Call for Applications: for Postdoc on Law & Responsible AI for Critical Infrastructure at Leiden University, Apply by 9 april 2026 Apply now
eLaw – Center for Law and Digital Technologies at Leiden Law School, is looking for a:
Postdoc on Law & Responsible AI for Critical Infrastructure 0,8 – 1,0 FTE
The postdoctoral researcher will focus on the responsible development and governance of AI for critical infrastructure, specifically within the wastewater management lifecycle, within the Horizon Europe project AI:Liner (https://www.ailiner.eu/) for a period of up to 24 months.
Europe’s sewer networks, originally developed to combat cholera outbreaks, now face major challenges due to aging infrastructure, limited inspection capacity, and rehabilitation needs exceeding €40 billion annually. Low renewal rates and reliance on manual CCTV inspections hinder effective asset management, leading to costly emergency repairs and inefficient resource allocation. While digitalization and AI-driven solutions offer significant potential to improve resilience and efficiency, they also raise legal, ethical, and social concerns related to automation, workforce impacts, accountability, transparency, and trust.
What you will do
As a researcher at eLaw, you will advance the knowledge of Responsible AI and Critical Infrastructure, particularly on sewer management. In concrete terms, you will:
- Contribute to the objectives of the research project by supporting the development of a data governance framework and strategies to ensure responsible AI adoption for sewer management.
- Conduct independent legal and socio-technical research on AI governance and critical infrastructure.
- Conduct qualitative research, including expert interviews and stakeholder perception surveys, to understand the impact of automation in sewer management.
- Analyze European and national legal frameworks (including the AI Act, data protection, and safety regulation) and contribute legal expertise to tools assessing AI compliance.
- Organise and contribute to stakeholder workshops, including policymakers and standard-makers, on AI governance and regulatory compliance.
- Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team across EU countries and institutions.
- Publish high-quality research papers and contribute to public engagement efforts to communicate findings.
- Contribute to teaching activities at eLaw, including guest lectures or master thesis supervision.
- Contribute to the team spirit of eLaw.
For more details, refer here
