The Schaufler Lab@TU Dresden offers a Doctoral Fellowship in Civil and Digital Law for early-career researchers, starting on 1 April 2027 for 2 years, with the option of extension by 1.5 years. The fellowship pays EUR 1,850 per month, plus EUR 150 for material costs and, where applicable, a family supplement of EUR 315 per child. Applications (reference number s26-004) close on 24 November 2026. At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the official call so you can see the research areas, the requirements and every document you need.
What Is the Schaufler Lab@TU Dresden?
In the Schaufler Lab@TU Dresden, researchers from the Social Sciences and Humanities as well as artists explore the relationships between technology, science and society.
🤝 The Lab was initiated by The Schaufler Foundation together with TUD Dresden University of Technology.
🗓️ The upcoming third funding phase runs from April 2027 to September 2030.
🔋 The Lab's guiding theme for this phase is "Energy Cultures in Transition".
🔎 The theme is investigated from a humanities, cultural, social and educational science perspective, explored through artistic practice and communicated to the public.
🎓 For the third funding phase, the Lab comprises eight doctoral fellowships and an annually changing Artist in Residence program.
Fellowship at a Glance
⚖️ Field: Civil and Digital Law
🏛️ Host: Schaufler Lab@TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
🚀 Start date: 1 April 2027
⏱️ Duration: 2 years, with the option of extension by 1.5 years
💶 Monthly fellowship: EUR 1,850
📦 Material costs grant: EUR 150
👨👩👧 Family supplement: EUR 315 per child, where applicable
🔖 Reference number: s26-004
📌 The fellowship is offered subject to the availability of resources.
How Much Does the Doctoral Fellowship Pay?
💶 A fellowship of EUR 1,850 per month.
🧾 A grant for material costs of EUR 150.
👶 Where applicable, a family supplement of EUR 315 per child.
✈️ Within the limits of the available project funds, the Schaufler Lab will cover the costs of conference travel.
📄 The fellowship does not constitute an employment relationship.
Who Will Supervise the Doctorate?
Primary supervision will be provided by Jun.-Prof. Dr. Katharina Kaesling, LL.M., who holds the Juniorprofessorship in Civil Law, Intellectual Property Law, especially Patent Law and Legal Issues of AI. The fellowship is aimed at early-career researchers in the field of Civil and Digital Law.
The Guiding Theme: Energy Cultures in Transition
The guiding theme understands energy as a cultural phenomenon, deeply inscribed in aesthetic, historical, political, ecological, economic and socio-technological practices and systems.
📚 It builds on the dynamically growing research fields of the Energy Humanities, Science & Technology Studies and the Digital Humanities.
🛢️ The aim is to examine how modern energy regimes, from petromodernity to nuclear culture and post-carbon futures, have shaped material infrastructures as well as subjectivities, power relations, progress narratives, geopolitical orders, ecologies and knowledge systems, while being shaped by them at the same time.
🧩 Interdisciplinary perspectives from the social sciences, cultural studies, humanities and educational research represented at the Schaufler Kolleg@TU Dresden make it possible to analyse the multifaceted entanglements of energy, culture and society.
Questions the Theme Focuses On
🎨 The representation, communication and aesthetics of energy transitions and resource paradigms.
🔁 Continuities between resource economies and information economies.
🏭 The relationships between energy, labor, environment and consumer culture.
🌐 The role of colonialism, gender, nationalism, geopolitics, education and social justice in deciding energy futures and navigating collective transformation processes.
Research Areas in Civil and Digital Law
In the field of Civil and Digital Law, the following research areas and questions are of particular relevance to the guiding theme:
🖥️ Energy- and resource-intensive digital infrastructures as a subject of EU regulation.
🤖 Systemic risks of digital platforms and AI systems in the context of energy use, resource consumption and ecological sustainability, particularly under the Digital Services Act and the AI Act.
🌱 Ecological sustainability as a European value and as an interpretative principle in digital law.
📜 Law and legal culture as elements of energy and technology cultures, particularly the interactions between legal categories, technological development, societal transformations and concepts of sustainability.
🗺️ Territorial and extraterritorial limits of European digital regulation in addressing global ecological impacts.
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What Will the Doctoral Fellow Do?
📝 Carry out independent research and academic further qualification with the goal of completing a doctorate at TUD.
📖 Write a dissertation on a topic within the guiding concept "Energy Cultures in Transition" in the discipline of Civil and Digital Law.
🔬 Engage in interdisciplinary dialogue, particularly with the STEM partnerships of the Schaufler Lab@TU Dresden.
🎭 Conduct joint research with artists within the framework of the Schaufler Residency.
📣 Take part in science communication and outreach.
🗣️ Participate in the Kolleg's English-language training program, which is mandatory.
Requirements for Applicants
🎓 An above-average university degree in law.
