Elizabeth O’Neill

This postdoctoral position at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) offers a unique opportunity to advance the field of ethics of technology, focusing on methodological innovation for socially disruptive technologies (SDTs). As part of the inter-university consortium 'Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies' (ESDiT), the successful candidate will join the Philosophy & Ethics group and contribute to a three-year research project addressing how ethical methods can be modified or improved to meet the challenges posed by SDTs. The project investigates the adequacy of current ethical frameworks in the face of technologies that disrupt social and conceptual norms, generate uncertainty, and transform contexts for ethical evaluation. The postdoc will develop a conceptual framework for understanding existing methods, establish criteria for their success or failure, and propose new or revised approaches that better address SDTs. This work will be highly collaborative, integrating contributions from other researchers in ESDiT and informing methodological developments across the consortium. Supervision is provided by Lily Frank, Elizabeth O’Neill, and James Hutton, with the candidate expected to play an active role in organizing events and collaborative writing projects. The position is based in the Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences (IE&IS) department, which combines humanities, social sciences, and technical sciences to address complex societal challenges. TU/e is located in Brainport Eindhoven, a leading tech region known for innovation and high-tech industry partnerships. Employment conditions include a full-time contract for three years, competitive salary (scale 10: €4,241–€5,538), year-end bonus, vacation pay, allowances for commuting and remote work, access to sports facilities, partially paid parental leave, and support for international candidates. The position is funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research and matching funds from participating institutions, as part of a €27 million, ten-year research programme. Applicants must hold a PhD in philosophy, demonstrate high-quality academic research, and possess excellent English proficiency and communication skills. The application process requires a cover letter, CV with publications and references, and a writing sample. Diversity is encouraged, and candidates from underrepresented groups are especially invited to apply. The vacancy remains open until filled, with a desired start date of September 1, 2026. For more information, contact Elizabeth O’Neill ([email protected]) or Jolanda van der Sande ([email protected]). Apply online via the provided link. For details on the ESDiT programme, visit www.esdit.nl .