Jobs in Philosophy in Europe
The Ethics Institute of Utrecht University’s department of Philosophy and Religious Studies seeks a researcher for a four-year, full-time PhD project “Disrupting ageing: Personhood, meaning, and vulnerability across the lifespan”, as part of the ESDiT – Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies – Research Programme (www.esdit.nl).
About the role
The ageing of societies is one of the 21st century’s most disruptive demographic trends. Simultaneously, age-related technologies challenge the ‘naturalness’ of ageing and draw into focus ambiguities in the concept of ageing itself. Since ageing is a phenomenon infused with normativity, with normative expectations corresponding to phases in the human life cycle, the conceptual cleavage of ageing invites innovation in related moral concepts. This PhD project examines ways in which technologies that bear on ageing disrupt biological, socio-cultural, and normative understandings of ageing. It considers how these disruptions generate fruitful possibilities for reconceptualisation of ageing itself, as well as intertwined normative ideas of personhood, meaning, and vulnerability. In doing so, the project will investigate non-western and non-canonical ideas that might reinvigorate core moral concepts implicated by ageing.
Requirements
- Master’s degree or equivalent degree in Philosophy, Ethics, or Political Philosophy/Theory. Other Master’s degrees will also be considered if you have a demonstrable expertise in analytical/conceptual problems and approaches to normative justification, in close connection with the themes of the research project.
- Interest in moral and political philosophy, applied ethics, and normative issues related to technology;
- Knowledge in a more specialised field relevant to the project (e.g. solidarity, ethics of technology, conceptual disruption, etc.) is welcome.
- Especially welcome are approaches to this project that engage with traditions and perspectives that are currently marginalised within Western philosophy.
Offer
- a position for a period of 18 months - in case of good performance and a positive evaluation, the contract will be extended for the remaining period of 30 months (4 years in total);
- a working week of 38 hours and a gross monthly salary between €2,770 and €3,539 in the case of full-time employment
You have an excellent track record and research skills, relative to experience, and excellent academic writing and presentation skills.
The expected starting date is 1 October 2024.
For more information, please contact Christopher Wareham external link via c [dot] s [dot] wareham [__at__] uu [dot] nl
The Ethics Institute of Utrecht University’s Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies seeks a researcher for a four-year, full-time PhD project “Reconceptualising Solidarity for Technologically Disrupted Contexts”, as part of the ESDiT – Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies – Research Programme (www.esdit.nl).
About the role
This PhD project is an ethical and philosophical study of how technology might (re)shape communal practices and the concepts to describe such practices, notably the concept of solidarity.
Requirements
- a Master’s degree or equivalent degree in Philosophy, Ethics, or Political Philosophy/Theory. Other Master’s degrees will also be considered if you have a demonstrable expertise in analytical/conceptual problems and approaches to normative justification, in close connection with the themes of the research project.
- A broad interest in moral and political philosophy, applied ethics, and normative issues related to technology.
- Knowledge in a more specialised field relevant to the project (e.g. solidarity, ethics of technology, conceptual disruption, etc.) is welcome.
- Especially welcome are approaches to this project that engage with traditions and perspectives that are currently marginalised within Western philosophy.
The Offer
- a position for a period of 18 months - in case of good performance and a positive evaluation, the contract will be extended for the remaining period of 30 months (4 years in total);
- a working week of 38 hours and a gross monthly salary between €2,770 and €3,539 in the case of full-time employment.
The expected starting date is 1 October 2024.
For more information, please contact Juri Viehoff external link at j [dot] viehoff [__at__] uu [dot] nl
The Philosophy section of the University of Twente is looking for a highly motivated and excellent researcher for a 4-year, full-time PhD project on Human Capabilities, Diversity and Technological Disruptions: A New Ethical Approach.
About the role
The research project is part of the ESDiT – Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies – Research Programme (www.esdit.nl), and will be supervised by Dr. Naomi Jacobs and Dr. Janna van Grunsven. The project aims at developing an approach for ethically assessing the disruptive impact of technologies on individuals.
Requirements:
- a Master’s degree or equivalent in Philosophy, (Applied) Ethics, or Science and Technology Studies;
- Affinity and/or experience in ethics or philosophy of technology, experience with empirical research is welcome but not required ;
- An excellent track record and research skills, relative to experience.
The Offer:
- a fulltime 4-year PhD position with a qualifier in the first year;
- Gross monthly salary of € 2.770 in the first year, increasing each year up to € 3.539 in the fourth year;
- Excellent benefits including a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%, and a solid pension scheme.
Application deadline: 11 June 2024.
The preferred starting date is 1 October 2024.
Additional information can be acquired via email from dr. Naomi Jacobs (n [dot] jacobs [__at__] utwente [dot] nl).
