University of Twente, department of philosophy, assistant professor, TT
May 29, 2020 → Jun 13, 2020
The Challenge
In your research, you unravel the intricate connections between the epistemological and ethical aspects of Artificial Intelligence. AI is a cognitive technology: by analyzing data it supplies
to knowledge making processes, and the development of interpretative frameworks. But while the ethical dimensions of AI have a central role in academic research and societal debate,
its epistemological dimensions remain under-investigated. Yet, it is this epistemic significance that forms the basis of many ethical discussions, especially where AI systems form a basis for human
decision-making, or when these systems take ‘decisions’ themselves. What, for example, can ‘epistemic responsibility’ mean in these cases? This could involve methods and approaches from the epistemology,
ethics, philosophy of science and philosophy of technology, in relation to concrete scientific and technological practices and available empirical work on these practices.
Key activities in your research are co-acquisition and co-execution of research projects, , producing high quality journal publications, and securing (inter)national scholarly visibility.
Your research will be embedded in the research programme in philosophy and ethics of technology of the department of philosophy and in university-wide multidisciplinary centres
in such as those in digital technologies, medical technology, nanotechnology, and in humanities and social sciences research programmes in the assessment of emerging technologies.
You will engage in multidisciplinary research with four other assistant professors in humanities and social sciences who are being hired simultaneously in the development of a
platform for ‘Strategic Intelligence for Digitalization of Societal Domains’ (SI4DS).
You also participate in the interuniversity 4TU.Center for Ethics and Technology website
You teach courses within your specialization area in the master programme in Philosophy of Science, Technology and Society (PSTS), as well as introductory courses for
bachelor and master programs in science & engineering and social science. You are involved in the supervision of master’s theses in the PSTS programme and will at some point supervise PhD students.
We would like to explore the option of you participating in Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies website
a new, prestigious ten-year long international research program of seven academic institutions in the Netherlands that will run from January 2020 to December 2029
and has a combined budget of € 27 million.
Our offer
We offer an appointment as assistant professor (full-time) for four years with a prospect for a permanent position upon good performance (i.e., the equivalent of tenure track).
The university offers a dynamic ecosystem with enthusiastic colleagues in which internationalization is an important part of the strategic agenda.
We offer an attractive career opportunity. You will be appointed as an Assistant Professor (0,8-1,0 FTE) for 4 years, after which your position can become permanent,
subject to a successful evaluation (i.e., the equivalent of tenure track). By starting your career at UT, you will have the opportunity to develop as an internationally acknowledged and
recognized academic. An employment at the UT entitles you to:
• Salary for assistant professor level in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.
• Generous social security package, including minimum of 29 holidays per year; a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary; a year-end bonus of 8.3%;
a proven pension scheme and possibilities to save up for a sabbatical leave.
• Professional and personal improvement programs, including mentoring; the UT also provides support with preparing VENI/VIDI and ERC proposals.
• UT offers an attractive benefits package, including a reduced rate for health insurance and access to sports facilities at work.
• International applicants are likely to qualify for a low 30% tax regime for the first five years of their appointment.
Starting date is flexible; we are looking for the best candidates. We prefer a candidate who can start between September 1st, 2020 and February 1st, 2021.
Your profile
You are a highly motivated and qualified philosopher who has an ambition to combine innovative teaching, groundbreaking research with intelligence for policymaking in the area
relevant to the position. Some other criteria that foster success:
• A PhD degree in philosophy, with a specialization relevant to the advertised profile
• A track record in philosophical and interdisciplinary research and teaching, with a keen interest in relating philosophy to natural and engineering science innovations.
• In-depth knowledge, skills and experience of and in quantitative and/or qualitative methodologies within social sciences and humanities appropriate for the profile.
• High quality research as validated by your publication record in peer-review journals.
• International research experience and experience as a post-doctoral researcher.
• Possession of a University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) certificate, or are willing to acquire the latter, and a real passion for teaching and the ambition to become a creative and effective teacher.
• Experience in acquiring grants will strengthen your application;
• You have very good communication and presentation skills, and an excellent command of English, at least at C2 level.
All master programs and most bachelor programs are taught in English, and English is the official language of the university
We expect that you will to move to the Netherlands, to the region where the university is located or to a region from which a daily commute is feasible.
About the department and university
The department website
is internationally leading in the philosophy and ethics of technology. It currently includes twelve tenured and tenure-track staff members, four postdocs, twenty PhD students,
and five temporary and part-time faculty members. It is part of a cluster of five departments named Technology, Policy and Society.
The department also participates in the interuniversity 4TU.Center for Ethics and Technology website
Both the department and the Center have a strong international orientation and include members from many different nationalities.
The University of Twente (UT) is a research university with a strong international orientation and a focus on science & engineering and social and behavioral sciences.
It includes more than 3,300 faculty and staff and 10,000 students. Its motto “high tech, human touch” expresses the aim of combining research in engineering with social
and behavioral sciences. The UT is a campus university, located in the city of Enschede (pop. 160,000).
Information and application
For more information, please contact Prof. dr. Ciano Aydin (chair), email
or phone: +31-53-4893391,
or Prof. dr. Philip Brey email
prof. dr. ir. Peter-Paul Verbeek email
or prof. dr. ir. Mieke Boon email
Please upload your application via website
before June 12, 2020.
Your application should include (1) a motivation letter (which states explicitly that you are interested in the position in “Philosophy, ethics and regulation of the digital society in relation to AI”)
that states how you meet the selection criteria and also outlining your research and teaching interests, (2) a detailed CV with full publication list, full list of courses taught
and if possible a summary of teaching evaluations, and (3) names and contact information of 2 references.
Review of applications will start mid-June 2020 and will continue until the positions are filled. Interviews will be planned July 6 to July 17.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our university. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation,
age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application
or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.