PhD Position (EXPIRED)

PhD students (m/f/d; E 13 TV-L, 65%) Cluster of Excellence: "Machine Learning - New Perspectives for Science"

It is widely acknowledged that questions of scientific methodology depend on ethical ones. If an experiment is unethical, it ought not to be performed. If an algorithm is unfair, it ought not to be implemented. From this perspective, ethics responds to methodological advances by rushing to install new guard-rails. But ethical questions also depend on methodological ones. Whether an experiment is ethical depends on whether similarly reliable inferences could be made from non-experimental data. Whether an algorithm is fair depends on how well it manages delicate tradeoffs between competing explications of fairness. The answers to these questions typically turn on methodological ones and -- more often than not -- these are both technical and hotly contested. From this perspective, methodological advances ought to lead to ethical ones. The goal of the "Ethics and Epistemology" research group is to work these problems from both sides: to approach methodological issues with an eye to their social consequences and to approach ethical issues with an eye to methodological resolutions.

Accordingly, Dr. Konstantin Genin, leader of the "Ethics and Epistemology" research group in the Cluster of Excellence: "Machine Learning - New Perspectives for Science" at the University of Tübingen, advertises

1-2 PhD Positions (m/f/d; E 13 TV-L, 65% - 36 Months)

to be filled ideally in early 2021.

Both positions are funded for 3 years. Compensation is at minimum €2601/month bruto (€1688 netto) and increases according with experience. Funding for equipment, travel and other expenses is also available. Students interested in the intersection of ethical and methodological questions in statistics, machine learning, artificial intelligence and the medical and social sciences are encouraged to apply.

Relevant topics include but are not limited to:

• causal discovery from observational and experimental data 
• algorithmic fairness
• statistics and the social sciences
• learning theory
• values in science

Applicants must already hold an MA degree in philosophy, statistics, machine learning or an allied social science field. Applicants should be proficient in English and interested in formal approaches to philosophical issues. Applicants already holding a PhD should refer to the parallel call for postdoctoral researchers.

Please send the usual documents (cover letter, short (1 page) research proposal and academic CV) as a single PDF to the Central Office of the Cluster of Excellence ([email protected]) by the deadline of December 18th 2020. The group aims to decide on candidates by mid-January. Questions can be directed to [email protected].

The university seeks to raise the number of women in research and teaching and therefore urges qualified women academics to apply for these positions. Equally qualified applicants with disabilities will be given preference. 

The employment will be carried out by the central administration of the University of Tübingen.