项目介绍

2025年5月25日

Join the Ethics Institute for three years as a postdoctoral researcher! You will carry out research within the project “The Impact of Socially Disruptive Technologies on Epistemic Agency”, as part of the inter-university Gravitation consortium Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technology external link (ESDiT).

Your job

Socially disruptive technologies (SDTs) have a significant, distinctive, and under-studied impact on epistemic agency – our capacity to develop and assert knowledge claims, as collectives as well as individuals. As a postdoc, you will analyse this ‘impact dimension’ of SDTs, in terms of:

1. how epistemic agency is undermined (or enhanced) by new technologies;
2. the distinctive demands that SDTs place on the epistemic agency, as individuals and collectives respond to the social disruptions brought about by new technologies.

This will lead to developing a framework for assessing epistemic agency as an ‘impact dimension’ of SDTs, as part of ESDiT’s “Research Objective 1” (Understanding the disruptive effects of 21st century SDTs).

As with many other forms of social disruption, there are ways in which our ability to coordinate actions across multiple contexts and to orient ourselves in normative space can be upended by various new implementations of technology. Knowledge institutions, procedures of processing information, practices of adjudicating disputes about facts, are crucial to the autonomous lives of individuals and the functioning of societies, but many emerging technologies are leading to disruptions specifically in these aspects of epistemic agency.

In conjunction with developing a general conceptualisation of epistemic agency that is well- suited to SDTs, this project will test it by analysing in further detail the impact on epistemic agency generated by specific SDTs – especially, SDTs central to several ongoing or completed ESDiT projects and technologies of particular interest to you.

Your main focus will be on the following:

• You aim to develop a systematic account of epistemic agency as a particularly pivotal and multifaceted dimension of SDTs’ disruptive impact, which contributes to Objective 1.

• You will engage with relevant subdisciplines in philosophy, such as: Social Epistemology, Philosophy of Science, Moral Psychology, Meta-Ethics, and Ethical Theory, which contributes to Objective 5 (Innovating practical philosophy).
• You help to operationalise the assessment of an impact dimension, which could be used as a model for impact assessment as a more general method of ethics for SDTs. This contributes to Objective 3 (New approaches for ethical assessment and guidance of SDTs).

Alongside your participation in the ESDiT consortium as a whole, you will participate in two research line: “Autonomy, Agency, and Human Nature” and either the “New Methods” line or the “STEM” line.

You will play a key innovative role in developing a more systematic account of epistemic agency as one of the dimensions of SDTs’ impact. This includes inspiring other researchers to attend to this impact dimension when in their analyses of SDTs and in thinking about methods of ethics.

You also play a key synthesizing role, both in highlighting the ‘epistemic-agentic’ dimension in many of ESDiT projects (including some already completed) and in identifying opportunities for synergy with projects in which agentic agency plays a key role. You are expected to spend approximately 10% of you time to various coordinating roles within ESDiT and another 10% of your time to teaching within the Ethics Institute.

Please consult the full description of the project, when preparing your application.

Please note that there are other vacancies in the ESDiT programme at different participating universities. In case several are of interest to you, we encourage you to apply to them simultaneously.

Your qualities

• You have completed, prior to appointment, a PhD in Philosophy, with demonstrated expertise in areas of philosophy relevant to the project.
• 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, and you are motivated to pursue opportunities for realising the societal impact of your research.
• 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.

Our offer

• A position for 12 months, which will be extended to a total of three years after positive evaluation;
• a working week of 38 hours and a gross monthly salary between € 4,060,- and € 4,537,- (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. 

In addition to the terms of employment external link laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development external link, leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities external link, as well as discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University external link.

About us

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University external link, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes external link. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow external link.

The Faculty of Humanities external link has around 7,000 students and 1,100 staff members. It comprises four knowledge domains: Philosophy and Religious Studies, History and Art History, Media and Culture Studies, and Languages, Literature and Communication. With its research and education in these fields, the Faculty aims to contribute to a better understanding of the Netherlands and Europe in a rapidly changing social and cultural context. The enthusiastic and committed colleagues and the excellent amenities in the historical city centre of Utrecht, where the faculty is located external link, contribute to an inspiring working environment.

You will be part of the Ethics Institute external link, which is part of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies. It provides a stimulating and internationally oriented research environment.

This Postdoc position is part of the Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technology external link (ESDiT) programme, a ten year long international research programme of seven academic institutions in the Netherlands. This programme has a combined budget of €27 million, and is funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research in the Gravitation funding scheme for excellent research. The duration of the programme is from January 2020 to December 2029. The programme has the aim of achieving breakthrough research in at the intersection of ethics, philosophy, technology/engineering and social sciences, and to position its consortium at the top of its field internationally. A key objective is to investigate how new technologies challenge moral values and ontological concepts (like ‘nature’, ‘human being’ and ‘community’), and how these challenges necessitate a revision of these concepts. The consortium, counting over 130 researchers, consists of internationally well-known ethicists, philosophers, engineers and social scientists. The programme functions through nine research lines and three synthesising workshops.

More information

For more information, please contact Joel Anderson external link at j.h.anderson@uu.nl or Carina Prunkl external link at c.e.a.prunkl@uu.nl.

Candidates for this vacancy will be recruited by Utrecht University.

Apply now

As Utrecht University, we want to be a home external link for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute.

To apply, please send the following documents via the ‘apply now’ button:

1. a one-page motivation letter, in which you describe what interests you about this position, how your background prepares you to carry out your proposed research plan, and any information about your circumstances relevant to assessing your suitability for the position;
2. a curriculum vitae of max. 3 pages; including the names of 2 references we could contact as part of the selection process. (Reference letters do not need to be submitted at this time.)
3. a one-page research note, setting out your ideas about how you propose to carry out the project described above;
4. a writing sample of max. 20 pages (e.g. a chapter of your dissertation);
5. academic grade transcripts from all relevant degree programmes.

Please submit items 2, 3, and 4 (in that order) as a single PDF in the field “CV including a publication list”. 

Interviews will likely be held on 11-13 June 2025. The starting date is 1 September 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The application deadline is 3 June 2025.