University of Twente

Jobid=c8e7384649ce (0.1001)

Socially disruptive technologies (SDTs) such as AI, robotics, new energy and climate technologies, and large-scale data infrastructures are transforming social practices, roles, institutions, and the frameworks through which people interpret and evaluate moral life. Existing ethical approaches are poorly equipped to address these multidimensional transformations. By focusing on individual actions or impacts, isolated design choices, or fixed value lists, they often fail to capture how SDTs reshape the broader social contexts in which moral phenomena arise and can be meaningfully assessed.

This postdoctoral project develops new methods for the ethical assessment of socially disruptive technologies. It is part of the ESDiT programme on the ethics of SDTs (see below), specifically a research line in ESDiT on methodological innovation, and involves close collaboration with another postdoc working on complementary approaches, as well as other scholars in the programme.

The project aims to identify and assess key forms of disruption associated with SDTs, with particular attention to changes in the organisation of society. These include institutional transformations in governance, coordination, and economic systems; shifts in social and relational structures; and changes in shared frameworks of meaning that shape roles, responsibilities, and expectations. More broadly, the project examines transformations in social roles and dependencies, coordination and decision-making, and forms of collective and distributed agency.

The expected outcome is a set of clear, practically applicable, and validated methods for ethical assessment that capture multi-level social and normative change and support more responsive evaluations of socially disruptive technologies. The methodological development will be informed by selected case studies across technological domains, focusing on distinct types of social disruption.

Your profile

You have a PhD in ethics, applied ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of technology, science and technology studies, or a closely related field. In addition, you have:

a particular interest in, or orientation towards, technology and its effects on society;

demonstrated expertise in ethical theory and analysis, ideally with experience in applied ethics;

strong analytical and conceptual skills, with an interest in methodological development;

Excellent academic writing skills and a publication record appropriate to career stage;

an ability work independently, as well as collaboratively.

Our offer

An 3-year full-time postdoc position, starting September 1st (preferred);

The gross salary is € 3.546,- to € 5.705,- per month, depending on experience;

On top of this, you receive a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus;

You will have a travel budget for international conferences;

Professional and personal development programs;

Secondary remuneration package; a dynamic environment with enthusiastic colleagues; and an organization focusing on internationalization and a high degree of responsibility and independence.

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Deel deze vacature:

Postdoctoral Researcher in Ethical Assessment of Technology-Driven Social Disruption – University of Twente – Enschede

University of Twente