Post-doctoral Position: Law and Planetary Transformations

Do you agree that law should play a key role in governing planetary transformations? Do you agree that much of environmental law has thus far failed to respond to the Anthropocene’s planetary crisis? Are you interested in exploring the ways in which law could be fundamentally rethought so that it is better able to respond to the planetary crisis? Then this post-doctoral position might be the right fit for you. This position is part of a Wageningen University & Research funded project of Prof. Dr. Dr. Louis Kotzé on Law and Planetary Transformations. You will play a key role in the project as a primary researcher who supports research in the project and the development of a larger scientific agenda centering on law and planetary transformations. 

Your duties and responsibilities include: 

• Carry out research exploring the relationship between law and planetary transformations, including investigating the opportunities and challenges for law in mediating planetary relations in the Anthropocene;
• Carry out research that develops new frameworks within which to interrogate the functions and ethics of law, and law’s institutional framework in the context of a disrupted planet;
• Carry out research exploring possible future pathways for law in the Anthropocene;
• Support all other activities as relevant during each stage of the project;
• Assist the principal investigator in building vibrant global networks relevant for the focus of the project specifically, and more generally, those that are relevant for the focus of the Law group;
• Be involved in the daily supervision of BSc and MSc thesis students;
• Develop a new academic course on law and planetary transformations;
• Co-teach in environmental law courses of the Law group;
• Fully integrate and participate in all the activities of the Law group and other groups in the university. 

Your team

You will work closely with the principal investigator and all colleagues of the Law Group of Wageningen University and Research, including our vibrant cohort of PhD and post-doctoral students.

About the project

This is a project that is premised on the hypothesis that we urgently need a paradigm shift in law, legal practice and legal science that could enable law to better respond to earth system transformations (external transformations) caused by, among other things, climate change, and how law itself must transform itself internally to better govern the social-ecological aspects of earth system transformations. A central aim of the project is to interrogate the role of law in relation to planetary transformations. We live on a transformed and transforming planet as signified by the Anthropocene trope. Social-ecological processes are constantly changing, while law itself is a transforming social institution that aims to instigate and drive transformations in and of societies. What role is law playing in empowering humans to transform the planet; in encouraging societies to engage in predatory practices that feed on a vulnerable living order; and in impeding the deep structural transformations that need to occur to enable life as we know it to continue on Earth? Are there different ways to think about law, its objectives, ethics, institutions and epistemic practises on a transformed and transforming planet? What must law become to enable us to live on and with a planet in crisis? These are the core questions that this project seeks to answer. 

To meet the requirements of the role, you will bring:

• Excellent organizational and management skills that enable you to balance different tasks and priorities;
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team in a dynamic, highly interdisciplinary, and intercultural research environment;
• Outstanding communication skills that enable you to work in an intercultural setting across time zones and geographies;
• Advanced skills in research, oral presentation, analysis, critical thinking, and writing;
• Good teaching skills.

You must also have 

• A PhD in the social sciences related to areas such as environmental law, law and sustainability, international relations, political science, earth system law, and earth system governance;
• An interest in critical approaches to environmental law, law and sustainability, international relations, earth system law, earth system governance, and other topics related to the social aspects of planetary transformations;
• Familiarity with the most recent developments in the field you primarily work in.

In our international working environment, communication on the project team takes place entirely in English. This requires about language level C1 .

You will work here

The project is led by Prof. Dr. Dr. Louis J. Kotzé, Chair of the Law Group and Professor of Law. The Law Group is a vibrant, dynamic, intercultural research community that is closely integrated into the Department of Social Sciences. It has a critical, socio-legal orientation, and excels in interdisciplinary research. It collaborates closely with a range of global partners. The focus of the group’s work is detailed in its most recent Chair Plan. 

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• with our strong focus on vitality, you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus;
• a fixed year-end bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will also receive a competitive salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a gross salary of between € 3.399,- and € 5.478,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10). As for your contract, we offer a one-year contract that can be extended for another year based on satisfactory performance. 

Wageningen University & Research offers numerous opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.

You will work in one of the world’s most sustainable and innovative universities, with an award-winning international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, the university has been voted the "best university" in the Netherlands. 

Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees. 

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family. If you come with a partner, we offer a Dual Career group program organized by our Welcome Center. This program helps your partner to get familiar with the Dutch culture, labour market and assists your partner to find a job.

Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Communitypage contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.

For more information about the position, please contact Prof. Louis Kotzé at louis.kotze@wur.nl. 

Do you have questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Jeanine van 't Veer-Drost, Corporate Recruiter, via recruitment.ssg@wur.nl

Ready to apply?
Click on the application button next to the vacancy on our website. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered.

Please submit the following documents:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Motivation / cover letter detailing your qualifications, experience, interest and fit with the Law group
• Article-length writing sample (max. 10,000 words)
• Contact information for 2 references (who can be contacted upon shortlisting)

You can apply until the 23th of February 2026. The first interviews are scheduled shortly after the closing date.

Additional information form
For this position, you must fill in a mandatory form which will allow us to have a comprehensive view of your qualifications and better assess your fit for it. You can access the form using this link:

Post-doctoral Position: Law and Planetary Transformations – Fill out form

Your prompt response will ensure that your application continues to move forward in the evaluation process. We assure you that the information provided will be kept confidential and used solely for this application process.

Procedure
As part of our selection process, an assessment may be incorporated within the procedure.

Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that diverse insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.

​The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch the video below to get an idea of our green campus!

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.

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