PhD Research Fellowship in Decision-Making Under Risk

We are seeking a PhD candidate to investigate the philosophical foundations of decision-making under risk. Possible questions to explore include:

• How should we understand risk-sensitivity?
• Are there limits to how risk-averse or risk-seeking it can be rational to be?
• Can the stakes involved in a decision situation make a difference to how risk-averse or risk-seeking one should be in that situation?
• What are the ramifications of a foundational theory of decision making under risk for the way we ought to manage high-risk innovations such as artificial intelligence technologies, climate technologies, or cybersecurity systems?
• How should we understand and apply the “precautionary principle” often invoked by politicians and other decision-makers in situations involving severe risk?

The candidate will be writing a PhD dissertation on one or more of these questions (or similar questions) under the supervision of Olav Vassend (50%) and Mattias Skipper (50%). The candidate will be part of the Philosophy Research Group at INN, which organizes regular colloquia and reading groups.

About the position

The candidate will be enrolled in the PhD school Innovation in Services in the Public and Private Sectors (INSEPP) at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN). As part of the PhD program, the candidate will be required to complete 35 ECTS of coursework, including 20 ETCS of coursework organized by INSEPP. Depending on the department’s needs and the candidate’s competences and desires, the position may be salaried for either 3 years with no teaching duties or 4 years with 25% teaching duties at the Department of Law, Philosophy and International Studies.

Qualifications

• Applicants must have a master’s degree in philosophy, 120 ECTS or equivalent, including a master's thesis of at least 30 ECTS, cf. NOKUT’s (the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education) requirements for admission to a PhD program at Norwegian universities. 
• Applicants with a master’s degree from universities abroad must attach a “Recognition of foreign higher education” from NOKUT. In many cases, the approval process is automatic and immediate. For more information, see NOKUT’s website: https://www.nokut.no/en/foreign-education/application-services--foreign-education/recognition-of-foreign-higher-education-bachelor-master-ph.d/

• Good proficiency in written and spoken English is required.

We offer

• An academically stimulating and supportive work environment at a developing institution.
• A competitive salary that follows position code 1017 in the state’s wage regulations. 
• Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension, which includes, among other things, good pension and insurance schemes.

How to apply

The application and all attachments are to be submitted electronically and should include the following: 

• An application letter (describing the candidate’s background and motivation)
• A project proposal with a progress plan (1 - 2 pages) that explains how the research work will be carried out. The PhD research fellow admitted to the program will, in collaboration with a supervisor, prepare a complete project proposal creating the basis for admission to the PhD program. The project proposal plays an important part in evaluating applicants and must show how the project will lead to a successful completion of a doctoral degree within three years. 
• CV (summarizing education, job positions, and academic work) 
• Certified copies of transcripts and diplomas for the whole bachelor and master’s degree. An English translation of all education documents is required unless the documents are in Norwegian.  

The most qualified applicants will be invited for an interview. The state workforce should reflect the diversity of the population. It is therefore a policy goal at INN to achieve a balanced age and gender composition and to recruit people with an immigrant background. If needed, the working conditions are adapted for persons with disabilities.

To apply for the position, please visit: https://www.jobbnorge.no/en/available-jobs/job/240589/phd-research-fellowship-in-decision-making-under-risk

Contact information

For any questions, please contact Olav Vassend ([email protected]) or Mattias Skipper ([email protected]).