Postdoc in Ethics of Technology: Methods for Ethical Assessment of Socially Disruptive Technologies University of Twente in Netherlands

Two postdoctoral positions are available in the Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies (ESDiT) programme, focused on the ethics of technology and the development of new methods for assessing the societal impact of disruptive technologies.

The first position is at the University of Twente and centers on methods for ethical assessment of socially disruptive technologies. The project examines how technologies such as AI, robotics, new energy and climate technologies, and large-scale data infrastructures transform social practices, institutions, roles, and moral frameworks. The postdoc will develop clear, practical, and validated methods for ethical assessment that can capture multi-level social and normative change. The work is embedded in the ESDiT research line on New Methods for Ethics and involves collaboration with other scholars in the programme.

The second position is at TU Eindhoven and focuses on innovating methods for the ethics of socially disruptive technologies. This project aims to build a conceptual framework for existing ethics methods, develop criteria for when methods succeed or fail under conditions of disruption, and create new or revised methods that better address conceptual disruption, uncertainty, and moral diversity. The postdoc will work within the same ESDiT programme and contribute to collaborative research and events.

Eligibility highlights: a PhD in ethics, applied ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of technology, science and technology studies, or a closely related field (University of Twente); and a PhD in philosophy (TU/e). Applicants should have strong analytical and conceptual skills, excellent academic writing, a publication record appropriate to career stage, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively. TU/e also asks for excellent English and good communication/leadership skills.

Funding and conditions: both positions are full-time for 3 years. The University of Twente role offers a gross monthly salary of €3,546–€5,705, plus holiday allowance, end-of-year bonus, and a travel budget. TU/e offers salary scale 10 (€4,241–€5,538), vacation pay, year-end bonus, training, allowances, and additional staff support benefits.

Application window: University of Twente deadline is 2026-04-27. TU/e deadline is 2026-05-10. Applicants should submit a CV, motivation/cover letter, writing sample or list of publications, and contact details for academic references through the relevant university vacancy portal.

Supervision and contacts: Philip A. E. Brey is the contact person for the University of Twente position. The TU/e project is supervised by Lily Frank, Elizabeth O’Neill, and James Hutton.