We are now recruiting three postdoctoral Research Fellows in Jewish, Hindu and Islamic Philosophy of Religion (one position in each area) in the School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion at the University of Birmingham. These roles have been created as part of the Global Philosophy of Religion Project led by Professor Yujin Nagasawa. The Global Philosophy of Religion Project is a major international initiative to promote research in the philosophy of religion, addressing underrepresented religious traditions and geographical regions. It is supported by funding from the John Templeton Foundation and the Dynamic Investment Fund (DIF) at the University of Birmingham. For more information about the Global Philosophy of Religion Project, please see the project website: http://www.global-philosophy.org
Details of this Post
The Research Fellows in Jewish, Hindu and Islamic Philosophy of Religion will be full-time, fixed-term appointments for 33 months starting on 1st September 2020. The appointees will investigate central topics in the philosophy of religion—such as the existence and nature of deities, death and immortality, and evil and suffering in the world—from Jewish, Hindu and Islamic perspectives respectively. The Research Fellows will contribute to the wider activity of the project, including the publication of books and papers arising from project research and the organisation of conferences and other academic events, and may also be involved in the supervision of students. As a member of the School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion, the Research Fellow will join a lively and flourishing research community in a collegiate and highly ambitious environment.
Main Duties
- Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a mentor if required
- Contribute to writing bids for research funding
- Analyse and interpret data
- Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
- Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc
- Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline
- Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods
- Undertake management/administration arising from research
- Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration
- Contribute to enterprise, business development and/or public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University, often under supervision of a project leader
- Collect research data; this may be through a variety of research methods, such as scientific experimentation, literature reviews, and research interviews
- Present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example at seminars and as posters
- Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the research
- Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
Scope of the Role
- Work within specified research grants and projects and contribute to writing bids
- Operate within area of specialism
- Analyse and interpret research findings and results
- Contribute to generating funding
- Contribute to licensing or spin out deals with demonstrated commercial success (such as revenues, asset or company sales, IP generated) and/or public understanding of the discipline or similar
Person Specification
- Specialist in Jewish, Hindu or Islamic philosophy of religion with a doctorate (or near completion) in Philosophy, Theology, Religious Studies or a related subject
- An excellent publication record commensurate with their career stage
- High-level analytical capability
- Ability to communicate complex information clearly
- Fluency in relevant models, techniques or methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones
- Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively
- Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
- A willingness to work collaboratively as part of a diverse team.
