École Normale Supérieure - PSL
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Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Philosophy of Prevention, Risk, and Social Contract École Normale Supérieure - PSL University in France
Degree Level
Postdoc
Field of study
Environmental Science
Funding
2-year fixed-term contract with remuneration according to pay scale and experience. Salary range is €36,000 to €60,000 gross per year.
Deadline
Sep 24, 2026
Country
France
University
École Normale Supérieure - PSL
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About this position
Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Philosophy at École Normale Supérieure - PSL University (Paris, France)
This is a postdoctoral opening in philosophy within the Re-Contract research programme, hosted by the Republic of Knowledge at ENS-PSL in Paris. The project explores the idea of the social contract and how it can be rethought for the present time, especially in relation to trust, systemic risks, prevention, collective action, and shared responses to diffuse or low-intensity risks.
The selected researcher will work on the second axis of the programme, with a focus on the philosophical meaning and conditions of possibility of a social contract in the context of major contemporary challenges: food resources, access to clean water, climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and the broader One Health perspective. The post specifically invites analysis of prevention as a guiding principle for public action and decision-making, and its relationship to notions such as protection, health promotion, care, and attention to vulnerabilities.
The role is situated at the intersection of philosophy of science, public health, environmental health, health ecology, and socio-political theory. The project also emphasizes questions of epistemic culture, education, public knowledge-sharing, and whether a social contract can be built around quantified governance in the face of invisible or slowly developing risks.
Eligibility: Applicants must hold a PhD in philosophy defended less than 5 years before publication of the position (and at least one year before the date of the notice, as stated in the recruitment section). English proficiency is required. Experience or interest in international literature review, multidisciplinary collaboration, and reading scientific work in public health, epidemiology, health ecology, and eco-toxicology is welcomed.
Funding: This is a 24-month fixed-term contract with a gross annual salary between €36,000 and €60,000, depending on pay scale and experience.
Application: Submit a complete application by 24 September 2026, including a detailed CV and cover letter. The contact email given is [email protected], and the application email listed is [email protected].
Funding details
2-year fixed-term contract with remuneration according to pay scale and experience. Salary range is €36,000 to €60,000 gross per year.
What's required
Applicants must hold a PhD in philosophy defended less than 5 years before the date of publication of the position, and the post is also described as requiring a doctorate defended at least one year before publication. Candidates should have an appetite for building a postdoctoral reflection based on an international state of the art, and be able to work within a multidisciplinary project. Familiarity with medical literature, public health, or health ecology is welcomed, and strong English proficiency is expected. Technical skills should include conceptual development, critical argumentative analysis, reading and understanding scientific contributions in public health, epidemiology, health ecology, eco-toxicology, and health social sciences, plus analysis of manuscripts, archives, and/or research datasets. Strong autonomy, initiative, rigorous organization, and ability to integrate into a project team and interact with academic partners in France and internationally are expected.
How to apply
Send a complete application by email before the deadline. Include a detailed CV and a cover letter.
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Prepare your application
Review drafts and confirm requirements with the university.
Make your next move.
Prepare your application
Review drafts and confirm requirements with the university.