The University of Twente is looking for a highly motivated and curious PhD candidate to work on the project "Reconceiving Rights, Duties, and Wellbeing amidst technological and ecological challenges."
About the role
Grounded in moral philosophy, the wide-ranging project is part of the ESDiT – Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies – Research Programme (www.esdit.nl), and will be supervised by Dominic Lenzi and James Hutton. It may involve the examination of alternative value systems that emphasise communitarian values, relational conceptions of wellbeing and sustainability, the value of non-human nature, while possibly drawing on both intercultural perspectives and philosophical foundations of scientific approaches on human wellbeing.
Requirements:
- A Master’s degree or equivalent in Philosophy with a specialization in moral philosophy;
- Affinity and/or experience in environmental philosophy, intercultural philosophy, the philosophy of well-being and/or philosophy of technology
- A good team spirit and like to work in an interdisciplinary and internationally oriented environment;
- Able to do independent research and willing to develop writing and publication skills.
The Offer:
- a fulltime 4-year PhD position with a qualifier in the first year;
- Gross monthly salary of € 2.770 in the first year, increasing each year up to € 3.539 in the fourth year;
- Excellent benefits including a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%, and a solid pension scheme.
Deadline for applications: 6 June 2024
Preferred starting date: 1 October 2024
Additional information about this position can be acquired from dr. Dominic Lenzi (d [dot] s [dot] lenzi [__at__] utwente [dot] nl).
The Ethics Institute of Utrecht University’s Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies seeks a researcher for a 3-year, full-time postdoctoral project “Mutual Justification and Disruptive Technology”, as part of the inter-university Gravitation consortium Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technology – ESDiT (www.esdit.nl).
About the role
We are looking for a philosopher with expertise in normative ethics, metaethics, or methodologies of applied ethics who is interested in pursuing independent research and other activities related to the following project, based at Utrecht University, as part of the multi-university research consortium, "Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies".
A key part of what makes the emergence of new technologies particularly disruptive is the moral disorientation and uncertainty that they often produce. Socially disruptive technologies can challenge the applicability of established principles to changed circumstances, the foreseeability of future consequences, and even the viability of key ethical concepts, leading to uncertainty, instability, and ambiguity about ethical judgments and intuitions.
Requirements
- You have completed, prior to appointment, a PhD in philosophy, with demonstrated expertise in normative ethics, metaethics, or methodologies of applied ethics.
- You have a record (appropriate to career stage) of publications that demonstrates the ability to conduct research which is internationally recognized as contributing to the field.
- You have an affinity for ethical issues related to technology and have an open-minded research disposition, especially regarding established traditions in applied ethics and ethics of technology.
- You have an active interest in interdisciplinary work which connects philosophical analysis to other relevant disciplines and societal challenges.
- You have the ability to work both independently and collaboratively, with good organisational and communication skills.
- You have a willingness and aptitude for teaching in ethics or a related field of philosophy.
- You are proficient in spoken and written English.
The offer:
- a job for 12 months. After a positive evaluation the contract will be extended for another 24 months (3 years in total);
- a working week of 38 hours and a gross monthly salary between € 4,036 and €4,332 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale 10.5 - 10.7 under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
- 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
- a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.
Interviews will be held in June. Starting date: 1 September 2024.
More information
For more information, please contact Joel Anderson at j [dot] h [dot] anderson [__at__] uu [dot] nl.
There's an open position for a Research Programme Manager for the Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies – ESDiT (www.esdit.nl), based at the University of Twente (NL). The research Programme Manager will be responsible for the day to day management of the research programme.
Tasks include the following:
- Overall coordination of the programme’s research activities: providing adequate coordination and support for the staffing and functioning of research lines and interactions between them, including coordination of major research meetings, workshops and events.
- Administrative & financial management, including financial planning (together with the financial controller appointed for the programme), the collection and organization of up-to-date information and coordination and the writing of (annual) reports and other programme texts.
- Providing policy advice to the programme leader and Management Board, coordinating and preparing the meetings of the Management Board.
- Implementing strategic decisions and policies of the Management Board and ensuring these are followed. For instance on hiring, open access publishing, diversity, co-authorship, etc.
- Managing external communications with the programme’s funders (NWO), the Scientific Advisory Board, the Consortium Council, participating institutions and external partners.
The tasks above will be carried in collaboration with relevant offices and officers at UT and the other participating universities, including the financial controller, HR departments, knowledge utilisation officers and others.
Requirements:
- relevant (project) management or coordination experience, preferably in an academic context.
- excellent social and organizational skills, professional disposition, responsible, accurate and independent.
- at least a master’s degree. In philosophy, management, engineering, or any other relevant field.
- an interest in ethical, social and philosophical issues relating to technology and engineering.
- ability to communicate effectively in English. An ability to communicate in Dutch, or willingness to learn, is a plus.
