Max Planck Research Group Leader (M/F/DIV)

The Max Planck Institute for Legal History and Legal Theory in Frankfurt / Main is a world leading research institute with a staff of more than 150. Its three departments with more than 70 scholars, the unrivalled collections of its specialized library and its numerous national and international cooperations make it the central research hub for a global scientific community investigating the past, present, and future of legal regimes.

The institute is looking to recruit, from October 1, 2023, or as soon as possible thereafter, a Max Planck Research Group Leader (M/F/DIV), (W2 – Associate Professor Level), on the topic “The Hidden Heritage of the European Union: the Legacy of the Law of the League of Nations”

The funding period of the research group is restricted to five years. In the event of a positive evaluation, it may be extended.

You will conceptualize the research group, build it up, and coordinate it. Funding for establishing a Group of three to four PhD students is available. You will supervise the PhD theses of the members of the group. You will publish your findings and actively contribute to the research activities of the institute.

You have published an outstanding doctoral thesis in law, history, or another relevant discipline of the humanities or social sciences. You have published further in the field. You are fully proficient in the French and the English language. Good proficiency in the German language is desirable; you are at least willing to learn German if necessary.

Your CV should demonstrate your capacity to pursue research at the highest international level. You are able to adopt interdisciplinary approaches, work independently and efficiently, have excellent communication skills, and the capacity to work in a team.

We offer an attractive and international research environment with an unparalleled research infrastructure and a good working atmosphere. The salary is based on the German civil service scale (Besoldungsgruppe W2 Bundesbesoldungsgesetz). Depending on your qualification and relevant job experience, the annual salary before tax will be on a scale currently stretching from 75,237.24 euros (W2, band 1) to 84,088.80 euros (W2, band 3) for a full-time position (41 hours per week), plus a family allowance if applicable. While you will be based in Frankfurt / Main, there are generous opportunities for mobile working (at present, up to 40 per cent per month). There is no obligation or expectation to teach, although we encourage you to take up limited teaching assignments if you wish to do so.

You will have unlimited access to our world leading library and a multitude of databases. You will be provided with office space and will receive extensive academic and administrative support. There are generous grants for research trips to archives and libraries, as well as for attending conferences. A variety of personal and development opportunities is available, including funding for German language classes.

We are located on Campus Westend, one of the most beautiful university campuses in Europe, right at the heart of the thriving and cosmopolitan city of Frankfurt, the center of finance, banking, and the legal professions of Europe’s biggest economy, with many law firms and job opportunities for lawyers.

The institute belongs to the Max Planck Society, Germany’s most successful research organization. Since its establishment in 1948, no fewer than 22 Nobel laureates have emerged from the ranks of its researchers, thus outperforming many the most prestigious research institutions worldwide. The mission of the Max Planck Society is to conduct fundamental (i.e., non-applied) research in the natural sciences, life sciences, social sciences, and the humanities at the highest possible level. Its 86 institutes are scattered across Germany and beyond, and they focus on research fields that are particularly innovative and resource-intensive.

The institute is part of Max Planck Law, the network of ten Max Planck Institutes engaging in advanced legal research. The first of these was established in Berlin in 1924. Today, we cover a broad range of legal studies, from the anthropology of law to tax law, at eight different locations across Germany and Luxembourg.

The Max Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are under­represented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply. The Max Planck Society strives for gender equality and diversity. We welcome applications from all backgrounds.

Your application should be written in either English or German and contain the following documents, joined together in a single PDF file:

• Cover letter with reference to your research proposal and an explanation as to how your profile matches the selection criteria
• Detailed CV
• List of publications
• Research proposal (up to ten pages)
• Transcripts of your achievements at school and university, copies of degree certificates
• Two of your publications of some 20 pages length each (journal articles, book chapters, etc.)

Your application must be submitted online by the closing date of April 24, 2023.

Strong applicants will be invited for an interview, probably on June 15, 2023 or June 16, 2023.

Informal enquiries as to the substance of the research field may be directed to Professor Stefan Vogenauer (vogenauer@lhlt.mpg.de).

Questions as to the terms and conditions of employment may be directed to Ms Rita Gommermann (jobs@lhlt.mpg.de).