PhD candidates in European Union Foreign Policy

PhD candidates in European Union Foreign Policy

PhD candidates in European Union Foreign Policy (two positions, each 1.0 fte)

The Institute of Political Science of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences invites applications for 2 PhD candidate positions working on (1) strategic autonomy of the EU and on (2) enlargement in an era of great power competition, starting in September 2025, to work within the Contested EU Foreign Policy in an Era of Geopolitics (EUFOG) project, funded by the European Commission and led in Leiden by Dr. Karolina Pomorska. The project as a whole aims to reconsider the EU’s international role in the face the geopolitical turn in international politics. The PhD candidates will be part of a vibrant research community and a Marie Curie-Skłodowska network with 18 PhD students in total. They will enjoy two secondment periods (6 months each) at leading research institutions and will have a chance to interact with stakeholders at various network training events across Europe.

What you will do

The international role of the EU is now contested and takes place in an international order that has turned geopolitical. This contradicts major assumptions in scholarship. EUFOG addresses new theorization and research by looking at the politics, policies and partners (3Ps) of EU foreign policy, and by integrating outside-in and inside-out perspectives. The two PhD candidates based at Leiden University will conduct research on different aspects of the EU’s international role within the framework of the EUFOG project. PhD candidate 1 will focus on the topic: ‘The EU over 27. Enlargement in an era of great power competition’ and PhD candidate 2 will focus on the topic: ‘Atlanticists, Europeanists and strategic autonomy. Preferences over and by allies.’

Candidates are expected to:

• Conduct research and write a PhD dissertation related to the aims of the EUFOG project.
• Actively participate in the research, publication, and communication activities of the EUFOG project, including presenting at workshops and conferences.
• Undertake relevant coursework, attend EUFOG events and training activities.
• Participate in PhD program activities and the general intellectual life of the Institute.
• Contributing to the Institute’s teaching program

Where you will work

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences consists of five institutes: Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology, Political Science, and Psychology. The faculty has approximately 7000 students and 1000 staff members. Within the institutes, not only education is provided but also groundbreaking research is conducted that pushes the boundaries of our understanding of human behaviour and societal structures. What makes our faculty unique is the diversity of research topics, the various styles of teaching, and the way professional support is organized; this provides you with the opportunity to explore and develop your interests and expertise.

Institute of Political Science
The Institute of Political Science has a strong research tradition in various areas of comparative, Dutch and international politics, as well as political theory. The Institute has around 85 academic staff, including many non-Dutch scholars, and houses a number of editorships of international refereed journals and book series. Members of the institute are also involved in a number of the university’s multi-disciplinary research centres, including the Europe Hub, Central and East European Studies, International Relations, Parties and Representation, Political Philosophy, Centrum voor Nederlandse Politiek en Bestuur and ReCNTR. The Institute is based in Leiden and in The Hague, where a large part of the teaching is done. The Institute offers a range of programmes at the Bachelor and Master levels and also trains PhD students in political science. The BSc programmes include general Political Science (in Dutch & English, in Leiden), International Politics (in Dutch & English, in Leiden), and International Relations and Organisations (in English, in The Hague). The one-year MSc programme (taught mostly in English) includes five specialisations in Leiden and one in The Hague.

About the project: Contested EU Foreign Policy in an Era of Geopolitics (EUFOG) project, funded by the European Commission, aims at understanding the EU’s responses to new geopolitical challenges. EUFOG brings together 17 industry-academia partners to provide high-level and interdisciplinary research and specialised training, including research visits and secondments at associated partners, to bridge the gap between academic research and everyday policy practice. EUFOG will mobilize and combine the conceptual and methodological knowledge of a network of researchers and institutions that is interdisciplinary and open to a diversity of innovative methods in the areas of political science, European/EU studies, political economy, international relations, communication, public diplomacy, media and gender studies. The aim is to provide you with state-of-the-art methodological tools to analyse changes in EU foreign policy in a more geopolitical world. A key part of the training element of this network is the use of techniques and tools that cross the three dimensions that articulate the network –politics, policy and partners. This includes mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative), decentering approaches, and the coproduction of research across sectors, disciplines, national contexts, and stakeholders. Altogether, EUFOG embodies an integrated, collaborative, frontier-of-science research project.

The two Leiden-based PhD students will work with Dr Karolina Pomorska as the main supervisor. One of their academic co-supervisors will come from the EUFOG partner institutions.

What you bring

• Applicants must hold (or be near completing) a master’s degree in political science, international relations, public administration/public policy, or EU studies with excellent grades. They have written (or are near completing) a master’s thesis.
• Applicants have extensive background knowledge of EU institutions and decision-making and an interest in EU foreign policy. The completion of a bachelor or master thesis on the topic, or relevant work experience in the field is a plus.
• Prior training in and a good command of qualitative methods is desired.
• Strong critical thinking and writing skills, visible in the writing sample
• Applicants are passionate about international relations research and have a strong affiliation with the project theme.
• Applicants meet the English language requirements of the Graduate School of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences.

Applicants must comply with the physical mobility rule: in general, they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the Netherlands for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date. You will therefore be required to provide supporting documentation proving your place(s) of residence or work during the previous 3 years. Please prepare all your documentation and be ready to submit it promptly should you be offered a position. Any offer of a position will be conditional upon receiving the documentation that proves your compliance with the mobility rule. Relevant documents for that purpose include the following: residence certificates; certificates or confirmation letters from an applicant’s place of work / study / training issued by the employer or organization concerned; receipts of tax payments indicating your official address; residential rental agreements; employment contracts; confirmation from a flat / house owner that you previously lived / are currently living at that address; utility bills indicating your name and address (e.g., water, gas, electricity).

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 expect an enjoyable job within the socially relevant world of education and research. The University's challenging and international work environment is located just steps away from Leiden’s lively city centre or 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:

• PHD: An employment contract for 38 hours per week as a PhD candidate, initially for a period of 1 year, with the possibility of extension for 3 years after a positive evaluation. This contract falls under the CLA of Dutch Universities;
• A salary of a minimum of € 2901,00 and a maximum of € 3707,00 gross per month, based on a full-time appointment (38 hours) scale P;
• 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 and a mobile telephone (if applicable for the position).

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.