PhD position in History and Philosophy of Science

Overview

PhD position in History and Philosophy of Science. A three-year PhD position in history and/or philosophy of science in the research project Human Variables in Biodiversity Assessment (HUMAN_BIAS), funded by a Carlsberg Foundation Semper Ardens Accelerate grant. The project is hosted by the Section for History and Philosophy of Science (Department of Science Education, Faculty of SCIENCE) at the University of Copenhagen. The PhD is positioned within the Philosophy of Science in Practice, with Joeri Witteveen as principal investigator.

Place of employment

The PhD project will be based at the Department of Science Education, Section for History and Philosophy of Science. The PhD education includes teaching training and contribution to teaching of courses offered by the Department, including philosophy of science for biology students.

Supervision

Principal supervisor: Joeri Witteveen. Co-supervisor to be selected upon employment. The PhD student will also benefit from feedback from Post-docs in the HUMAN_BIAS project and from other researchers in the Section for History and Philosophy of Science with relevant expertise.

Responsibilities And Tasks

• Carry through an independent research project under supervision at the host institution
• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approximately 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
• Participate in active research environments, including a stay at one or more research institutions abroad
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities (approximately 20 weeks over three years)
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis based on the project

Who are we looking for?

• Applicants should have a Master’s degree or equivalent and educational background in a discipline relevant to the PhD project (e.g., philosophy, history and philosophy of science, science and technology studies, conservation science, ecology, or related fields)
• A curious mind-set with a strong interest in practice-oriented philosophy of science
• Good English skills (written and spoken). Danish-language competency is not required
• For humanities backgrounds (e.g., philosophy): secondary training or competencies in a relevant science discipline
• For sciences backgrounds (e.g., biology): secondary training or competencies in history and/or philosophy of science
• Interest in teaching philosophy of science to science students is advantageous
• Comfort with working in a research group and with collaborative work
• Experience with archival research and/or qualitative methods is highly desirable

About The Section For History And Philosophy Of Science

We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic, international research environment. The Section has 10 permanent faculty members, PhD students, and Post-docs working on interdisciplinary projects. Research focuses on practice-oriented and empirically informed history and philosophy of science, addressing epistemological and ethical aspects of science and its use. We offer mandatory philosophy of science courses to about 1000 science students per year and work on teaching strategies and materials. More information can be found by contacting the section and visiting the university pages.

The PhD program

Qualifications needed: To be eligible, you must have completed a degree equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area, e.g., history and philosophy of science, philosophy, or science and technology studies. Applicants who have previously completed a PhD cannot apply. Terms of employment: full-time PhD fellowship for up to 3 years, with enrolment at the PhD School, and salary according to the Danish AC agreement. The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Application and Assessment Procedure

Applications must be in English and submitted electronically. Include the following attachments in your application:

• Cover letter explaining qualifications and research focus (max 1 page)
• Motivation letter with suggested research questions or a potential PhD project (max 2 pages)
• Curriculum vitae with education, experience, language skills, and other relevant skills
• Copies of original diplomas and transcripts (with English translation if issued in another language)
• A writing sample (e.g., master’s thesis)
• Publication list (if relevant)
• Names and contact information of two references

Application deadline: Friday, November 7, 2025, 23:59 (GMT+1). Online interviews are expected in December 8–12, 2025 and/or January 5–9, 2026. The recruitment process details are available on the university recruitment pages.

Important dates

Application deadline: . Employment start: . Department/Location: Department of Science Education.

EEO Statement

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.

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Contact

Joeri Witteveen
Email:

#J-18808-Ljbffr

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