The Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC) is seeking a highly talented and motivated PhD student interested in working in an interdisciplinary environment that explores uncharted scientific and policy-related territory.

The mission of MCC is to create and advance theory as well as policy for sustainable governance of global and local commons and climate change. Research is driven by policy relevance and is regularly interdisciplinary in nature. MCC is a joint initiative of the Stiftung Mercator and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).

MCC is unique in organizing its research efforts around the production of assessment reports. Based on excellent research, these reports will analyze alternative future pathways for the governance of global commons and the associated critical tradeoffs faced by society.

Research Tasks

The MCC Working Group “Assessments and Scientific Policy Advice” (ASP) seeks one PhD student to advance research on one of the following two areas:

1) Towards a science of assessment-making: Meta-study of assessment reports at the science-policy interface
Scientific assessment processes and reports enable structuring scientific knowledge and science-policy interactions. At the same time, assessments face serious challenges in providing reliable, well-communicated, and policy-neutral but policy-relevant aggregation of scientific knowledge. The task for the PhD student is to develop a theoretical and normative framework for assessment-making and its evaluation. This will particularly involve analyzing and evaluating previous assessment reports, but also reflecting existing or developing novel models of the science-policy interface. Results of this research shall inform and improve future MCC assessments processes.
The successful candidate has a strong interest in interdisciplinary research and features a background in political sciences, sociology or philosophy. Ideally, this is combined with a basic understanding of natural sciences, engineering or economics. Experience in science-policy interaction and related research is an asset.

2) Political philosophy of commons
The concept of commons is inextricably linked to normative and ethical questions pertaining legitimate ownership, access and control of natural and social resources and infrastructures. The task for the PhD student is to contribute to the development of a theoretical and normative framework for the governance and regulation of global and local commons. Important issues in this area include political philosophy and democratic theory, sustainability and stewardship concepts, and multi-level governance across different regions.
The successful candidate has a strong interest in interdisciplinary research and ideally combines a background in political philosophy with a basic understanding of economics (esp. game theory), political sciences or sociology.

Requirements:
Suitable candidates will hold an excellent Master's Degree (or equivalent) in one of the disciplines mentioned above. The successful candidate is able to demonstrate the potential for excellence in research in the above-mentioned research areas. She or he has a good command of written and spoken English, is highly motivated, open-minded and willing to work as a team player in an interdisciplinary context.

Salary for the PhD position is according to E13 TV-L (50 % position, 3 years). MCC is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to achieving workforce diversity.
The desired starting date is September 2012. Early applications are strongly encouraged as applications will be evaluated on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
The application should include a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, copies of university certificates (indicating all taken courses and grades), relevant publications, and one academic letter of recommendation.
Please send applications via email
More information on MCC and the Working Group “Assessments and Scientific Policy Advice” is available on our website (www.mcc-berlin.net).

The School of Divinity, History and Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen seeks to appoint a Lecturer in Philosophy. The postholder will be expected to dedicate 50% of her/his time to undertaking research within the Northern Institute of Philosophy. (To clarify, the teaching load will be held to 50% of the standard teaching load in the department and will include probationary relief.)

The Northern Institute of Philosophy—directed by Professor Crispin Wright—is dedicated to collaborative research on fundamental philosophical issues and to the provision of a dedicated training environment for early career (postdoctoral and postgraduate) philosophical researchers. It also runs a programme of wider outreach and societal impact activities co-ordinated to its researches. The work of the Institute centres upon a number of projects in the core areas of analytic philosophy: metaphysics, epistemology and the philosophies of logic, language, mathematics and mind. We currently host the AHRC-funded project, Basic Knowledge, and the Leverhulme Trust-funded project, Relativism and Rational Tolerance. The Institute is home to a number of associated postdoctoral fellows and PhD students.

This post will involve a balanced commitment to both departmental and Institute activities aimed to enhance the quality and effectiveness of philosophical research and teaching at the University of Aberdeen at all levels. The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to the collaborative research activities of the Institute, both through supporting Institute activities and through his or her own research and research initiatives. The candidate will be encouraged to establish and lead an Institute research group dedicated to his or her own research project and will be appropriately supported in efforts to seek external funding for research projects.

Salary will be at the appropriate point on the Grade 7 salary scale for Lecturer (£37,012 - £44,166 per annum) with placement according to qualifications and experience.

