Scientific Collaborator

**Faculty of Law and Criminology**:

- **Department: RE23 - Criminologie, Strafrecht en Sociaal Recht**:

- **Occupancy rate:100%**:

- **Number of positions: 1**:

- **Type of employment: Contract of unlimited duration**:

- **Term of assignment**:

- **Wage scale: WM1 to WM4 (master degree)**:

- **Required diploma:Master**

**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**

We are recruiting one full-time researcher with an interest in the legislative landscape and regulatory frameworks surrounding child sexual abuse online, with a specific focus on evidence admissibility and regular and undercover investigation to complete the 3 year Horizon Europe research project “SALVUS (Ensuring SAfer justice outcomes in onLine, including undercoVer, child sexUal abuse inveStigations)”. This project is funded for a maximum period of 3 years.

You will be expected to take primary responsibility to conduct research pertaining to EU-wide regulatory frameworks surrounding CSA and investigation practices in public policing organizations and private organizations. The analysis will_ _examine the admissibility of evidence in CSA investigations, jurisdictional sharing of evidence, privacy and_ _protection of victims, legal adaptability to rapidly evolving technologies and CSA online crimes and best practices surrounding it._ _The aim is to create a set of recommendations on the existing legal frameworks and investigative practices in CSA online, including undercover and evidence collection and explore the possible harmonisation of EU law in this area. These recommendations will be targeted towards LEAs, European Courts and policy makers to ensure a more harmonised legal process. On top of this, you are expected to contribute to certain work packages led by the project’s partners related to these topics and with other specific foci such as technological possibilities for investigating CSA and supporting the development of qualitative training for CSA investigators. Participation in the SALVUS project should support the completion of a PhD as the comprehensive nature of the project provides an excellent foundation for doctoral research.

You will take primary responsibility for the scientific preparation, follow-up, implementation, and completion of this project. This includes collecting, processing, and analyzing data, presenting intermediate results at project consortium meetings and international conferences, and publishing findings in academic journals.

As a PhD student, you will be supervised by Prof. Gert Vermeulen (Institute for International Research on Criminal Policy, Department of Criminology, Criminal Law and Social Law). You will be based at the Department of Criminology, Criminal Law and Social Law.

As a (phd) researcher your key tasks are:

- To manage and carry through your research project;
- To collect and analyze data for the project;
- To write peer-reviewed articles in English and merge them into a PhD dissertation;
- To disseminate your research results by presenting intermediate results at project consortium meetings, scientific conferences and publish findings in academic journals;

In addition, you will participate in the activities of Prof. Gert Vermeulen’s research team (see below, About Prof. Vermeulen and the research team).

English will be your main working language.

**ABOUT THE PROJECT**

The SALVUS Project aims to address gaps in knowledge, best practices, and legislative frameworks related to online and undercover child sexual abuse (CSA) investigations. It seeks to develop innovative recommendations, best practice guidance and training to remedy regional and national shortcomings. The project will explore harmonising European Law to ensure uniformity in evidence collection for CSA investigations, aligning with European values and fundamental rights.

The aim of this 3 year project is to develop European guidelines of best practices for CSA online, including undercover investigations with special attention for ensuring legality and effectiveness of evidence collection, leading to better justice outcomes. Furthermore, the project aims to map innovative tech support tools and provide training and guidance to support LEAs and forensic institutes.

The project leans heavily on its varied network of partners and stakeholders such as:

- Trilateral research limited (coordinating partner)
- ICMEC Switzerland
- Centre for Children’s Rights Greece
- Federal Police Belgium