Postdoctoral fellowship "Geopolitics and Technology in the 21st Century"

1 - Working at the VUB

For more than 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for freedom, equality and solidarity, and this is very much alive on our campuses among students and staff alike. 

At the VUB, you will find a diverse collection of personalities: innovators pur sang, but above all people who are 100% their authentic selves. With some 4,000 employees, we are the largest Dutch-speaking employer, in the private sector, in Brussels; an international city with which we are only too happy to connect and where (around) our 4 campuses are located. 

Add to this our principle of free research - in which self-reflection, a critical attitude and an open, creative mind around scientific and social issues are central - and you have a university that is fundamentally groundbreaking and pioneering in education and research. In short: the VUB all over again. 

Moreover, the VUB is a member of EUTOPIA, an alliance of like-minded European universities, all ready to reinvent themselves.

2 - Position description

The Brussels School of Governance, Department Instituut voor Europese Studies, is looking for a postdoctoral researcher with a grant. 

More concretely your work package, for the validation of your doctoral research, contains: 

The Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (CSDS) of the Brussels School of Governance (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, VUB) invites applications for a post-doctoral fellowship. The fellowship is part of a European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant project entitled "Competition in the Digital Era: Geopolitics and Technology in the XXI Century (CODE)”.

CODE examines technological competition between China the United States (US) and Europe in three key sectors for contemporary economics and geopolitics: semiconductors, cloud computing and space. Theoretically, the project aims to integrate analytical tools from international relations, political economy and management and innovation to provide a comprehensive theory to explain the dynamics of competition for access to and control of critical technologies. Methodologically, the project aims to use qualitative and quantitative tools to measure technological competition, as well as markets and patent databases, which will then be analysed using network analysis and machine learning. Empirically, the project aims to understand what China, the US and Europe are doing to compete in semiconductors, cloud computing and space. Particular attention will be paid to Chinese industrial and innovation policy, the return of industrial policy in the US and Europe, and the role of state-private sector relations in shaping technological and geopolitical competition.

CODE aims to build a multidisciplinary research group, ideally including researchers with quantitative and qualitative skills interested in technological and geopolitical competition. The post-doc should have a research interest in the links between technology and geopolitics, and ideally an ability to use methodological tools related to network analysis.

For this function, our Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene) will serve as your home base. 

3 - Profile

What do we expect from you?

• You hold a PhD in International Relations, Political Science, Economics, Law or Computer Science with an excellent academic record.
• You speak and write English fluently (proficiency in other EU official languages will be considered an asset);
• You have experience in quantitative analysis, network analysis and familiarity with computational methods is a plus (but not a must);
• You have ambition and the ability to produce high quality, high-impact research, both independently and as part of a team; and,
• You have the ability to work constructively and effectively as part of a research team.
• You stayed abroad for at least 12 months of the 3 years preceding the start date, and during this period you did not work or study in Belgium. However, during these 12 months, short-term stays in Belgium are allowed such as holidays, participation in conferences or a short stay to prepare your stay as a postdoctoral researcher.

The VUB wants to be a reflection of the society where everyone's talent is valued, regardless of gender, age, religion, skin color, migration background, disability and neurodiversity.

4 - Offer

Are you going to be our new colleague?

You’ll be offered a full-time postdoctoral scholarship, for 12 months (extendable up to max. 36 months, on condition of the positive evaluation of the research activities), with planned starting date 01/03/2025. 

You’ll receive a grant linked to one of the scales set by the government.

At the VUB, you’re guaranteed an open, involved and diverse workplace where you are offered opportunities to (further) build on your career.

Office space and equipment will be provided, as well as a budget for travel and other research-related expenses.

You will be supported by the Principal Investigator of the CODE project and other CSDS staff to develop a publication strategy that will make the candidate competitive on the academic market.

As well as this, you will also enjoy various other benefits:

• Extensive homeworking options, a telework allowance of 50 euros per month OR an internet fee of 20 euros per month;
• An open and informal working environment where attention is paid to work-life balance, and exceptional holiday arrangements with 35 days of leave (based on a fulltime contract), closure between Christmas and New Year and 3 extra leave days;
• Cost-free hospitalisation insurance;
• Full reimbursement of your home-to-work commute with public transport according to VUB-policy, and/or compensation if you come by bike; 
• A wide selection of meals in our campus restaurants at attractive prices;
• Excellent and affordable facilities for sport and exercise, a range of discounts via Benefits@Work (in  all kinds of shops, on flights, in petrol stations, amusement parks...) and Ecocheques; 
• Nursery near campus, discount on holiday camps; 
• The space to form your job content and to continuously learn through our VUB learning platforms and training courses;
• And finally: great colleagues with a healthy drive.

5 - Interested?

Is this the job you’ve been dreaming of?

Then apply, at the latest on 24/01/2025, via jobs.vub.be, and upload the following documents:

• your CV;
• your motivation letter (max. 2 pages);
• research statement of max. 2 pages (specify your research interests, publication plan and potential synergies with the CODE research project);
• your diploma (not applicable for VUB alumni).

Do you have questions about the job content? Contact Laura De Decker at jobs_bsog@vub.be or on +32 2 614 80 01.

Would you like to know what it’s like to work at the VUB? Go to jobs.vub.be, and find all there is to know about our campuses, benefits, strategic goals and your future colleagues.

Would you like more information about EUTOPIA? Go to eutopia-university.eu, and read more about the role of the VUB in the development of the EUTOPIA alliance.