The closing date for the receipt of applications is 22 June 2012.

For more information and to apply please go to http://tinyurl.com/7lvd626

This is an abbreviated text; for full advertisement, see www.utwente.nl/vacatures/en. (Will be posted around 10-5-2012.)

The Department of Philosophy of the University of Twente in the Netherlands is looking for an Assistant Professor (full-time, tenure-track) in Applied Ethics and/or Political Philosophy with a (future) emphasis on technology

The Challenge

You teach ethics and political philosophy in the master program in Philosophy of Science, Technology and Society (PSTS) and teach professional and applied ethics and other areas of philosophy for bachelor and master programs in engineering and social science. You are involved in the supervision of master’s theses in the PSTS program and will at some point supervise PhD students in our PhD program in Ethics and Technology. You perform research in the area of political philosophy and/or ethics, with a focus on the role of technology in society.

Offer

You are appointed as assistant professor (full-time). A Tenure Track contract enables you to direct your own career based on fixed performance agreements, in relation to which promotion from UD (assistant professor) to UHD (associate professor) and subsequently to full professor is possible. A definitive assessment will take place no later than five years after commencement of the employment, following which employment for an indefinite period and promotion to associate professor may be agreed upon.
Salary is competitive: initial assistant professor salary is € 44,590 – € 69,360 per year, depending on experience. Starting date is January 2013 (negotiable). The University of Twente has excellent terms of employment.

Your profile

You hold a Ph.D. in philosophy, preferably with a specialization in ethics or political philosophy. You have either had a focus on technology in your past research or you have a demonstrable interest in focusing on technology for your future research. You already have an excellent list of publications in peer-refereed journals, and have relevant international experience.
You also have experience in teaching at the university level, preferably including students in science & engineering, social science, or other nonphilosophical fields, and preferably including professional and/or applied ethics. You are able and willing to teach in areas of philosophy outside your philosophical specialization and are willing and able to collaborate with researchers and teachers from nonphilosophical disciplines. You have an excellent command of the English language.

The department of philosophy is internationally leading in the philosophy and ethics of technology. It participates in the interuniversity 3TU.Center for Ethics and Technology (www.ethicsandtechnology.eu), and will house the directorship of the Center starting 2013. Both the department and the Center have a strong international orientation and include members from many different nationalities.

Information and application

For more information, please contact Prof. dr. Philip Brey, full professor and chair (email: p [dot] a [dot] e [dot] brey [__at__] utwente [dot] nl; phone: +31-53-4894426).
Your application should reach us by September 24th, 2012, and should include a CV, a letter of application (including a summary of your teaching evaluations), a summary and table of contents of your dissertation (or your full dissertation), a recent paper, and contact information for 3 or more references. Applications should be uploaded via www.utwente.nl/vacatures/en.

Senior Lecturer / Reader / Chair in Philosophy University of Aberdeen - School of Divinity, History and Philosophy Ref No: DHP001A

The School of Divinity, History and Philosophy continues to flourish as a centre of excellence in teaching and research in Philosophy and the School now looks to build further upon these achievements by recruiting an outstanding scholar into the post of Senior Lecturer / Reader / Chair in Philosophy.

Candidates with specialist research and teaching interests in the history of early modern and modern European philosophy, the philosophy of science broadly construed, and/or the traditions of moral philosophy are particularly encouraged to apply. The post-holder will contribute to research and teaching leadership within the discipline, and will cultivate research links with other disciplines within the University. S/he will expand and strengthen the development of the School's provision of courses at both undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels in Philosophy, as well as providing supervision of research students as appropriate.

Salary will be at the appropriate point on the Grade 8 salary scale for Senior Lecturer/Reader (£46,846 - £52,706 per annum) with placement according to qualifications and experience. A highly competitive remuneration package will be available for exceptional candidates considered for appointment at the Professorial level. Exceptional candidates may be considered for nomination to the Regius Chair of Moral Philosophy.

Informal enquiries are welcome and should be made to the Head of School, Dr. Philip G. Ziegler (Telephone: +44(0)1224 272 378, Email: p [dot] ziegler [__at__] abdn [dot] ac [dot] uk.

To apply for this position please send your CV and a covering letter in support of your application to: shapethefuture [__at__] abdn [dot] ac [dot] uk quoting reference number DHP001A

The closing date for the receipt of applications is 4 May 2012.