Two full-time Assistant Professor positions (research-focused)

Contract terms and core duties

The initial contract will be for three years, ending in December 2028. Subject to a successful review by the International Scientific Advisory Board of CIOS, the candidate is expected to be offered a contract extension, which includes a pathway to a permanent position. The salary is up to EUR 3,300 per month (net salary of approximately EUR 2,500) plus publication bonuses.

Successful candidates will be

• expected to publish at least two papers in top peer-reviewed journals during the contract period.
• expected to be active and engaged academic community members.
• expected to teach one course per academic year.
• encouraged to supervise master’s theses.

Eligibility criteria

• A Ph.D. degree (or equivalent) in law or a social science discipline (economics, psychology, or sociology), with rigorous training in research methods, earned by December 2025. 

Evaluation criteria

• The quality and relevance of the candidate’s research output and agenda.
• A background in Empirical Legal Studies, Law and Economics, Applied Economics, or Law and Psychology.
• Willingness and ability to reside in Prague throughout the contract.
• Experience with empirical research, particularly experiments (laboratory, correspondence, and field), is advantageous.
• Potential to become a permanent core faculty member and contribute to CIOS and the Faculty of Law, Charles University, over the long term.
• While not required, knowledge of Czech or a willingness to learn it would be considered an advantage.

The applicants should submit the following documents to cios@prf.cuni.cz:

1. A brief cover letter describing the candidate’s background and motivation (including any constraints or special requirements).
2. CV.
3. Job market paper (best dissertation chapter).
4. A description of your current research agenda (other than the job market paper).
5. Two letters of recommendation submitted either by the applicant or directly by the recommender to cios@prf.cuni.cz. 
6. PhD diploma or other certificates of higher education (copies suffice).

The application target date is February 28, 2025, after which the formal selection process will begin. Applications received after February 28, 2025, may still be considered. Selected candidates will be interviewed online in March 2025. Short-listed candidates will then be invited to present their Job Market Paper (online or at our research seminar).

About CIOS, the department

The main objective of the newly established Center for Inequality and Open Society at the Faculty of Law, Charles University is to create a cutting-edge academic hub, which will develop and support interdisciplinary research teams studying issues related to current and future challenges facing the open society. Research within CIOS will be primarily oriented towards challenges and application solutions to inequality issues, in particular in the context of technological development and innovation in goods and services markets as well as in public administration.

Our current research projects focus on three major areas: (i) democracy and public discourse in the age of social media, (ii) equality before the law, disparities in judicial decision-making and the possibilities of their mitigation, and (iii) issues of inequality and protection of vulnerable persons.

The Faculty of Law, Charles University is located in the historical center of Prague. The candidate will closely cooperate with the Department of Economics and Empirical Legal Studies, which has a strong research team focusing on public policy analysis, Law and Economics, and Empirical Legal Studies. The members have an international background as well as a publication record.

Prague is one of the most livable cities with a wide range of free-time options, amenities, and cultural opportunities, good public transport, and a lower cost of living than other European capitals.