Postdoc researcher (EXPIRED)

The University of Turin is inviting applications for a postdoctoral researcher (“assegnista di ricerca”) in the field of logic and philosophy of science. The position is for a period of one year (12 months). An extension to 12 more months is possible (although not guaranteed).

The successful candidate will work in the PRIN project Logic and Cognition: Theory, Experiments, and Applications. Prof. Vincenzo Crupi is the director of Turin local unit of the project (with Professor Lorenzo Magnani in Pavia as a national coordinator). The project is funded by the Italian Ministry for University and Research. The successful candidate will be affiliated to the Department of Philosophy and Education Sciences and the Center for Logic, Language, and Cognition (LLC).

The default starting date is 1 May 2020, but starting sooner or later can be mutually agreed.

Profile and evaluation criteria

Candidates must hold a PhD degree, or provide clear evidence of obtaining it in the next months. Candidates will be primarily evaluated on the basis of their research credentials (= publications and other research activities), their fit with the project, their motivation, and the originality and soundness of the research plan. The successful candidate will carry out research on reasoning about what is possible as a fundamental element of human rationality and cognition, with special reference to truth and assertibility conditions of statements about the future or hypothetical circumstances. (Both logico-semantic structures and metaphysical implications are included among the aims of the project.) Candidates without thematic fit with these issues will not be admitted to the interview.

Employment terms and conditions

The selected candidate will be appointed as a research fellow (assegnista di ricerca) for a period of one year (12 months). The fellowship (“assegno”) is exempt from regular income tax under Italian legislation; only social security contributions apply. The gross amount of the fellowship is 26,000 €; this translates to a monthly net salary of ca. 1,850 €. Sufficient travel funds are available in the project. The selected candidate should collaborate with other project members on a regular basis and contribute to the research activities of the LLC. There are no teaching obligations.

Institutional embedding

The University of Turin is one of Italy’s biggest universities, and one of the strongest in research, as evidenced by publication and citation track record, and various national evaluations. The successful candidate will be a member of the Department of Philosophy and Education Sciences (DFE, website in Italian only) at the University of the Turin, which has recently won a Department of Excellence award by the National Agency of Research Evaluation. (DFE was one of only two philosophy departments in Italy that received the excellence award.)

DFE is also home to three ERC projects and several active research centers. This open position will be embedded into the Center for Logic, Language, and Cognition (LLC). LLC organizes several seminar and conference series (e.g., recently, the Formal Epistemology Workshop 2019), sustains a large international network and hosts an outstanding group of researchers in logic, epistemology, philosophy of language, and philosophy of science. The successful candidate will conduct his or her work within the structures of the LLC. Both the project and the LLC conduct their research activities in English. DFE also offers an anglophone MA track in philosophy.

Turin is a highly liveable city of ca. 900,000 inhabitants in the Northwest of Italy, not expensive, close to the Alps and with a rich cultural life (world-class museums, opera, theater, orchestras, movie festivals, etc.). Click here for more details. 

Language

Knowledge of Italian at the time of application is not required. It is however expected to engage with the Italian language to achieve basic notions during service. Provisions to assist the researcher with learning the language will be undertaken.

Information and application

Applications must be made via the PICA system (Piattaforma Integrata Concorsi Atenei) under the link https://pica.cineca.it/unito/tipologia/assegni. Other applications cannot be considered.

The only way to apply is online, via the official site to apply for open positions in the Italian academic system. The official call can be found at https://pica.cineca.it/unito/tipologia/assegni under the name “Bando assegni di ricerca – Tornata I 2020”. Applications via other ways cannot be considered. Members of groups that are underrepresented in academia are encouraged to apply.

Candidates should submit the following documents, preferably (=to the extent that the electronic system allows) in a single pdf file:

— a cover letter (not more than one page);

— a Curriculum Vitae;

— a writing sample;

— a short research plan (not more than 500 words — shortlisted candidates will be asked to elaborate).

Letters of recommendation will not be read; references can be provided in the CV.

The deadline for applications will be 9 March 2020 at 13:00 Central European Time. Interviews will presumably be held on 19 March (also via skype), and information about the outcome will be sent as soon as possible afterwards.

For further information on the position, please contact Prof. Vincenzo Crupi, at [email protected]. (Please make sure to include the string “PRIN postdoc” in the subject line.)