To be involved in the HORIZON EUROPE Project ‘Fair MusE’ (Promoting Fairness of the Music Ecosystem in a Platform-Dominated and Post-Pandemic Europe).

 

Job description

Católica Global School of Law (CGSL) and the Católica Research Centre for the Future of Law (CRCFL) are running an international selection tender for 2 vacancies of post-doctoral researchers to perform duties of scientific research within the framework of the Horizon Europe project ‘Fair MusE’ (Promoting Fairness of the Music Ecosystem in a Platform-Dominated and Post-Pandemic Europe) – Grant Agreement 101095088 (1 March 2023 – 28 February 2026). The project summary can be found below. The selected researchers will also be expected to dedicate a small percentage of their working time to teaching activities.

• 1 post-doctoral position will be offered for 3 years, starting on 1 March 2023.
• 1 post-doctoral position will be offered for 2 years, starting on 1 March 2023.

The activities of the researchers will include:

• Project management tasks and supervision of the Project Manager’s activities; 
• Organization of conferences and scientific events, as well as knowledge dissemination and transfer activities;
• Collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data associated with the project’s Work Packages 2 and 5 and empirical analysis (in Portugal and abroad). In months 1 to 24 (WP2), the team will gather information to assess whether and how current laws, policies as well as copyright (individual and collective) licensing models and enforcement measures seek to promote fairness and transparency in online music dissemination and exploitations. In months 25 to 36 (WP5), the team will work on the project’s key exploitation results (KERs), including policy recommendations (‘White Paper’). This work will entail a constant interaction with policymakers, stakeholders and the general public;
• Writing of scientific articles and other project deliverables in collaboration with Professor Giuseppe Mazziotti (Principal Investigator) and other researchers from the Fair MusE’s consortium;
• Collaboration with CGSL and its teaching and supervision activities. 

 

Location

The workplace is located in the Lisbon campus of Universidade Católica Portuguesa. However, the researchers will be able to discharge their duties also at a distance, according to a flexible organization of work that may reflect arrangements, priorities and objectives that CGSL, CRCFL, the principal investigator and the post-doctoral researchers will agree upon periodically.

 

Remuneration

The gross monthly remuneration to be paid to each researcher is 2.142 EUR in 14 instalments (12 months, plus vacation and Christmas bonuses), plus meal allowance.

The hired researchers may benefit from the ‘non-habitual residents’ regime in force in Portugal and be taxed at a reduced fixed tax rate of 20%. In order to qualify as a ‘non-habitual resident’, a Portuguese national or a foreign individual having the right to live in Portugal must register as a tax resident of Portugal after not having been a resident in this country during at least the previous 5 years.

The Social Security contribution paid by workers in Portugal amounts to 11% of the monthly income.

 

Qualifications

Any national, foreign, and stateless candidates can submit an application, provided they meet the following cumulative requirements:

1. They are holders a doctoral degree in Intellectual Property Law or a related scientific field;
2. They have a scientific and professional curriculum whose profile is suited for the activities to be performed and shows the candidate’s extensive knowledge of fields such as copyright law, EU law, competition law, contract law and information technology law;
3. They have an excellent command of the English language.

 

Selection process

The selection will be based on the candidate’s scientific production and its relevance, as well as on his/her participation in scientific projects and congresses, student supervision, scientific dissemination actions, transfer of knowledge, other relevant activities and experiences.

The selection process may include an interview with the candidates.

 

Applications

Applications shall be sent to recruitment.fd.sede@ucp.pt and shall include the following documents:

• Curriculum Vitae;
• Doctoral Certificate with date of award of the degree;
• Cover letter in English, highlighting relevant experience and motivation.

Candidates may submit their applications from 3 January 2023 until 31 January 2023 (5 pm Lisbon time). Questions can be addressed to Prof. Giuseppe Mazziotti via gmazziotti@ucp.pt. 

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‘Fair MusE’ (Promoting Fairness of the Music Ecosystem in a Platform-Dominated and Post-Pandemic Europe) | Project summary

The overarching goal of Fair MusE is to promote fairness for music creators and stakeholders from an interdisciplinary perspective, thus leading to a more transparent, competitive and sustainable music ecosystem in Europe. Fair MusE focuses specifically on the domination of online platforms and their algorithms and will investigate: (i) the legal responses that have been proposed in the EU; (ii) the changes these platforms have brought to the music industry and music professionals; and (iii) the impact of such algorithms on music consumption.

Fair MusE will provide an interdisciplinary analysis of fairness in the music industry involving music creators and stakeholders in the research; promote and enhance transparency concerning music industry practices and standardisation in data collection in the European music ecosystem; and assess the risks created by the reinforced dominance of the largest online platforms prompted by COVID 19 as well as making policymakers, stakeholders and the general public aware of such risks. To do so, Fair MusE will provide an innovative, strong and future-proof set of co-created responses and solutions: (i) the 'Music Copyright Infrastructure', a data-sharing model agreement enhancing transparency; (ii) a 'Music Data Dashboard' of statistical indicators on the economic and societal value of the European music sector; (iii) the ‘Fairness Score’, a tool to assess music services and social media in terms of fairness’ multiple facets; and (iv) a ‘White Paper’ embodying policy recommendations to enhance competitiveness, sustainability, transparency and fairness of the EU music ecosystem.

The consortium is a carefully designed interdisciplinary group of academic and industry partners with strong expertise in the fields of law, economics, political science and computer science, supported by an Advisory Board composed of a highly qualified and broadly representative group of industry experts.