Postdoctoral Researcher War, Peace and Justice research group; fte

What you will do

The successful candidate will conduct independent and collaborative research with the Research group War, Peace and Justice, and assist with teaching across several programs within the institute, including the MSc in Crisis and Security Management, on one or several of the following aspects.

• The contemporary studies and issues of war and peace, in particular logistics and strategy.
• National and European governance challenges related to contemporary security and strategic debates.
• The interface between Europe and other global actors.
• Theories of readiness and logistics; theorizing logistics at the intersection of military readiness and corporate operations.
• Defence capability development in Europe and European defence industry.
• Conduct independent empirically driven and comparative case‑study focused research.
• Collect and analyze data on one or several of the topics mentioned above.
• Produce high‑quality co‑authored outputs for both academic and non‑academic audiences, with a focus on international, peer‑reviewed journals.
• Work within a multidisciplinary team across the War, Peace and Justice research group and other research groups within the Institute, supporting the development and implementation of the Institute’s research strategy.
• Assist in teaching courses in minor, bachelor, and master programs within the institute, including the MSc in Crisis and Security Management.
• Supervise theses and capstone projects.

The mission of the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs (FGGA) is to contribute to society through high‑quality interdisciplinary education and scientific knowledge. Whether it is terrorism, security, artificial intelligence or a governance solution to the housing crisis, contemporary issues are comprehensively addressed uated in the heart of The Hague, students and professionals gain knowledge and skills in a collaborative environment.

FGGA is one of the seven faculties of Leiden University, with three scientific institutes, two centres, over 3,700 students and 425 staff members.

We seek an independent researcher who can thrive in an interdisciplinary setting. If you recognise yourself in the following, this position may be a good fit.

• A PhD degree in security, defence, strategic studies, war studies or a related field with a focus on European affairs.
• Solid expertise in quantitative or qualitative research methods.
• Recent expertise in EU/NATO approaches, strategies and key documents related to security and defence.
• Ability and interest to collaborate with colleagues in the War, Peace and Justice Research Group and potentially the Diplomacy and Global Affairs Research Group.
• Demonstrable research experience on the topics mentioned above and a promising publication record.
• Experience with research‑led teaching.
• Passion for education, both inside and outside the classroom.
• Commitment to fostering a close‑knit, interdisciplinary academic community.
• Experience with diverse research methods and techniques.
• A growing network of academics and professionals in war or strategic studies.
• Ability to connect academic research to policy and societal impact.
• Excellent command of English; willingness to work toward Dutch proficiency. Current proficiency in Dutch is an asset.

Our goal is to create a transparent and inclusive work environment where everyone feels welcome. We offer:

• An employment contract for 3 years, renewable after one year if performance is good.
• A salary ranging from €4,728 to €6,433 gross per month, based on a full‑time appointment (38 hours).
• A holiday allowance (8%), an end‑of‑year bonus (8.3%) and an attractive pension scheme at ABP.
• Flexible working hours, with a minimum of 29 leave days based on a 38‑hour week. Additional leave can be accrued or exchanged for a reduced work week.
• Options for secondary employment conditions, such as paid parental leave or benefits exchange for e.g. sports subscription or bicycle scheme.
• Hybrid working possible within the Netherlands.
• A home‑working allowance (day and internet) and a provided laptop.
• Full reimbursement of public transport commuting costs.
• Requirement:
  Successful candidate must live in The…