Postdoc Position: Legal Aspects of Online Tracking and Privacy-Enhancing Technologies

Radboud Summer School; Nijmegen; On-site; EUR 44,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Temporary 2-year contract

Holiday allowance 8%

End-of-year bonus 8.3%

Extra annual leave: 30 or 41 days

Job summary

Radboud University invites applications for a Postdoctoral position focusing on the Legal Aspects of Online Tracking and Privacy-Enhancing Technologies. The role is in the REAL-PETS project within the Faculty of Science, with a 1.0 FTE appointment and a gross monthly salary in the range of €3,706–€5,760.

The successful candidate will work at the intersection of law and computer science, analysing privacy challenges and contributing to PETs development under supervision.

Qualifications

• PhD degree in law and technology or related field in Europe (or near completion).
• Strong interest in data protection and privacy laws.

Responsibilities

• Analyse the legal landscape on privacy and online tracking.
• Apply GDPR and related regulations to tracking techniques.
• Evaluate legal requirements for PETs developed in the project.
• Collaborate with computer scientists on detection and privacy-enhancing tech.

Skills

Privacy law

Data protection

Interdisciplinary work

English proficiency

Education

PhD in law/tech or related field

Job description

Postdoc Position: Legal Aspects of Online Tracking and Privacy-Enhancing Technologies

Employment 1.0 FTE

Gross monthly salary € 3,706 - € 5,760

Required background PhD

Organizational unit Faculty of Science

Application deadline 07 November 2026

Are you a lawyer with a strong interest in privacy, data protection and emerging technologies? Join the REAL-PETS project, a European research collaboration bringing together researchers from nine partner institutions. As a postdoctoral researcher, you will work at the intersection of law and computer science to address privacy challenges and contribute to the development of innovative privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs).

REAL-PETS (link is external) will generate long-lasting technological, societal and industrial impact: strengthening EU's technological sovereignty, enabling regulators to enforce privacy rules through empirical evidence, technology standardisation, fostering privacy-resilient products and services, and empowering citizens with usable, transparent and trustworthy privacy protections.

Responsibilities

• Analysing the legal landscape regarding privacy and online tracking.
• Applying the GDPR and related regulation to newly discovered tracking techniques.
• Analysing legal requirements for the privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) developed in this project.
• Cooperating with computer scientists who detect known and new tracking techniques and develop privacy-enhancing technologies.

You will work under the supervision of Professor Frederik Zuiderveen Borgesius and Assistant Professor Christine Utz (link is external). There will be no teaching or student supervision obligations.

The open and safe environment at Radboud University is extremely inspiring. I’ve felt totally at home here for over twenty years.

Hans de Kroon

Professor at the Faculty of Science

Hans de Kroon is a Professor of Plant Ecology and an initiator of the Healthy Landscape Research Consortium.

“I have freedom of movement at Radboud University. I can share my ideas with people from my own faculty, but I can also approach my colleagues from totally different academic disciplines. People are genuinely interested in each other and there is an ever-present air of equality. This type of open and safe environment is extremely inspiring. It has also led to extraordinary projects like the Healthy Landscape Research Consortium, in which ecologists, communication scientists and lawyers are contributing towards the restoration of nature. Collaboration can make a difference, and this is also evident from the way in which the university supports its academic staff. Research is fully embraced and promoted, which is affirmed by the way that it’s been used in the ‘You Have a Part to Play’ campaign. This actually enhances the social impact of our work. It makes me proud to be able to say that I’m conducting my research at Radboud University. I’ve felt totally at home here for over twenty years.”

Qualifications

• You hold a PhD degree in law and technology, data protection law, or a related legal field in Europe, or will obtain such a degree within a few months from now.
• You have a strong interest in data protection law and privacy.
• You have expertise on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and ideally also on other EU regulations relevant for privacy and personal data, such as the Digital Services Act (DSA), Digital Markets Act (DMA) and ePrivacy Directive.
• You are interested in – and ideally have experience in – interdisciplinary work with computer scientists or researchers from other disciplines.
• You are proficient in English (Dutch is not required) and have good communication, presentation and writing skills.

If you do not meet all the above-mentioned requirements, please feel free to reach out to ask whether you should apply anyway.

What we offer you

• We will give you a temporary employment contract of 2 year(s).
• Your salary within salary scale 10 depends on your previous education and number of years of (relevant) work experience. The amounts in the scale are based on a 38-hour working week.
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus.
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20.

Additional employment conditions

Work and science require good employment practices. Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions reflect this. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself. For example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports membership. In addition, you receive a 34% discount on the sports and cultural activities at Radboud University as an employee. And, of course, we offer a good pension plan. We also give you plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.

Where you will be working

You will join the Digital Security (DiS) group at the Institute for Computing and Information Sciences (iCIS) at Radboud University’s Faculty of Science. The Digital Security group is one of the leading groups in computer security and privacy in the Netherlands and Europe.

You will also be part of iHub, Radboud University’s interdisciplinary research hub on Digitalisation and Society. iHub brings together researchers from computer science, social sciences, humanities, law and other disciplines to address societal challenges arising from digitalisation. iHub provides a collaborative environment for research at the intersection of technology, security, privacy and society, fostering collaboration across disciplines and the development of value-driven digital technologies.

Faculty of Science

The Faculty of Science (FNWI), part of Radboud University, engages in groundbreaking research and excellent education. In doing so, we push the boundaries of scientific knowledge and pass that knowledge on to the next generation.

We seek solutions to major societal challenges, such as cybercrime and climate change and work on major scientific challenges, such as those in the quantum world. At the same time, we prepare our students for careers both within and outside the scientific field.

Currently, more than 1,300 colleagues contribute to research and education, some as researchers and lecturers, others as technical and administrative support officers. The faculty has a strong international character with staff from more than 70 countries. Together, we work in an informal, accessible and welcoming environment, with attention and space for personal and professional development for all.

Radboud University

At Radboud University, we aim to make an impact through our work. We achieve this by conducting groundbreaking research, providing high-quality education, offering excellent support, and fostering collaborations within and outside the university. In doing so, we contribute indispensably to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. To accomplish this, we need even more colleagues who, based on their expertise, are willing to search for answers. We advocate for an inclusive community and welcome employees with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives.

If you want to learn more about working at Radboud University, follow our Instagram account (link is external) and read stories from our colleagues.

Is this the job for you?

We will not consider applications that were generated by AI. We look forward to receiving your application.

The first interviews will take place on Wednesday 18 November. Any second interview will take place on Tuesday 1 December. You will preferably start your employment on 1 March 2027.

Want to know more about this position?

Prof. F.J. Zuiderveen Borgesius (Frederik)

Dr C. Utz (Christine)