"New Models of Knowledge Communication" Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas

Job description

A Doctoral Research Fellowship (SKO 1017) in Philosophy is available at the Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas, University of Oslo.

The advertised position is attached to the Norwegian Research Council-funded project, New Models of Knowledge Communication. This project concerns the communicative foundations of testimony and peer disagreement. Much work in these areas of social epistemology proceeds on the basis of a ‘content preservation’ model of communication. On this approach, the content recovered by the hearer in a speech exchange is often the same as the content expressed by the speaker. The project has two central research objectives: (a) to motivate an alternative approach to communication, drawing on contemporary work in philosophy of language, semantics, and pragmatics, according to which the hearer in a speech exchange rarely recovers precisely what the speaker intends to communicate, and (b) to explore the epistemic implications of this approach to communication for our understanding of how agents gain, share, and evaluate knowledge and beliefs through testimonial exchanges and peer disagreements. The application should contain a project description that is thematically relevant to this project, focusing on issues in social epistemology and/or philosophy of language. For more information about the project, please contact Joey Pollock.

The person appointed will be affiliated with the Faculty's organized research training. The academic work is to result in a doctoral thesis that will be defended at the Faculty with a view to obtaining the degree of PhD. The successful candidate is expected to join the existing research milieu or network and contribute to its development. Read more about the doctoral degree.

The appointment is for a duration of 3 years. All PhD Candidates who submit their doctoral dissertation for assessment with a written recommendation from their supervisor within 3 years or 3 ½ years after the start of their PhD position, will be offered, respectively, a 12 or 6 month Completion Grant.

Start date: The person appointed should be able to begin on 1st August 2021

Qualification requirements

• A Master's degree or equivalent in Philosophy. The Master's degree must have been obtained and the final evaluation must be available by the application deadline.
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Personal suitability and motivation for the position.

To be eligible for admission to the doctoral programmes at the University of Oslo, applicants must, as a minimum, have completed a five-year graduation course (Master’s degree or equivalent), including a Master’s thesis of at least 30 ECTS. In special cases, the Faculty may grant admission on the basis of a one-year Master course following an assessment of the study programme’s scope and quality.

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on:

• The project's scientific merit, research-related relevance and innovation
• The applicant's estimated academic and personal ability to complete the project within the time frame
• The applicant's ability to complete research training
• Good collaboration skills and an ability to join interdisciplinary academic communities

Applicants who have recently graduated with excellent results may be given preference.

We offer

• Salary NOK 482 200 – 526 000 per annum depending on qualifications
• A professionally stimulating working environment
• Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Attractive welfare benefits

How to apply

The application must include:

• Application letter describing the applicant’s qualifications and motivation for the position
• Curriculum Vitae (with a list of education, positions, teaching experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activities, including a complete list of publications)
• Transcript of records of your Bachelor’s and Master's degrees. Applicants with education from a foreign university must attach an explanation of their university's grading system
• Project description, including a detailed progress plan for the project (3 - 5 pages, see Template for project descriptions)

Please note that all documents must be in English.

Educational certificates, master theses and the like are not to be submitted with the application, but applicants may be asked to submit such information or works later.

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link “Apply for this job”.

Short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Research Fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.

According to the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

The appointment may be shortened/given a more limited scope within the framework of the applicable guidelines on account of any previous employment in academic positions.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.

Contact information

• Joey Pollock (Project Leader). joanna.pollock@ifikk.uio.no
• Julie Tøllefsen (HR-officer) j.b.tollefsen@hf.uio.no

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