Assistant Professor Philosophy of Health and Technology (EXPIRED)

We seek a philosopher working in an area of health for an assistant professor position in the Philosophy Section at the University of Twente. The section offers a stimulating and collaborative departmental, faculty and international environment. As our new member you will publish in international refereed journals, present at conferences, apply for external funding and engage in international outreach activities.

For this position you should have an established line of research in a philosophical field related to health and health care (particularly bioethics, philosophy of medicine, health-related philosophy of science or philosophical anthropology). We expect you to develop these lines of research. You will also teach courses within your specialization area in the master programme in Philosophy of Science, Technology and Society (PSTS), as well as introductory courses in different areas of philosophy for bachelor and master programs in engineering and social science. Our members engage in supervision of master's theses in the PSTS programme and at some point supervise PhD students.

Additionally you will be expected to build research links with members of the Health Technologies and Services Research (HTSR) section at the university. We would like you to demonstrate potential strategies for engaging with health sciences research, on conceptual, methodological and ethical issues of relevance to researchers in the HTSR section. One area of particular engagement is patient empowerment! HTSR has a specific research interest in patient empowerment, which is a relatively new concept in health care. Its implementation requires careful investigation of the shifting roles of patients and citizens in research and clinical decision making, which takes into account different perspectives. Research could explore, through qualitative investigations for instance (e.g., focus-groups, interviews etc), how different stakeholders understand empowerment, what measures might contribute to it, and what the risks and harms are when considering empowerment to be a main goal of healthcare. We are open to considering any potential plans or proposals for engagement with health science researchers on different topics.

Your profile

• A PhD in philosophy related to health and technology (particularly bioethics, philosophy of medicine, health-related philosophy of science or philosophical anthropology);
• Experience with collaborating across disciplinary boundaries;
• An interest in working directly with health scientists;
• An excellent publication track record in peer-reviewed international journals;
• An established teaching line in philosophy. The position will be 50%:50% teaching/research with staff expected to teach philosophy courses;
• Possession of a University Teaching Qualification (UTQ);
• Proficient in English (C2 level). Dutch is an advantage or willingness to acquire within a short time frame (for research purposes).

Perhaps you are the candidate we are looking for!

Our offer

We offer an appointment as Assistant Professor for 1 year, after which your position can become permanent, subject to a successful evaluation. The starting salary, depending on your experience, ranges between € 3.821 to € 5.943 gross per month (in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities). In addition, the University of Twente offers additional attractive employment conditions (8% holiday allowance, 8.3% end-of-year bonus, solid pension scheme, sabbatical leave, professional and personal development programs, etc.)

About the department

Both the Philosophy section and HTSR are part of the Technology, Policy and Society (TPS) cluster at the Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences,  a growing multidisciplinary research group exploring and assessing how emerging innovations affect our societies, institutions and daily lives, and vice versa. The contributing departments collaborate to craft responsible and sustainable solutions for challenges in healthcare and other fields.. The Philosophy section itself has over 40 members (faculty, postdocs, PhD candidates). It is a thoroughly international group, with English as the main language. It specializes in its research in the philosophical and ethical study of technology and its impact on people, society, and the environment. (https://www.utwente.nl/en/bms/wijsb/).

About the organization

The Faculty of Behavioral, Management and Social sciences (BMS) aims to play a key role in understanding, jointly developing and evaluating innovations in society. Technological developments are the engine of innovation. As a technical university that puts people first, we tailor them to human needs and behavior and use social engineering to integrate them into society. We also ensure adequate governance at public and private level, and robust, inclusive and fair organizational structures. We do this by developing, sharing and applying high-quality knowledge in Psychology, Business Administration, Public Administration, Communication Sciences, Philosophy, Educational Sciences and Health Sciences. Our research and education in these disciplines revolves around tackling and solving societal challenges. The research programs of BMS are closely linked to the research of the UT institutes Mesa+ Institute for Nanotechnology, TechMed Center and Digital Society Institute.

As an employer, the Faculty of BMS offers work that matters. We equip you to create new possibilities for yourself and for our society. With us, you will become part of a leading technical university with increasing, positive social impact. We offer an open, inclusive and entrepreneurial atmosphere, in which we encourage you to make healthy choices, for example through our flexible, adaptable benefits.