We are seeking a candidate for a PhD project on the philosophical and social psychological aspects of competition in science, with the aim of understanding the balance between competitive and collaborative aspects of the scientific enterprise. The position is located at the Faculty of Philosophy but the project is part of a collaboration between social psychologists and philosophers of science working on the epistemological characteristics of groups. The PhD candidate will work on a philosophical project that bridges social epistemology and social psychology.

See the link below for a further description of the project:
https://www.scoop-program.org/program-projects/715-7-2-the-merits-and-defects-of-competition

The project is part of the transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary research programme SCOOP: Roadmaps to Resilient Societies (see: http://www.scoop-program.org ). SCOOP is a research and training centre dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of sustainable cooperation as a key feature of resilient societies. SCOOP brings together researchers of the University of Groningen, Utrecht University, VU Amsterdam, Erasmus University Rotterdam, and Radboud University Nijmegen. The PhD student will participate in the SCOOP PhD training program, see: https://www.scoop-program.org/training-program-towards-transdisciplinarity

We are looking for candidates who have finished, or are close to finishing, a master’s degree in philosophy of science, or in another field in which the social process of science is studied. Additionally we require that candidates have:

- excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
- affinity with philosophical debates over the norms for collective opinion formation
- an interest in integrating insights from empirical psychology into a philosophical framework
- eagerness to learn to work in an interdisciplinary research team and to conduct interdisciplinary research in the SCOOP programme
- a strong motivation for doing a PhD.

Fixed-term contract: 48 months.

We offer you in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities:

- a gross salary of € 2,541 gross per month in the first year to a maximum of € 3,247 gross per month in the final year (salary scale PhD), based on a full-time position (1.0 FTE)
- a holiday allowance of 8% gross annual income and a 8.3% year-end bonus
- a position for four years (full time). Each successful candidate will first be offered a temporary position of one year with the option of renewal for another three years. Prolongation of the contract is contingent on sufficient progress in the first year to indicate that a successful completion of the PhD thesis within the contract period is to be expected. A PhD training programme is part of the agreement and the successful candidate will be enrolled in the Graduate School of the Faculty.

The preferred start date is between 1 October and 1 December 2021.

Faculty of Philosophy

Since its founding in 1614, the University of Groningen has enjoyed an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative center of higher education, offering high-quality teaching and research. We encourage the 36,000 students and researchers to develop their own individual talents. Among the best research universities in Europe, we join forces with prestigious partner universities and networks around the world, the University of Groningen is truly an international place of knowledge.

The Faculty of Philosophy is a vibrant, international community of excellent researchers and teachers. It consistently receives the highest evaluations for research among philosophy departments in The Netherlands.