Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Philosophy (EXPIRED)

Job description

A Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (SKO 1352) in philosophy is available at the Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Arts and Ideas at the University of Oslo.

The Postdoctoral Research Fellowship is associated with the project «GoodAttention» funded by the European Research Council (ERC).

We are looking for candidates whose research falls broadly within at least one of the following areas: Ethics, or Social and Political Philosophy.

The candidate is expected to develop a project description, which must be submitted as a part of the application. The candidate’s project will contribute to the GoodAttention project.

More about the position

What is good attention? Much public discussion about social media, public health, and political debates is focused on versions of this question. What deserves our attention and how we should regulate attention in the face of distraction, for example, occupies the debate. What is missing is a philosophical investigation of attention norms and a framework for thinking about them. GoodAttention investigates normative questions about attention: what are appropriate, correct, or rational patterns of attention. This is then connected to how attention actually works: both in an individual and in groups and societies. GoodAttention integrates research in psychology, neuroscience and linguistics with the philosophical fields of decision theory, epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy. It investigates the cognitive and social mechanisms of norm-guided attention. And it integrates attention into normative philosophy.

This postdoc position is specifically associated with the research strand in GoodAttention that connects questions about attention with ethics and social and political philosophy. This sub-project considers topics such as moral duties of attention and political attention rights. It connects to an investigation of the social role of attention norms for social coordination and joint action. Possible directions of research include the study of procedural duties of non-negligence as well as substantial moral duties to pay enough attention to morally relevant facts; whether there should be restrictions on the commodification of attention; and whether the normative demands of democracy put restrictions on how much of our attention an individual or group can legitimately demand. The candidate’s proposed postdoctoral research need not be directly about one of those topics. Candidates should, though, in their research description and application letter address how it may relate to them.

The candidate will be situated in a strong, lively and supportive research environment, both at GoodAttention and the related SalientSolutions project; they will also have the opportunity to be integrated in relevant research networks, such as the Oslo Mind, Language and Epistemology Network, the Practical Philosophy Group, and the Centre for Philosophy and the Sciences.

The candidate will have the opportunity also to make use of the international advisory board associated with GoodAttention, for research interactions, research visits, or other forms of collaboration.

The position is available for a period of 3 years. There is a 10 % component of the position which is devoted to teaching and administrative duties.

The successful candidate is expected to have Oslo as their primary workplace to become part of the research environment/network of the department and contribute to its development.

The main purpose of postdoctoral research fellowships is to qualify researchers for work in higher academic positions within their disciplines.

Qualification requirements

• PhD in philosophy or equivalent academic qualifications with a specialization in ethics or social and political philosophy.
• The candidate's research project must be connected to the GoodAttention project
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English
• Personal suitability and motivation for the position

The doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Appointment is dependent on the public defence of the doctoral thesis being approved. In exceptional cases, we can consider applications from candidates who do not yet have a PhD degree but who are close to completing one. If so, the degree must be awarded by the time the position is taken up.

In the evaluation of the applications, emphasis will be placed on:

• The research project’s scientific merit, research-related relevance and innovation
• The applicant’s estimated academic and personal ability to carry out the project within the allotted time frame and its contribution to the ethics or social and political philosophy strand of GoodAttention
• The applicant’s ability to produce philosophical work of high quality
• Good co-operative skills, and the ability to successfully join in academic collaboration within and across disciplines, especially with the other parts of the GoodAttention project

We offer

• Salary NOK 544 400 – 626 300 per annum depending on qualifications 
• A professionally stimulating working environment
• Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Attractive welfare benefits

How to apply

The application must include:

• Application letter describing the applicant’s qualifications and motivation for the position
• Curriculum Vitae with grades listed (with a list of education, positions, teaching experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activities)
• List of publications
• Project description (appox. 3 - 5 pages, maximum 14,000 characters. See Template for project descriptions). The project description must present a feasible progress plan. It is expected that the applicant will be able to complete the project during the period of appointment
• An academic writing sample of up to 8000 words.

Diplomas, certificates, doctoral thesis and other academic works may be requested later.

Please note that all documents must be in English or a Scandinavian language.

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, jobbnorge.no. Applicants with education from a foreign university must attach an explanation of their university’s grading system.

The short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview.

Formal regulations

See also Regulations concerning Post-Doctoral Research Fellowships.

Following the Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova) § 25, Chapter 2, information about the applicant may be used in the public list of applicants even if the applicant opts out from the entry in the public application list.

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Fellow period at the University of Oslo.

The University of Oslo has an Acquisition of Rights Agreement for the purpose of securing rights to intellectual property created by its employees, including research results.

The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds.

Contact information

For questions about the position:

Associate Professor and PI Sebastian Watzl, e-mail: [email protected]

For questions about how to apply: 

HR Officer Anders Rykke, e-mail: [email protected]