Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law
The Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law (MPIL) in Heidelberg is one of the world's leading research centres for public international law, European Union law, and comparative constitutional and administrative law, hosting one of the largest international law libraries in Europe. Three Senior Research Fellow positions are available under the supervision of Professor Helmut Philipp Aust, a leading scholar in international legal theory, foreign relations law, and the law of international responsibility. Applicants are encouraged to submit project proposals within one or more of three core research streams: cooperation in antagonistic times — covering multilateralism, international institutions, and the legal management of interstate tension; empirical foreign relations law — examining how states manage international law domestically; and geographies of international law — exploring how spatial, territorial, and jurisdictional questions shape the international legal order. All three streams are of direct relevance to the space law and governance community. Questions of cooperation under strategic competition, the domestic implementation of space treaty obligations, and the territorial and jurisdictional dimensions of outer space activities sit squarely within these thematic areas. Teaching at the University of Heidelberg Law Faculty can be arranged. The position supports candidates pursuing a Habilitation or equivalent postdoctoral qualification. A regular physical presence in Heidelberg is required. Starting date is September 2026, negotiable.
Completed or near-completion of an advanced law degree (Dr iur, PhD, or SJD) or equivalent academic qualification Excellent analytical and written skills in English (mandatory); German and/or French an asset High motivation for independent academic research and publication Research proposal of maximum 1.5 pages naming possible project ideas within the three core research streams Application submitted exclusively via the MPIL online application system with motivation letter, CV with publication list, and certificates Inquiries to office-aust@mpil.de