💡 Prior knowledge of, or at least a strong interest in, the regulation of digital services and AI, as well as the role of energy (cultures) and/or ecological sustainability.
👥 A strong ability to work in teams and enjoyment of interdisciplinary collaboration.
📘 English skills at a minimum of C1 level, as the training program is conducted in English.
Which Language Can the Dissertation Be Written In?
In accordance with the applicable doctoral regulations, the dissertation may be written in either German or English.
✍️ If you choose to write it in German, corresponding German language skills are required.
🗨️ Beyond this, German language skills are desirable but not mandatory.
What the Schaufler Kolleg Offers
🧭 The opportunity to pursue a doctorate within the Schaufler Kolleg, with a structured qualification program and integration into an interdisciplinary research project.
🏢 A fully equipped office workspace on the premises of TUD; shared office spaces are made available to the fellows.
🔭 Access to an excellent research infrastructure, including participation in Research Studios and writing retreats.
🏫 Numerous further training and qualification opportunities through the Graduate Academy and other central institutions of TUD.
✈️ Coverage of conference travel costs within the limits of the available project funds.
Inclusion and Equal Opportunities at TUD
TUD describes its university culture as characterised by cosmopolitanism, mutual appreciation, thriving innovation and active participation, and sees diversity as an essential feature and a quality criterion of an excellent university.
🤲 Applications are welcome from people regardless of gender, origin, sexual orientation, worldview or disability.
👩🔬 TUD strives to employ more women in academia and research and expressly encourages women to apply.
👪 TUD is a family-friendly university.
♿ Applications from candidates with disabilities are welcome. If multiple candidates prove to be equally qualified, those with disabilities or with equivalent status under the German Social Code IX (SGB IX) receive priority.
🔗 TUD is a founding partner in the DRESDEN-concept alliance.
Documents Required for the Application
Your detailed application can be written in German or English and should contain:
🗂️ The completed online application form.
💌 A letter of motivation.
📋 A curriculum vitae in tabular form, including an account of your academic career.
🎓 A copy of your most recent university degree certificate.
🧪 An exposé of your research project, including a work and time schedule (max. 20,000 characters).
How to Apply
📎 Combine your application documents, including the online application form, into a single PDF file.
🔖 Quote the reference number s26-004.
🔐 Send it by email, preferably via the TUD SecureMail Portal, or by post to the address listed below.
⏰ The stamped arrival date of the university central mail service or the time stamp on the TUD email server applies to the deadline.
📑 Submit copies only, as applications will not be returned.
🚆 Expenses incurred in attending interviews cannot be reimbursed.
You can find more doctoral and research fellowships on Youth Works Hub alongside this call.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Schaufler Lab Doctoral Fellowship worth?
The fellowship pays EUR 1,850 per month, plus a material costs grant of EUR 150 and, where applicable, a family supplement of EUR 315 per child. Conference travel costs are covered within the limits of the available project funds.
How long does the fellowship last?
The fellowship runs for 2 years starting on 1 April 2027, with the option of extension by 1.5 years. It is offered subject to the availability of resources.
Is the fellowship an employment contract?
No. The call states that the fellowship does not constitute an employment relationship.
Do I need to speak German?
No, German is desirable but not mandatory. You need English at a minimum of C1 level because the training program is in English, and German skills are required only if you choose to write your dissertation in German.
What degree do I need to apply?
You need an above-average university degree in law, plus prior knowledge of, or at least a strong interest in, the regulation of digital services and AI and the role of energy (cultures) and/or ecological sustainability.
How long can the research exposé be?
The exposé of your research project, including a work and time schedule, can be a maximum of 20,000 characters.
Which reference number should I quote?
Quote the reference number s26-004 in your application, which should be sent as a single PDF file.
Who supervises the doctorate?
Primary supervision is provided by Jun.-Prof. Dr. Katharina Kaesling, LL.M., Juniorprofessorship in Civil Law, Intellectual Property Law, especially Patent Law and Legal Issues of AI.
Deadline
⏳ 24 November 2026
Links
📧 Application email (single PDF, reference number s26-004): schaufler.lab@tu-dresden.de
📝 Online application form: https://tu-dresden.de/gsw/schauflerlab/schaufler-kolleg/phase-3/anmeldung-registration
🔐 TUD SecureMail Portal: https://securemail.tu-dresden.de
📄 Official call: https://www.verw.tu-dresden.de/StellAus/stelle.asp?id=13047&lang=en
🛡️ Data protection information: https://tu-dresden.de/karriere/datenschutzhinweis
📮 Postal address: TU Dresden, Schaufler Lab@TU Dresden, Jun.-Prof. Dr. Katharina Kaesling, LL.M., Helmholtzstr. 10, 01069 Dresden, Germany