The Offer:
- a part-time position (0.6-0.8 fte) for an initial one year period with the possibility to extend for the project period at least for three years.
- starting fulltime salary between € 4.332 to € 5.929 gross per month based on your experience (scale 11 CAO NU)
The position is to start preferably on 1 September 2024.
Do you want to follow your passion for philosophy of (digital) technology in a PhD study in our Philosophy group? Are you an openminded thinker who likes to collaborate with other researchers in an ambitious research program on the Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies? The Philosophy Group at Wageningen University seeks a talented PhD candidate for a PhD on World constituting technics: Digital technologies and the disruption of the Lifeword.
This PhD position will be part of the Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies programme (www.esdit.nl) and embedded in the Philosophy Group at Wageningen University and part of the research group of prof.dr. Vincent Blok and dr. Bernice Bovenkerk.
Requirements:
- a MSc degree in Philosophy with affinity with fundamental philosophy, philosophy of technology and digital technologies;
- an excellent English language proficiency (a minimum of CEFR C1 level).
You are:
- an enthusiastic, dedicated and engaged thinker who is well capable to work in interdisciplinary contexts and willing to collaborate with technical scientists/engineers and designers, as well as a broad range of stakeholders.
The offer:
The gross salary for the first year is € 2.770 - per month rising to € 3.539,- in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours. We offer a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well.
The position is to start preferably on the 1 September 2024.
For more information about this position, please contact Prof.dr. Vincent Blok, Vincent [dot] blok [__at__] wur [dot] nl. For more information about the procedure, please contact Noorien Abbas, corporate recruiter via email recruitment [dot] ssg [__at__] wur [dot] nl.
PostDoc at https://www.pair.fau.eu on philosophy of AI
The Field of Excellence Climate Change Graz is offering 5 post-doctoral fellowships at the University of Graz, Austria, for 3 months. Dates for stays can start as early as June 2024 or latest in March 2025, but ideally run from October to December 2024, to encourage collaboration among the fellows. The fellowship will cover costs of travel, housing, and subsistence up to € 8,000 in total. The University of Graz will cover liability and accident insurance, while health insurance needs to be covered by fellows (is typically covered by existing EU plans, or through affordable travel insurance options). Note, however, that fellows will not be employed by the University of Graz, and will also need to organize any residence permits or visas needed for the duration of the fellowship ahead of time. The program will assist in finding suitable housing close to the university.
The program is designed for PostDoc researchers (up to 6 years after receiving their Ph.D.; applicants after their submission of their Ph.D. thesis can be considered as well) from all academic fields working on climate change who wish to collaborate with one (or more) of the research groups of the Field of Excellence Climate Change Graz. External candidates are strongly encouraged.
Participants will work under the direct mentorship of an experienced Uni Graz scientist in a unique inter- and transdisciplinary research environment. The research stay should be focused on a specific project, e.g. a joint research program, paper, or grant proposal. Fellows will have the opportunity to build up contacts for future collaboration within the Field of Excellence Climate Change Graz's international network.
While the call is open for all topics of climate change – including improved understanding of the processes of climate change, observed impacts and projected risks for natural and human systems, questions of mitigation, adaptation and resilience, or related ethical and legal dimensions – we are particularly interested in contributions to the following interdisciplinary research fields, among others:
• Intertemporal Dimensions in Climate Litigation; see Research Group Research Center ClimLaw: Graz and the Climate and Environmental Ethics Research Field (https://climate-change.uni-graz.at/en/research-fields/climate-and-enviro...)
• Epistemology of Climate Models and Realistic Possibilities in Climate Risk Assessment; see Regional Climate Research Group and the Climate and Environmental Ethics Research Field
• Interdisciplinary Approaches for Assessing the Fair Allocation of Benefits and Burdens of the Transformation to Climate Neutrality; see Research Group Economics of Climate and Global Change and the Climate and Environmental Ethics Research Field
Applicants can choose to work with two research groups and should indicate their preferred host. We encourage contacting the research group representative(s) who you would like to choose as your host before submitting your application.
All fellows will need to be present at the University of Graz, Austria (i.e. no working remotely) for the full duration of the fellowship.
Previous fellows in Climate and Environmental Ethics include Dr. Jeroen Hopster and Dr. Ross Mittiga.
The University of Graz strives to increase the proportion of women in scientific positions and therefore encourages qualified women to apply.
Applications process
Applicants are required to submit a 2-page research proposal for the work they intend to conduct during their fellowship. In addition, a short motivation letter (stating your preferred host and an indication of interdisciplinary linkage you want to deepen) and a CV with a complete list of publications are required. Please provide contact information for three people who could give recommendations, but do not include reference letters in the application as these will not be considered.
