Two Postdoctoral Fellowships in Philosophy of Perception

We are offering two postdoctoral fellowships in the philosophy of perception, funded by the DFG project “Naïve Realism under Pressure.” These fellowships, one lasting 2 years and 4 months and the other 2 years and 6 months, will be based at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and the Open University of Israel (OpenU), respectively. Partial remote work is possible.

The DFG project is led by three principal investigators (PIs): Eva Schmidts (TU Dortmund, Germany), Ori Beck (BGU, Israel), and Assaf Weksler (OpenU, Israel). This call concerns the Israeli side of the project. Although each postdoc will be formally affiliated with a different university (BGU or OpenU), the team works collaboratively, with both PIs supervising both postdoctoral researchers.

Position Details

• Duration: 30 months (OpenU), 28 months (BGU).
• Main criterion for acceptance: Academic excellence in philosophy of perception, including the metaphysics, epistemology, and the cognitive science of (conscious or unconscious) perception. Research on naïve realism is not a requirement. 
• Responsibilities: In addition to pursuing individual research, the successful candidates are expected to collaborate on joint papers with Dr. Beck or Dr. Weksler and participate in remote work-in-progress meetings with the entire DFG project team. Publications should credit BGU/OpenU and the DFG grant. 
• No teaching, administrative duties, or regular campus presence are required.

Remote Work Options

In light of the current security situation in Israel, BGU allows remote work for up to half of the fellowship duration. We are also seeking similar approval from OpenU. At present, daily life in central and southern Israel continues relatively normally (unlike the northern region), but if this changes, we will ask the universities’ authorities to revisit the need for presence in Israel. Applicants may indicate that their application is conditional on the possibility of working remotely.

For the non-remote portion of the fellowship, candidates are free to live anywhere in Israel. The small size of the country allows for easy commuting between Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and the university campuses. Tel Aviv is a particularly convenient location for team meetings.

Eligibility

• Candidates must hold a PhD in philosophy, completed no more than 5 years prior to the fellowship start date.

Compensation

• A stipend of €2,400 per month (approximately 9,837 ILS). Note that postdoctoral stipends are not subject to income tax in Israel.

Start Date 

• BGU position: ideally by 1 April 2025 (28 months duration) 
• OpenU position: ideally by 1 February 2025 (30 months duration) 
• The DFG funding ends in July 2027, and start dates are open to negotiation.