PhD fellow for a socio-legal research project

At the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Law at Aalborg University, a 3-year PhD scholarship is vacant. The PhD stipend is part of the research project TRANSLAW, which is funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark and led by Stine Piilgaard Porner Nielsen, lecturer in legal sociology.

The stipend is available for appointment as of 15 January 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter.

TRANSLAW is a legal sociology research project that investigates how social rights at the EU level are translated into practice in the member states. Specifically, the research project maps the applicable law with a view to identifying legal opportunities and barriers for non-Danish EU citizens experiencing homelessness in Denmark, more precisely in Copenhagen. In addition, the project investigates how these legal opportunities are translated into practice.

TRANSLAW involves non-Danish EU citizens who experience homelessness in Copenhagen, as well as professionals from shelters and NGOs who work with and support this target group. TRANSLAW is a legal sociology research project that uses legal methods as well as qualitative methods in the form of observations and interviews, and the project’s theoretical framework is sociologically inspired.

TRANSLAW investigates the overarching research question: What influence do structural, interactive, and individual factors have on the translation of the EU’s social rights into practice by the member states?

The PhD project will focus on answering the question: What influence do interactions between non-Danish EU citizens and professionals as well as their individual experiences of rights have on the translation of the EU’s social rights into practice?

Thus, this is a PhD project that involves qualitative methods in the form of observations of and interviews with relevant professionals and non-Danish EU citizens experiencing homelessness in Copenhagen.

Your tasks As a PhD stipend at the Legal Institute, you are employed in a research position where, over three years, you work to complete an independent scientific project, with the aim of awarding the PhD degree. The stipend holder becomes part of the institute’s daily community and joins an engaged research environment as well as the other group of PhD students with strong professional and social cohesion.

As part of the employment, the PhD student is expected to perform teaching tasks (teaching can take place in Danish and English), engage in research collaboration with an external research environment, and acquire about 30 ECTS by participating in research courses. The PhD student will also have the opportunity to present at international conferences. The PhD student is furthermore expected to participate in the institute’s activities, including participation in research group meetings, institute seminars, etc.

For further information about the position, the project leader Stine Piilgaard Porner Nielsen can be contacted at [email protected] .

Additional information about the PhD education can also be sought from the PhD coordinator Thomas Neumann, [email protected] . See also the institute’s website about the PhD education https://www.law.aau.dk/forskning/ph-d-uddannelse-pa-juridisk-institut

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences wishes that PhD positions provide career opportunities both inside and outside the university. Therefore, PhD positions are designed so that the competencies gained in the position qualify for both a research career and a career in the private and/or public sector.

The PhD project will be affiliated with the research group Public, Administrative and Welfare Law Group (PAW).

Dine kompetencer

Applicants may have a master's degree within law or other social science disciplines relevant to the project’s legal-sociological focus. In evaluating the application, particular weight is given to:

• the ability to express oneself in writing, which is why a master’s thesis or other substantial written work should be attached to the application.
• experience in conducting observations and interviews as well as handling and analyzing qualitative data.
• knowledge of (legal) sociology and (legal) sociological theories.
• knowledge of homelessness as a problem.
• an interest in the law’s significance for the regulation of social problems, including homelessness.

It is expected that the applicant has achieved grade 10 or higher in their written thesis, just as it is generally expected that the applicant has good grades.

Kvalifikationskrav

PhD stipends are awarded to persons who have passed the MSc exam. PhD stipends normally have a duration of 3 years, and it is a condition for the grant that there is simultaneously enrollment as a PhD student at the PhD school of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences for the purpose of completing a research education under the rules in Statute no. 1124 of 19 September 2025 on PhD education at the universities and certain artistic educations.

According to the statute, the PhD education program shall be evaluated at regular intervals. As part of the PhD study you must, among other things, complete PhD courses totaling 30 ECTS, gain experience with teaching or other forms of knowledge dissemination, and complete an external research stay outside Aalborg University, preferably 3-6 months at a foreign research institution.

See the PhD school’s website for more information about qualification requirements.

Who are we Jjuridical Institute is the framework for a dynamic and ambitious research- and educational environment. With a focus on values such as engagement, community, freedom, balance and integrity, the institute aims to contribute with legal research to solve socially relevant problems and with education of high quality for the future job market.

See more about the Institute’s values and life as a PhD student on the institute’s website.

https://www.law.aau.dk/om-instituttet#eab7ef77-8355-47da-b434-b5f546dc781e

https://www.law.aau.dk/forskning/ph-d-uddannelse-pa-juridisk-institut

Ansøgning

Din ansøgning skal indeholde følgende

• Application, in which reasons for applying and qualifications for the position are stated
• CV
• Examination certificates (master’s and bachelor’s certificates, including grades)
• Project description (minimum 5 pages) Read more about the project description
• Applicants who wish to write the thesis in English, and who do not have English as their mother tongue or have not completed an English-language master’s education, must provide documentation of a language test with the following minimum scores IELTS (band score): 7, TOEFL (paper-based): 600, TOEFL (internet-based): 100. The language test may be at most five years old at the time of application. Read more about how the language requirement can be met.
• Other relevant documentation

Applications are submitted via Aalborg University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aalborg University’s website.

Aalborg University aims to reflect the surrounding society and has diversity as a core value. Therefore, all are encouraged to apply regardless of personal background and orientation.

Have you got questions?

If you have questions, you are very welcome to contact us. You will find the contact details at the bottom of the advertisement.

Interviews are expected to take place in December 2026.

Other information

You can read more about our recruitment process here .

We recommend that you save a copy of the job advertisement, as the advertisement will be removed when the application deadline has passed.

Shortlisting is used. This means that after the application deadline, the institute director, with the help of the appointment committee, selects the applicants who will be assessed. All applicants will be informed whether they have progressed to assessment or not.

The recruitment process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring workplace safety, compliance and integrity.

Read more about The Doctoral School of Social Sciences and Humanities s

Salary and employment terms

Employment is in accordance with the Danish Executive Order on the employment of scientific personnel at universities and the Danish Executive Order on the job structure for scientific personnel at universities.

Salary and employment terms are in accordance with the State Academic Pay Agreement .

There is a 3-month mutual probation period in the position.

Aalborg University - Knowledge for the world

Aalborg University is an international workplace with more than 3,700 employees. We offer reality-based education and create world-class research results through collaboration between researchers, students and public and private companies. This is how we achieve insights, new solutions to societal problems and knowledge that changes the world. Our main campus is located in Aalborg, but we also have campuses in Esbjerg and Copenhagen.