Applications to the 2024 program are possible until 30th April 2024 by sending their application material to martina [dot] rath [__at__] uni-graz [dot] at (midnight CEST). Online interviews with the most suitable candidates will be held by an interdisciplinary selection committee in late April and beginning of May, so that the decision is available in mid May 2024.
Contact:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Lukas Meyer (Climate and Environmental Ethics), lukas [dot] meyer [__at__] uni-graz [dot] at, +43 316 380 -2300
Mag. Martina Rath (Administration Fields of Excellence), martina [dot] rath [__at__] uni-graz [dot] at, +43 316 380 - 1298
The University of Technology Nuremberg is looking to fill, at the earliest possible date, a position as a
Professor (m/f/d) (W2 with a Tenure Track to W3) of Theoretical Philosophy with a Focus on Epistemology
at the Department of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Your tasks:
At the Department of Liberal Arts and Sciences, you represent the subject of theoretical philosophy with a focus on epistemology in research and teaching. In this department, excellent, international researchers from the humanities, social and natural sciences collaborate in an interdisciplinary way - also with the Department of Engineering, which comprises the technical sciences. You are significantly involved in the development of the first departmental focus "Human and Artificial Intelligence", which is dedicated to the possibilities and limits of artificial intelligence and human cognitive ability. The goal is to combine specific human rational reasoning skills with the strengths of AI applications in their development, application, and evaluation. For this purpose, you will collaborate with colleagues from the fields of History of Philosophy, Classical Philology and Experimental Psychology as well as Cognitive Psychology and the scientists specialising in "Robotics and Artificial Intelligence" at the Department of Engineering.
Your profile:
This position is particularly intended for early career researchers, who show great potential for scientific development.
Your research should focus on systematic approaches to epistemology. A recognizable openness to historical, research approaches to epistemology is an advantage, preferably regarding a period before the 20th century. Initial research achievements in other areas of theoretical philosophy are welcome. You should be able to demonstrate all these characteristics of your research profile through relevant publications.
In your application and in the selection process, you should demonstrate the relevance of your work for interdisciplinary dialog with other disciplines and your willingness to participate in the Department's focus "Human and Artificial Intelligence". Interest in the field of activity "Rhetoric and Political Communication", which deals with the theory and history of rhetoric as a technique of strategic communication in politics and society in its significance for social interaction in the present, is welcomed.
Teaching experience, ideally in interdisciplinary contexts, is desired. We expect your participation in all teaching activities at the Department, including study course planning and engagement in the development of innovative digital teaching and learning concepts, as well as cooperation within and across departments.
The legal hiring criteria according to Article 57 Paragraph 1 BayHIG apply.
Our offer:
The position is a fixed-term (6 year) professorship (W2). At the end of this fixed-term period, in case of a positive tenure-evaluation, the position will be converted to a permanent professorship (W3). The tenure-track statutes of the UTN (from April 20th 2023) apply.
The University of Technology Nuremberg is rethinking the university on all levels. We offer a motivated and excellent international team in which you can contribute with all your ideas and competencies. You will be able to experience and develop new, interdisciplinary forms of research collaboration as well as teaching and learning and help us shaping them.
We will make sure that you are able to fully focus on your work by our modern, service-oriented administrative units. We see diversity as an asset. The University of Technology Nuremberg is a place that offers knowledge and equal opportunities to people regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation, ideology, religion, origin or disability. The position is suitable to be filled by severely disabled persons. Severely disabled applicants will be given preference if their suitability, qualification, and professional performance are otherwise essentially equal. We see family-friendliness as the basis for achieving equal opportunities for men and women in science. Therefore, we offer flexible ways of working, family-friendly times for events and meetings, as well as dual-career options. The University of Technology Nuremberg aims at increasing the proportion of women in research and teaching and therefore strongly encourages women to apply.
Interested?
Please refer to the reference number PF-2024-01 in your application. Please apply by March 13th in English and with all relevant application documents (letter of motivation, CV including externally funded projects and awards, list of publications, research statement, teaching statement, high school and relevant university diplomas (e.g. degree certificates, doctoral certificate (if applicable) etc.), four publications most relevant to your research profile (including, if applicable, your doctoral thesis)) exclusively via our application portal: https://www.utn.de/karriere/stellenangebote-professuren/
Please observe our guidelines for the preparation of the teaching statement, which can be found under the following links:
• Word: https://www.utn.de/files/2022/11/UTN-Teaching-Statement-EN.docx
• PDF: https://www.utn.de/files/2022/11/UTN-Teaching-Statement-EN.pdf
Questions?
If you have any administrative questions please contact the Appointments Team, appointments [__at__] utn [dot] de.
If you have questions regarding the profile of the position, contact the Founding Chair of the Department of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Prof. Dr. Gyburg Uhlmann, gyburg [dot] uhlmann [__at__] utn [dot] de.
You can find more information on our data privacy policy here: https://www.utn.de/en/privacy/.