Post Doctoral Fellowship (EXPIRED)

Postdoctoral Fellowships enable philosophers of science within five years of their doctorates to spend a two-term academic year working in the Center for Philosophy of Science on a project in philosophy of science that they nominate. Two Postdoctoral Fellowships are offered each year.

The Center encourages applications from assistant professors in the early stages of their careers as well as from scholars with newly awarded doctorates. We particularly welcome submissions from members of underrepresented groups.

Postdoctoral Fellows have no formal duties. They are expected to reside in Pittsburgh, to undertake research full time in an office in the Center for Philosophy of Science, and to participate in the life of the Center by attending and giving talks, contributing to discussion groups, etc.

Many Fellows are pleasantly surprised by the City of Pittsburgh and enjoy exploring it and the surrounding countryside.

Program Benefits

A stipend of $50,976 plus benefits paid monthly during the eight months of their tenure.

A centrally located office on the 11th floor of the Cathedral of Learning, University of Pittsburgh Library System privileges (including the Archives of Scientific Philosophy and access to electronic journals), and some minimal office support.

A full calendar of talks, workshops, conferences and other activities; access (with instructor permission) to graduate seminars taught in the Departments of Philosophy and History and Philosophy of Science; and the company of other Visiting Fellows, Resident Fellows in many departments of the University of Pittsburgh, and Center Associates drawn from other universities in the Pittsburgh area.

A stimulating and friendly environment in which to hear about philosophy of science, to talk about philosophy of science, to think about philosophy and to create philosophy of science.

Applicants for the Postdoctoral Fellowship must have a doctorate in philosophy or history and philosophy of science, with a dissertation project on or substantial publication in some topic in philosophy of science. Scholars working in all areas of philosophy of science are eligible.

Applicants must have their doctorates awarded within five years of the starting date of the Fellowship.

Offers of a Postdoctoral Fellowship will be made by January 31 and must be accepted or rejected by April 15. The Postdoctoral Fellowship may not be deferred. At the time of acceptance, an affirmation that the applicant has or will have a status (e.g. US citizenship, appropriate visa status) that allows acceptance of the Fellowship stipend must be provided.

The Fellowship may only be held by scholars with the requisite doctorate. Applicants without this doctorate should not apply for a Postdoctoral Fellowship unless they believe it very likely that they will have completed their doctorates by April 15. By that date, applicants must either have the doctorate officially awarded or have satisfied all formal requirements for the doctorate, including an unqualified acceptance of the dissertation manuscript and the unqualified passing of the oral exam. If the applicant has not documented the satisfaction of all these requirements by April 15, the Center will withdraw the offer of a Postdoctoral Fellowship, which will revert to an alternate candidate. Submission of an application for a Postdoctoral Fellowship entails agreement with this condition.

Applicants should propose a focused project in philosophy of science to be undertaken and completed during the term of the Fellowship. The criteria for evaluation are academic merit of the proposal and academic strength of the candidate.

The term of the Fellowship will be one academic year, coinciding with the Fall and Spring terms at the University of Pittsburgh. The precise dates vary year to year, but extend from late August to the end of April.

The Fellowship is not renewable.

Fellows may remain in residence into the summer months, although the Center is then no longer able to provide a stipend or office support. Fellows intending to remain in residence over the summer should request this possibility in writing, indicating clearly the dates at issue.

Postdoctoral Fellows will be expected to reside in Pittsburgh, to undertake research full time in an office in the Center for Philosophy of Science, and to participate in the life of the Center by attending and giving talks, contributing to discussion groups, etc. Postdoctoral Fellows may not undertake remunerated teaching during their tenure as a Postdoctoral Fellow.

The Director of the Center for Philosophy of Science shall be by default the supervising faculty member, as required by University guidelines. The Director may be replaced in this role by another faculty member with the agreement of the Postdoctoral Fellow, the faculty member and the Director.

Scholars who have held a Postdoctoral Fellowship are not eligible to apply for a Visiting Fellowship that would commence within five years of completion of the Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Scholars who have formerly held a Visiting Fellowship are not eligible to apply for a Postdoctoral Fellowship.

The Fellowship may only be held by scholars with the requisite doctorate. If the applicant does not have the requisite doctorate at the time of application, the applicant should include documentation establishing that it is very likely that the doctorate will be completed by April 15. This documentation must include a letter from the applicant’s supervisor affirming that completion of the doctorate by April 15 is very likely. For important conditions concerning the completion of the doctorate see The Fine Print.