Postdoctoral Researcher (ESPhil)

Postdoctoral Researcher (ESPhil)

Erasmus School of Philosophy (ESPhil) seeks to appoint a postdoctoral researcher with expertise in the area of philosophy of technology and/or anthropology, and with a research interest in artificial intelligence. The researcher will carry out research in the context of the sub-project “Epistemological Diplomacy” of the NWO funded project “Epistemologies and Political Economy of Automation” led by Prof. Dr. Yuk Hui. The sub-project is dedicated to the study of the relation between technodiversity, locality and political economy, orienting around the following questions: 1) How do non-European epistemologies relate to contemporary digital technologies? 2) How could alternative epistemic traditions inform the development, use, and imagination of technologies such as AI?

Job Description

The successful candidate will be supposed to:

• Conduct and publish original research within the scope of the project, with an emphasis on both academic quality and broader societal relevance
• Contribute to building and sustaining international networks with academic and societal partners, including collaborative and interdisciplinary engagement
• Co-organise conferences, workshops, and other events related to the research project
• Share and communicate research findings with diverse audiences, including at international and national academic events as well as through public or non-academic channels where appropriate
• Contribute to teaching and supervision (e.g. thesis supervision), with attention to inclusive, student-centered practices

Job Requirements

We are looking for a candidate who brings:

• A PhD in philosophy, anthropology, or a related field, or equivalent research experience, with a focus on philosophy of technology and/or anthropology of technology
• Engagement with, or interest in, philosophical perspectives on science and technology from a range of global traditions (including but not limited to non-European contexts)
• Experience or demonstrated potential to conduct research that combines academic rigor with societal relevance (this may include publications, collaborative projects, community engagement, or other forms of impact)
• An interest in contributing to both philosophical and interdisciplinary teaching, with a commitment to inclusive and accessible learning environments
• The ability to work collaboratively, communicate across disciplines, and contribute to a respectful, supportive, and inclusive team culture

60% of the position will be devoted to research, project development and acquisition. 20% will be devoted to education (teaching and thesis supervision). An 80%, three-year contract with Erasmus University Rotterdam will be offered.

We offer a stimulating, dynamic and inclusive interdisciplinary research environment.

Employment Conditions And Benefits

We offer you an internationally oriented and varied job in an enthusiastic team, with excellent working conditions in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU).

The start date of this position is 01-SEP-2026 and you will be based at [class.26087] in Erasmus School of Philosophy (ESPhil). This position is for 0.8 fte - 0.8 fte. The salary is dependent on your experience and knowledge and ranges from a minimum of € 4.728 to a maximum of € 6.433 gross per month Scale 11 on a fulltime basis (38 hours), in accordance with the CAO-NU. The contract is offered for a period of 1 year and can be converted into a 3 year contract if suitability is proven.

Everything else we offer you; you can find below!

• Everything you need for a good work-life balance: the option to work from home in consultation with your manager, 41 days of paid leave with a 40 hour contract, 8% holiday pay and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and a significant discount on a subscription for our on-campus sports centre.
• Sustainable, inclusive and diverse work environment with an open culture, where you can be yourself and we pay attention to each other and to the world around us. Make the most of our bicycle budget, or join networks such as Young@EUR, FAME or QuEUR.
• Time and space for your development in the broadest sense: development days and a personal career budget and free access to our university library.
• Good pension with ABP that EUR contributes 2/3rds towards, discounts on various collective insurances with Zilveren Kruis Achmea, Loyalis, and Allianz, and compensation for travel, working from home and home internet use.
• Are you currently combining your job with parenthood, or do you want to do so in the future? EUR offers partially paid parental leave and fully paid additional birth leave for partners, and our campus features a daycare.
• Moving to the Netherlands for your job with EUR? Then you may be eligible for the Expat-ruling if you meet the requirements of the Belastingdienst (Dutch tax agency), and with our Dual Career Programme we will also help your partner find the right job for them.

Employer

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research, as expressed in our mission ‘Creating positive societal impact’. EUR is home to 4.100 academics and professionals and almost 33.000 students from more than 140 countries. Everything we do, we do under the credo The Erasmian Way – Making Minds Matter. We’re global citizens, connecting, entrepreneurial, open-minded, and socially involved. These Erasmian Values function as our internal compass and create EUR’s distinctive and recognizable profile. From these values, with a broad perspective and with an eye for diversity, different backgrounds and opinions, our employees work closely together to solve societal challenges from the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. Thanks to the high quality and positive societal impact of our research and education, EUR can compete with the top European universities. www.eur.nl.

Faculty / Institute / Central service

Erasmus School of Philosophy (ESPhil) is a leading research and teaching institution in the Netherlands. The faculty has a broad international orientation, with many international students and staff members and strong connections with universities abroad. Our research programs are internationally leading in our field. We offer two Master programs (the Master program Philosophy Now and the Research Master Philosophy and Economics) and two Bachelor programs (the BA Philosophy and the Philosophy of a Specific Discipline (second degree) program. Guided by dedicated lecturers, students delve into philosophical topics ranging from philosophy of early Enlightenment up to post-modern continental philosophy, from ethics to philosophy of science and metaphysics. Our curriculum is emphatically involved with the current philosophical and societal debates. Human conditions (addressing socio-cultural and technology-driven transitions via engaged reflection) is one of our collaborative research themes.

Group

Epistemologies and Political Economy of Automation is a 5-year research project funded by the NWO led by Prof. Dr. Yuk Hui. The research project is hosted by the Erasmus Institute for Philosophy and Technology of ESPhil.

Inquiry:

Dr. Milan Stürmer (sturmer@esphil.eur.nl)

Applying

Please submit your application, consisting of a motivation letter, writing sample (upload your writing sample under the tab ‘research proposal’) and CV, before the vacancy closing date. You can find more information about the EUR on our website www.eur.nl. For more information about this vacancy, please contact dr. Milan Sturmer via sturmer@esphil.eur.nl. We look forward to receiving your application. Persons of all gender identities or expressions, sexual orientations, religions, ethnicities, ages, neurodiversities, functional impairments, citizenships, or any other aspect are welcome to apply and join the EUR community.

Key skills/competency

• Philosophy of Technology
• Anthropology of Technology
• Artificial Intelligence Ethics
• Research & Publication
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration
• Network Building
• Teaching & Supervision
• Societal Relevance
• Epistemology
• Global Traditions in Technology