Postdoc for research project A Constrained Concept of Health Inequality

The Department of Design, Media and Educational Studies (Philosophy Section), invites applications for a 2-year postdoc position on the topic of health inequality and justice. The position is part of the research project, A Constrained Concept of Health Inequality, funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark and is available from 01-06-2025, or as soon as possible thereafter. 

This project aims to develop a normative reconceptualization of health inequality using conceptual engineering. Traditionally, health care ethicists adopt a descriptive account of health inequality and use that as a background condition for determining the scope within which their theories apply. This project, on the contrary, proposes a more integrationist approach where the conceptualization of health inequality is directly tailored to a contractualist account of justice. The project involves collaboration with and offers a research stay at Uehiro Oxford Institute (https://www.uehiro.ox.ac.uk/).

The postdoc will be responsible for the conceptual analysis and be expected to contribute to the project’s development of moral theory. The conceptual analysis aims to develop a novel conceptualization of health inequality as constrained by theory of contractualist justice. The postdoc candidate should have a background from philosophy or adjacent relevant fields. The candidate will be expected to be familiar with health philosophy, health ethics, and conceptual analysis. Experience with conceptual engineering will be an advantage but is not a requirement. The candidate will be given extensive freedom to pursue personal ideas and to develop the postdoc project individually within the overall frame of the project. To be eligible for the position, the applicant must have obtained the PhD in a relevant field after April 9, 2020 (formal requirement of Independent Research Fund Denmark recruitment policy). 

The project is affiliated with the Center for Philosophy and Ethics of Health (https://www.sdu.dk/da/forskning/sundhedsfilosofi). The Center for Philosophy and Ethics of Health (SDU) is an interdisciplinary research center focusing on health philosophy and ethics in health-related practices. It is a collaboration between The Faculty of Humanities, The Faculty of Health Sciences, and Odense University Hospital. The center has an interdisciplinary profile but a core foundation in philosophy. For further information about the center, feel free to contact center leader, Professor Anne-Marie Søndergaard Christensen ([email protected]).

The SDU Philosophy Section is internationally very well connected and has a strong profile in both basic research (especially epistemology, value theory, ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of mind and phenomenology) and applied philosophy (e.g. philosophy of health, philosophy and climate change, philosophy of education and philosophy of technology). It has attracted a substantial amount of external funding in recent years and is strongly involved in interdisciplinary collaboration.

The SDU Philosophy Section is based in University of Southern Denmark Campus Odense. Odense is Denmark’s third largest city with a population of about 200.000. It is one of the oldest cities in Denmark with a rich culture and history. Odense is nicely located and well-connected to both Copenhagen and Aarhus. A train to Copenhagen is approximately 1 hour.   

For further information about the position, the A Constrained Concept of Health Inequality project, and the SDU Philosophy Section, feel free to contact Associate Professor, Lasse Nielsen ([email protected]). 

Applicants will be expected to have a documented working level of written and spoken English.

The position is a pure research position with no teaching duties. 

Application, salary and conditions of employment
The employment as postdoc is temporary (2 years). Employment stops automatically by the end of the period. An upgrade of pedagogical qualifications is not part of the position. Thus, employment as postdoc cannot stand alone as a qualification for later employment as associate professor/senior researcher.

The successful applicant will be employed in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations), Cirkulære om overenskomst for Akademikere i staten 2021 (the document only exists in Danish).  

The Faculty expects applicants to read the information "How to apply" before applying. 

The application must include:

• Cover letter (max. 1 page)
• Project description and research plan (max. 4 pages)
• Curriculum Vitae with applicant's e-mail and phone number
• Documentation of qualifications (examination certificates/PhD diploma, etc.)
• Complete list of publications indicating the publications attached
• Applicants may choose a maximum of two publications for assessment

Application and all appendices must be in Danish, English or one of the Scandinavian languages. Please always include a copy of original diploma/certificates.  We only accept files in pdf-format no more than 10 MB per file. In case you have more than one file per field you need to combine the pdf-files into a single file, as each field handles only one file. We do not accept zip-files, jpg or other image files. All pdf-files must be unlocked and allow binding and may not be password protected.

The assessment process

Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee and the applicant will receive the part of the evaluation that concerns him/her. The assessment report will subsequently be forwarded to the Head of Department who will assemble an appointments committee. An interview may form part of the overall assessment of the applicants' qualifications.   

The committee may request additional information, and if so, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the necessary material.

If the application does not meet the requirements mentioned above, the Faculty of Humanities may reject your application without further notice. Applications received after the deadline will neither be considered nor evaluated.

Shortlisting and tests may be used in the assessment process. Please note that only a shortlisted applicant will receive an assessment. Here you can read more about shortlisting at SDU. 

We recommend that as an international applicant you take the time to visit Working in Denmark where you will find information and facts about moving to, working and living in Denmark, as well as the International Staff Office at SDU. 

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.[EP1] 

Application deadline January 30, 2025 23.59 CET.