Manifesting Mandates: Navigating Ambiguity in UN Special Political Missions

Post-Doc: Manifesting Mandates: Navigating Ambiguity in UN Special Political Missions (1.0fte)

The Institute of Security and Global Affairs (ISGA) wishes to appoint a full-time Post-Doctoral researcher to carry out research activities related to the United Nations’ Special Political Missions. The PostDoc’s research is part of the project Manifesting Mandates: Navigating Ambiguity in UN Special Political Missions, which investigates how the UN’s Special Political Missions (SPMs) operate in the context of uncertainty and fluctuating conflict management norms. The project asks: How are top-down directives from the UN Security Council translated and implemented at mission level in UN peacekeeping? Specifically: How do SPM staff interpret and action UN mandates at mission level? To answer this question, we use a comparative case study across different types of SPMs in three continents.

The successful candidate will join the War, Peace & Justice Research Group at ISGA. This position will have a 80/20 split in research and education.

What you will do

The Post-Doctoral researcher will be appointed for a period of two years and contribute to the overall development of the project, with a specific focus on the case study to be conducted on a Special Political Mission in Latin America. The candidate is expected to carry out at least one research trip to the selected mission of interest in Latin America. This research must lead to at least one publication in an international peer-reviewed journal. In addition, the candidate is expected to contribute to the conceptual and theoretical development of the overall project and co-author further journal articles with the Principal Investigators

• Create, plan, and execute a research project on a UN Special Political Mission in Latin America in line with the objectives of the funded project and in close collaboration with the Project Investigators.
• Collaborate closely with the Project investigators on the team in all research output and project administration.
• Conduct at least one field trip to a Special Political Mission in Latin America.
• Author at least one international peer-reviewed journal article on the project’s research findings.
• Co-author at least one international peer-reviewed journal article with the project investigators on the project’s research findings.
• Teach, grade and administer a course at the undergraduate level.
• Conduct other tasks related to the project as requested by the project investigators.
• Assist in dissemination of project findings through conferences and social media.

Where you will work

The mission of the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs (FGGA)? Contributing to society. The faculty does this through high-quality interdisciplinary education and (new) scientific knowledge. Whether it is terrorism, security, artificial intelligence or a governance solution to the housing crisis, contemporary issues are comprehensively addressed at FGGA.

In the heart of The Hague, where important decisions are made, students and professionals come together to gain knowledge and skills. There is much collaboration with academic and societal partners, which ensures that students leave university with a smile and one foot in the future, ready to make a substantial contribution to society.

The Institute of Security and Global Affairs (ISGA) is a scientific institute specializing in security issues. ISGA is part of the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs of Leiden University.

ISGA analyses and studies security issues with local, national, transnational and global impact. These include crises, intelligence, terrorism, war, violence and cybercrime. The institute is characterized by a multidisciplinary research approach.

ISGA is based in the residential city of The Hague, the international city of peace, justice and security. Inspiring interactions are maintained with other knowledge institutions, regional, national and international governments, the private sector and NGOs.

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:

Selection Criteria: Essential

• PhD degree completed by the time of the appointment, ideally in political science, international relations, security studies, or peace and conflict studies. The PhD topic should be related to peace and conflict/mediation/conflict resolution.
• Demonstrated experience of conducting field research and interviews.
• Demonstrated experience of using qualitative research methods and a willingness to develop expertise in further methodological work.
• Ability to travel for field trips to Latin America.
• Demonstrated experience of working both independently and as part of a team in an organized and results-oriented fashion.
• Excellent command of English and Spanish (CEFR Level C1 or above).

Selection Criteria: Preferred

• Additional language skills, preferably one or more of the official UN languages (specifically French, Chinese, Arabic).
• Expertise in, or familiarity with sociology, anthropology or psychology, will be considered an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to publish in international peer-reviewed journals

If you immediately recognise yourself in this profile, or if do you not quite meet all the requirements, but you believe that this is the right job for you, we look forward to your application!

What we offer

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.

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.

We also offer:

• A temporary employment contract for the duration of 2 years. This contract falls under the CLA of Dutch Universities;
• A salary of a minimum of € 3.345,- and a maximum of € 6.148,- gross per month, based on a full-time appointment (38 hours) (UFO scale 10 to 11);
• A holiday allowance (8%), an end-of-year bonus (8,3%), and an attractive pension scheme at ABP;
• Flexible working hours: as a standard, you are entitled to a minimum of 29 leave days on the basis of 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 a sabbatical or 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, and we also offer child-care options;
• 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.

What we find important

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.