publications or achievements (more information: see link above to website on terms of employment);
- a statement on your vision on academic education;
- student evaluations, if you have any, from the last 5 years.
Should you have questions about the position, you can contact:
- Prof. Dr. Wouter Devroe, Dean of the Faculty of Law and Criminology, wouter.devroe@kuleuven.be
- Prof. Dr. Luc De Broe Chair of the Research Unit Economic Law, luc.debroe@kuleuven.be
- Prof. Dr. Filip Debelva, Programme Director Master in Taxation, filip.debelva@kuleuven.be
In case of problems with the application, please contact solliciteren@kuleuven.be .
KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.
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