PostDoc Philosophy of Science

Philosophy at the Faculty of Social Sciences PostDoc Philosophy of Science

Publication Date: 04.03.2026
Salary Category: B1 UA with PhD
Job Profile: Project Staff wissP
Hours per week: 40 h/w
Temporary Employment: The contract is for one year, with the possibility to extend the contract for two more years.
Application deadline: 08.04.2026
Job Category: Scientific Staff
Employment Start: September 2026
Duration of Contract: Temporary

Your Responsibilities

The advertised positions are based at the Philosophy Department, Faculty of Social Sciences. The recently awarded ERC research project ‚MACBeh’ led by Dr. Patricia Palacios is an interdisciplinary project that aims to explore what elements of the physics of criticality are applied to other sciences, what contributes to the predictive and explanatory power of specific non-physical models, and how to improve model-building practices in criticality research and beyond. By connecting philosophy of science debates with a study of criticality-models in biology and socioeconomics, the project aims to shed crucial light on model transfer and to help understand the strengths and limitations for transferring physics to other disciplines such as biology and social sciences.

You can find out more about the project on this website: https://www.macbeh.com/

You will:

• conduct research in Philosophy of Science on topics of model building, criticality, model transfer, flocking behavior, opinion polarization, political transitions and/or scientific explanation. The research should be aligned with the aims of the project and disseminate it through publications in international peer-reviewed academic journals and talks at national and international conferences;
• actively participate in the regular meetings and events organized in the context of MACBeh (e.g. workshops, seminars, talks, reading groups);
• participate in outreach activities and contribute to events aimed at the general public;
• help with organizational tasks that contribute to the success of the project;
• interact with leading scientists and philosophers working on topics relevant for MACBeh

A 3000 Euros travel allowance for each researcher is available for conference trips and stays abroad. The researcher is expected to visit, together with the core members of the team, a leading center in complexity sciences during their stay.

Admission Requirements

• PhD in philosophy (the PhD should be completed before the starting date)

Desired Qualification

• Technical background in at least one of the following areas is desirable: molecular biology; population biology; model building (in Python or a similar programming language); computer sciences; condensed matter physics; statistical mechanics; complexity sciences; opinion dynamics; finance; economics; social sciences broadly constructed;
• excellent written and spoken English;
• the ability to work both independently and as part of a team;
• willingness to take on a formative role in fostering a community across the core members of  MACBeh, our international collaborators, and the members of the Philosophy Department at the University of Salzburg;
• organizational skills.

Application dossier

Please submit a single pdf that includes:

1. a cover letter;
2. a CV, containing at least the following rubrics: academic qualifications, areas of expertise and competence, publications (if any), presentations, admin/organizational experience, career breaks (if any);
3. a research proposal explaining your potential contribution to the ERC project MACBeh;
4. a writing sample;
5. two confidential letters of recommendation, which should be sent to Marta Nin Santander ([email protected])

We offer an annual gross salary of at least € 70,200.20 for a fulltime position. An overpayment based on qualification and experience is possible. The Paris Lodron University of Salzburg aims to increase the proportion of women in scientific and general university staff, particularly in leadership positions, and therefore explicitly encourages qualified women to apply. In cases of equal qualification, women will be given preference.

We Offer

• Social and Environmental Responsibility: i.a. bicycle initiatives, art and cultural offerings, sustainability initiative “PLUS Green Campus”
• Comprehensive Financial Benefits: i.a. additional company pension schemes, commuting subsidies, support for the “Klimaticket” (climate ticket), discounts at the USI (University Sports Institute) and the Language Center, numerous corporate cooperations
• Diverse Continuing Education Offerings: i.a. ongoing internal and external training, coaching sessions, Erasmus+ staff training programs
• Life-Phase-Oriented Work: i.a. childcare places for infants, holiday programs, paid lunch breaks, meeting policy
• Health and Preventive Care: i.a. health programs, vaccination and preventive care campaigns, psychological counseling sessions
• Additional Benefits: Click here (German only)

About us

The University of Salzburg is a thriving university in Austria with a strong focus on research. The university stands for outstanding achievements in both research and teaching in the areas of (digital) humanities, life sciences, sustainability of (social) processes and the link between art and science. With the four guiding themes of Art in Context, Development & Sustainability, Digital Life and Health & Mind, the university offers researchers excellent opportunities for inter- and transdisciplinary cooperation.

People with disabilities or chronic illnesses who meet the required qualification criteria are expressly encouraged to apply. For information, please contact us at +43/662/8044-2462 or at [email protected].

Unfortunately, travel and accommodation costs incurred in connection with the application process cannot be reimbursed.

Appointments are made according to the provisions of the Austrian Universities Act 2002 (UG) and the Salaried Employees Act.

General information about working at the University of Salzburg can be found here: Career at PLUS

Organisational Unit

The focus of our department is on solving philosophical problems in close connection with the empirical sciences. Our main areas of research are: Philosophy of Science, Logic, Epistemology, Philosophy of Language, Ethics & Political Philosophy, and Philosophy of Education (including didactics). Our department has been a part of the international philosophy community for many decades; philosophers from all over the world conduct research, teach and study here.

Philosophy is essentially interdisciplinary, which is also reflected in the degree programmes we offer: In addition to a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, we also offer a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) together with the Departments of Political Science and Economics. In the teacher training programme, we supervise the subject Psychology and Philosophy (together with the Department of Psychology) as well as the subject Ethics. All of these programmes are in German, but after completing a Bachelor’s degree programme, (international) students have the opportunity to join our English-language Master’s degree programme.

Website Organisational Unit

Contact

Marta Nin Santander
Tel.: +43 662 8044 4050
E-mail: [email protected]

Department of Philosophy
Faculty of Social Sciences
University of Salzburg
Franziskanergasse 1
5020 Salzburg
Austria

Become part of the team of University of Salzburg - we are looking forward to your application!