Assistant Professor in Security and Rule of Law

Leiden University; Nederland; On-site; EUR 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday allowance

End-of-year bonus

Pension scheme (ABP)

Public transport reimbursement

Hybrid work option

Job summary

Leiden University’s Institute of Security and Global Affairs (ISGA) seeks an assistant professor with research and teaching expertise in security and the rule of law. The successful candidate will teach across programs including BA Security Studies, MSc Crisis and Security Management, and ISGA’s minor programmes.

They will develop courses, conduct independent research, and contribute to research strategy within ISGA.

Qualifications

• PhD in security studies, law, cybersecurity, international relations, policy studies, political science, public administration, or a related discipline that supports teaching and researching security studies.
• Demonstrable research experience in security studies with openness to other fields of inquiry.
• Outstanding research qualities with an established or developing publication record.

Responsibilities

• Develop and teach courses in security studies and the rule of law.
• Conduct independent research on topics related to security and the rule of law.
• Publish in academic and non-academic outlets, prioritizing peer-reviewed journals.

Skills

Research experience

Teaching excellence

Policy impact

Multidisciplinary collaboration

Education

PhD in security studies or related field

Job description

Organisation/Company Leiden University Research Field Political sciences » Policy studies Researcher Profile Leading Researcher (R4) Established Researcher (R3) Application Deadline 27 Nov 2026 - 22:59 (UTC) Country Netherlands Type of Contract Permanent Job Status Not Applicable Hours Per Week 38.0 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The Institute of Security and Global Affairs (ISGA) is looking for an assistant professor with research and teaching expertise in security and the rule of law. The successful candidate will teach across several programs in the institute, including the BA Security Studies, MSc Crisis and Security Management, and ISGA’s minor programmes.

• Develop and teach courses in security studies and the rule of law
• Conduct independent research on topics related to security and the rule of law
• Generate high-quality output in both academic and non-academic outlets, with a focus on international, peer-reviewed journals.
• Actively contribute to the renewal and ongoing improvement of educational practices at Bachelor’s and Master’s level.
• Take on administrative and coordination tasks within ISGA.
• Work within a multidisciplinary team of colleagues and support the development and implementation of the research strategy of ISGA.
• Supervise theses and capstone projects.
• Contribute to the tutorial system of student mentoring and advising.
• Acquisition and project management of research and training projects of third parties.
• Preferably, the candidate demonstrates an ability to teach across a variety of security-related themes and topics so that they can contribute to other teaching programmes at the institute beyond our offerings in the rule of law.

Our priority is to hire an excellent candidate who can work across ISGA.

Where you will work

ISGA is a scientific institute specializing in security, safety, and global challenges. These include crises, intelligence, terrorism, war, violence, and cybercrime. ISGA is characterized by high-quality, interdisciplinary education and the development of scientific knowledge with a high potential for societal impact. ISGA is part of the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs (FGGA) and is based in the city of The Hague, the international city of peace and justice. FGGA is one of the seven faculties of Leiden University. This young, entrepreneurial, innovative organization has three scientific institutes, two centers, over 3,700 students, and 425 staff members. For more information about the faculty, click here .

What you bring

In this team, we are looking for someone who can work independently. Every job is different, so in the beginning we will devote attention to your onboarding. If some of the work activities are new to you, we will look together at what you need, and draw up a development plan. This position is a good fit for you if you recognise yourself in the following:

• A PhD degree in security studies, law, cybersecurity, international relations, policy studies, political science, public administration, or a related discipline that is relevant to teaching and researching security studies;
• Demonstrable research experience in the field of security studies and an openness to other fields of inquiry.
• Outstanding research qualities manifest in an established or developing publication record.
• Demonstrable excellence in research-led teaching.
• Demonstrable passion for education, in and out of the classroom.
• Demonstrable commitment to a close-knit, interdisciplinary academic community.
• Demonstrable command of a diversity of research methods and techniques.
• Growing network of academics and professionals in the field of security and the rule of law both domestically and internationally.
• Ability to connect academic research to policy-oriented and societal impact.
• Leiden University requires teaching staff to obtain the University Teaching Qualification (UTQ).
• Excellent command of English, with the ability and willingness to work towards Dutch language proficiency. Current proficiency in Dutch is considered an asset.

What we offer

You can count on an enjoyable job within the socially relevant world of education and research. The University’s challenging and international work environment is located in the bustling city centre of The Hague. We also want to work with you to devote attention to your health and vitality, for example with the fun activities we organise through Healthy University.

• An employment contract for one year with a view to permanent employment. This contract falls under the CLA of Dutch Universities.
• A salary of a minimum of € 4.925,- and a maximum of € 6.682,- gross per month, based on a full-time appointment (38 hours) (scale 11)
• A holiday allowance (8%), an end-of-year bonus (8,3%), and an attractive pension scheme at ABP.
• Full reimbursement of public transport commuting costs for home-to-work travel;
• Flexible working hours: as a standard, you are entitled to a minimum of 29 leave days based on a full-time working week of 38 hours; you can also save for extra leave, for example, by working 40 hours a week, and in this way accrue an extra 96 leave hours, or exchange 96 leave hours for a 36-hour week.
• Lots of options when it comes to secondary employment conditions; we can, for example, discuss options for paid parental leave. Within our terms of employment individual choices model, you can exchange leave days and/or salary for benefits such as an advantageous sports subscription or bicycle scheme.
• If your work allows it, hybrid working is possible within the Netherlands.
• A home-working allowance (day and internet allowance) and attention for good workplaces. The University will also provide you with a laptop.
• The successful candidate must live in The Netherlands prior to the start of contract.

For more information about employment conditions, see: https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at/job-application-procedure-and-employment-conditions

What we value

Our goal is to work together to create a transparent and inclusive work environment in which everyone feels welcome and appreciated. Our organisation is always evolving and we need your ideas for improvement and innovation to take us further. We want to devote attention to your personal development.

Promoting an inclusive community is central to Leiden University’s values and vision. Leiden University aims to be an inclusive community in which all students and staff members feel valued and respected, and are able to develop to their full potential. Diversity in experiences and perspectives enriches our teaching and strengthens our research. High-quality education and research means inclusive education and research.

If you would like more information about what the job entails, please contact Antoaneta Dimitrova –Professor Comparative Governance and Head of the research group Diplomacy and Global Affairs, at [e-mail] .

A pre-employment screening (references, diplomas, certificate of good conduct (VOG)) may be part of the selection procedure.