Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Philosophy 

About the position

A postdoctoral research fellowship in philosophy is available at the Department of Law, Philosophy and International Studies at the University of Inland Norway (INN). The duration of the postdoctoral research position is three years.

The position is funded by the European Research Council (ERC) and is associated with the project “Towards a Theory of Rational Desire” (RaDe). The aim of this project is to develop a theory of what makes desires rational, which has as its starting point the idea that agents’ desires ought to align with their circumstances and with moral values. More information about the project may be found here. 

In addition to being a member of the RaDe ERC project, the candidate will be part of the philosophy research group at INN, which regularly hosts colloquia, reading groups, and other philosophy events, including the biennial Slippery Slope Normativity Summit and the annual Lillehammer Lecture in Philosophy. The philosophy research group is based in Lillehammer, which is a charming town close to some of the most scenic nature that Norway has to offer.

Qualifications

Required qualifications:

• PhD in philosophy
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English
• Suitability and motivation for the position

Anyone who finds the project of interest is invited to apply, but candidates are likely to be especially competitive if their areas of expertise include either decision theory, epistemology (especially formal epistemology), or ethics (including metaethics). 

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on:

• The applicant's potential for contributing to the project
• The applicant’s proven ability to produce philosophical work of high quality

Please note that appointment for the position is conditional on the candidate’s having passed their PhD defense.

Evaluation of candidates for the position will be based on a total assessment of educational background, experience and personal suitability, as well as motivation and other eligibility requirements, as defined in the advertisement. 

How to apply

Your application must include:

• An application letter where you describe your background and fit with the project
• A research statement
• An academic CV summarizing education, previous positions, published work, presentations, etc. (registered in Jobbnorge's form)
• A writing sample
• A maximum of two letters of recommendation. These may be sent directly to: olav.vassend@inn.no 

Please note that all documents must be in English and that copies of educational certificates may be requested at a later stage.

Short-listed candidates will be invited for a Zoom interview.

Attachments must be uploaded as separate files. If the attachments exceed 30 MB, they must be compressed prior to upload. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all attachments are uploaded. Documents submitted after expiry of the deadline will not be considered in the evaluation of your application.

We offer

• A supportive working environment in a research group with excellent philosophers.
• A competitive salary in position code 1352 Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Government Salary Scale
• Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension, which includes, among other benefits, good pension and insurance schemes.

The working language of the project is English, and the position comes with no teaching responsibilities. However, one of the major aims of the postdoctoral research position is to help the employee develop the competence necessary to apply for an associate professor position. For that reason, INN will assist employees in advancing their pedagogical skills by, for example, encouraging them to attend workshops on course design.  Applicants who do not speak a Scandinavian language at an A2 level will have to take a basic course in the Norwegian language, which will be provided free of charge by INN. For more information, see Regulations of the University and College Act.

For further details about the position or for questions about the project, please contact Associate Professor Olav Benjamin Vassend, olav.vassend@inn.no . For more information about INN as an employer, please see here.

General information

INN believes that there is strength in inclusion and diversity. We desire employees with different competencies, professional combinations, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to an even better way of solving problems. We will facilitate for employees who need assitance to realise their goals. Relevant adaptations can be, for example, technical aids, adapting furniture or adjusting routines, work tasks and working hours.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, gaps in the CV or immigrant background, we shall call at least one applicant in each of these categories for an interview. In order to be considered as an applicant in these groups, the applicants must meet certain requirements. You can read more on this here: https://arbeidsgiver.difi.no/positivsaerbehandling.

We encourage applicants to tick in Jobbnorge if they have a disability, a gap in their CV or immigrant background. The ticks in the jobseeker portal form the basis for anonymised statistics that all state-owned enterprises report in their annual reports

Information about applicants may be made public even if the applicant has asked not to be named on the list of persons who have applied. The applicant must be notified if the request to be omitted is not met.

The position and associated tasks must be carried out in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations for government employees, including also the Act on Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology, etc. Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, come into conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to take up the position at University of Inland Norway. Necessary approvals must be maintained throughout the employment relationship.