* Apply before 08/03/2026 (DD/MM/YYYY) 23:59 (Brussels Time)
* Faculty of Law and Criminology
* Department: RE23 - Criminologie, Strafrecht en Sociaal Recht
* Occupancy rate:50%
* Number of positions: 1
* Type of employment: Contract of limited duration
* Term of assignment: 4 maanden
* Wage scale: WM1 to WM4 (master degree or doctoral degree)
* Required diploma:Master or PhD
ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY
Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15,000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, as well as technical and social service provision on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities. With its 11 faculties and more than 80 departments offering state-of-the-art study programmes grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.
YOUR TASKS
UGent Crime Lab is an academic research group within the Faculty of Law and Criminology at Ghent University. The group brings together leading expertise in computational, quantitative and analytical criminology to advance the scientific study of crime and societal responses to crime. With a strong interdisciplinary orientation, Crime Lab builds bridges between criminology, psychology, data science, spatial analysis, behavioural biology and computer science. The team investigates a broad range of topics, including the micro-geography of crime, policing strategies, predictive models, environmental criminology, public perceptions of crime and safety, and cross-border behaviour such as sexual boundary-crossing behaviour. A central focus lies on understanding the mechanisms underlying cooperation and its breakdown, why, when and how individuals violate rules, and how societies can respond to such behaviour effectively. Crime Lab combines crime data with experimental methods, (factorial) survey research, fieldwork and meta-analyses to analyse both individual and collective patterns of crime and societal responses. Team members are committed to producing robust, data-driven insights that contribute to both academic knowledge and societal impact.
Your assignment is situated at the interface between scientific research, policy and practice, with the objective of creating new collaborations, test environments and follow-up projects. This is not a commercial position, but a research-oriented role that supports the societal and strategic embedding of the research group.
Concretely, your tasks include:
* Actively building and maintaining relationships with (prospective) stakeholders, such as police services, justice actors, customs, local and regional authorities, European institutions, and other public, institutional or private actors
* Identifying and facilitating opportunities for pilot projects, applied case studies and test setups in which research results can be implemented and evaluated
Contributing to the development and writing of new research and project proposals (e.g. FWO, SBO, VLAIO, Horizon Europe, Internal Security Fund, Digital Europe)
* Positioning and "translating" academic research into policy, practice and funding contexts, with attention to feasibility, relevance and impact
* Monitoring relevant funding calls, policy developments and programmes at Flemish, federal and European level
* Representing the project and the research group in networks, consultation meetings, workshops and conferences
* Working closely with the Principal Investigator and the research team on strategic choices and long-term planning of the research programme
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
* You hold a Master's degree or a PhD in economics, business administration, management, marketing, political sciences, public administration, criminology, safety sciences, sociology, law or a related field
* You have demonstrated interest in or experience with project development, research funding, innovation-or policy-oriented environments
* You are able to quickly grasp complex research content and communicate it clearly to non-academic audiences
* You possess strong networking, organisational and communication skills
* Experience with research proposals, consortium building, stakeholder management or valorisation trajectories is a clear asset
* You work independently and in a structured manner, while also functioning effectively within an interdisciplinary research team
* You communicate fluently in English (knowledge of Dutch is an asset)
WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
* We offer you a contract of definite duration (50%) for a period of four months. A higher employment rate (up to 100%) is possible upon mutual agreement. Subject to a positive evaluation, the contract will be extended to a period of two years.
* Your contract will start on 1/05/2026 at the earliest.
* Your remuneration will be determined by salary scale WM1 to WM4 (if you hold a Master's degree) or salary scale PD1 to PD4 (if you hold a doctorate). Click here for more information about our salary scales.
* All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits.
INTERESTED?
Apply online through the e-recruitment system before the application deadline (see above). We do not accept late applications or applications that are not submitted through the online system.
Your application must include the following documents:
* In the field 'CV': your CV and a transcript of your academic record (merged into one pdf file)
* In the field 'Cover letter': your application letter in pdf format
* In the field 'Diploma': a transcript of the required degree (if already in your possession). If you have a foreign diploma in a language other than our national languages (Dutch, French or German) or English, please add a translation in one of the mentioned languages.
* In the field "other documents": an overview of your study results
Note that the maximum file size for each field is 10 MB.
As Ghent University maintains an equal opportunities and diversity policy, everyone is encouraged to apply for this position.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Wim Hardyns, Important: do NOT send your application by email, but apply online.
Do you have a question regarding the online application process? Please read the FAQ or contact us via