Senior Scientist (m/f/d) in the field of Private Law as Max Planck Research Group Leader (W2 Level)
The Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology is one of the leading centres for research in social anthropology. Common to all research projects at the Max Planck Institute is the comparative analysis of social change; it is primarily in this domain that its researchers contribute to anthropological theory, though many programmes also have applied significance and political topicality.
The Law & Anthropology Department invites applications for one:
Senior Scientist (m/f/d) in the field of Private Law as Max Planck Research Group Leader (W2 Level)
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
The Law & Anthropology Department offers a stimulating interdisciplinary forum where both anthropologists and legal scholars can engage with one another and conduct cutting-edge, policy-relevant research linked to the intensification of exchanges and encounters among and between societies, communities, and cultures in today’s world. With this comes a growing demand for empirically grounded (ethnographic) knowledge and its translation into normative thinking at various levels of decision-making.
The department's research focuses on the issues related to this demand for translation in the increasingly plural European context, combined with, where relevant, research settings elsewhere (multi-sited ethnography). Illustrations of relevant research areas and topics include, inter alia: diversity under state law; conflicts and tensions between religious and secular state law; transnational communities and their need for adequate legal protection; international migration and private international law; alternative approaches to justice; the challenges and constraints to legal professionals in a plural society; cultural heritage and protection of minority claims; memory and justice.
Your Profile
For this particular position we are inviting senior scientists who hold an excellent PhD or doctoral degree in the field of private law. Candidates are expected to have proven expertise and experience at postdoctoral level in the more commercially oriented core areas such as, e.g., torts and contracts, ideally including aspects of international and comparative law. The idea behind this vacancy is to fill a gap in research in this field, namely on contractual issues that touch upon cultural and religious diversity. Priority therefore will be given to candidates who have done research on questions concerning cultural and religious diversity in contractual matters (in private law).
We are looking for candidates who propose a program of innovative research and have a strong commitment to interdisciplinary work, in particular to incorporating theory and methods from social anthropology into their legal research. Interest in conducting empirical qualitative research is not mandatory, but desirable. We particularly welcome applicants whose work bridges private law, foundational aspects of law, social sciences, as well as methods of legal research and adjudication with a view to incorporating extra-legal knowledge into legal doctrine.
Since the candidate will have to lead a small research group, we expect experience in managing research projects as well as in supervising doctoral students.
In addition, the candidate should meet the following prerequisites:
- a demonstrable track record in obtaining external funding
- a solid publication record with articles in peer-reviewed journals
- willingness to contribute relevant data from their own research to help build up our collaborative database and digital repository of case law analysis “CUREDI” (for further details see: https://www.eth.mpg.de/5713411/curedi)
- excellent social and communication skills
- proficiency in written and spoken English
Our Offer
The position is to start on 1 January 2024. It is time-limited for 5 years. Employment will be on a full-time contractual basis. The salary is based on renumeration group W2 Federal Civil Service Renumeration Act. In addition, we offer a job ticket, company health management and childcare services in cooperation with local daycare centers. The workplace is Halle (Saale), a dynamic, historical town in central Germany (Sachsen-Anhalt) that is home to the renowned Martin Luther University and numerous scientific institutions. Our modern campus is in a quiet, picturesque neighbourhood near the centre of town.
The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunity employer and supports diversity in the workplace. Committed to raising the proportion of women in science; we thus explicitly encourage applications from female researchers. The same applies to persons with backgrounds that have so far been underrepresented in science and research with regard to gender/sexual orientation, age, professional and cultural background, family situation and nationality. Application from persons with disabilities will be given priority, assuming equal qualifications.
Contact
Please submit your application electronically by 15 August 2023 by following the link for vacancies on our homepage. Interviews with shortlisted applicants will be held in September 2023.
Applicants are asked to submit the following materials:
- cover letter
- curriculum vitae, including full list of publications;
- writing sample (chapter or article length);
- 1 - 2 page summary of the doctoral thesis;
- a detailed project proposal (max. 5 pages)
- photocopies of university degrees;
- the names of 3 referees, preferably with a letter of recommendation by each of them (to be sent directly to: marencakova@eth.mpg.de).
Informal enquiries concerning the positions may be directed to Prof. Marie-Claire Foblets (foblets@eth.mpg.de).
If you have further questions regarding the application procedure, please contact:
Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology
Personnel Administration
Carolin Klevenow (klevenow@eth.mpg.de)
We look forward to receiving your completed online application.
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Further information on the research agenda of the Max Planck Institute is available on our website: http://www.eth.mpg.de
