Postdoc Position: Securing Public Values in an Age of Digitalisation (2 positions)

1. Introduction

Radboud University’s Interdisciplinary Hub for Digitalisation and Society (iHub) is looking for two postdoctoral researchers to join a project on ’securing public values in an age of digitalisation’.  Are you eager to add your expertise to this project? Then please apply for one of the postdoctoral researcher positions.

2. Job description

The positions will be part of the project ’Securing public values in an age of digitalisation’ (Principal Investigator, Prof. Tamar Sharon), an interdisciplinary team science project funded by an Ammodo Science Award, investigating ethical, legal and societal aspects of digitalisation. Both positions are for two years, commencing as soon as possible after 1 October 2025 and no later than 1 January 2026.

Postdoctoral researcher 1 (policy studies or a related field) will be tasked with critically analysing Europe’s ambitious and fast-moving digital policy landscape, particularly in relation to European digital sovereignty and European data spaces.

Postdoctoral researcher 2 (ethics or a related field) will be tasked with researching the development and use of digital technology, including AI, in the health sphere, and ensuing value clashes, in line with the conceptual framework of ’sphere transgressions’.

Both postdoctoral researchers will be expected to play an active role in the research project team, to co-author scientific articles and reports with other members, and contribute to research and activities within iHub.

3. Profile

Postdoctoral researcher 1:

• You have a PhD in policy studies, innovation studies, critical data studies or a related field.
• You have demonstrable interest (e.g. apparent from publications) in EU digital policy and digital governance.
• You are willing and able to work in an interdisciplinary team and have the ability to present ideas to people from other disciplinary backgrounds.
• You have an excellent command of written and spoken English.
• You have good communication skills and are willing and able to communicate in non-academic settings.

Postdoctoral researcher 2:

• You have a PhD in ethics, philosophy, science and technology studies, critical data studies or a related field.
• You have demonstrable interest (e.g. apparent from publications) in the ethics of digital health and digital society.
• You are willing and able to work in an interdisciplinary team and have the ability to present ideas to people from other disciplinary backgrounds.
• You have an excellent command of written and spoken English, knowledge of Dutch would be an advantage.
• You have good communication skills and are willing and able to communicate in non-academic settings.

Researchers who do not meet all the requirements above are also encouraged to apply for this position. 

4. We are

You will be embedded at the Interdisciplinary Hub for Digitalisatlon and Society (iHub). iHub brings together researchers from philosophy, ethics, law, computer science, language sciences, communication sciences and other disciplines from across the university to tackle challenges raised by the increased digitalisation of society. Our in-house iLab develops value-based prototypes and designs. Researchers at iHub are organised around themes, such as algorithmic discrimination, digital persuasion and manipulation, and technology at the workplace, and focus on the promotion of public values in digital transformations. You will benefit from and contribute to the rich and shared expertise at iHub.

You will be affiliated with the Department of Ethics and Political Philosophy at the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies. 

5. We offer

• We will give you a temporary employment contract of two years.
• Your salary within salary scale 11 depends on your previous education and number of years of (relevant) work experience. The amounts in the scale are based on a 38-hour working week.
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus. 
• We offer Dual Career Coaching. The Dual Career Coaching assists your partner via support, tools, and resources to improve their chances of independently finding employment in the Netherlands. 
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20. 

6. Practical information and applying

You can apply only via the button below. Address your letter of application to Tamar Sharon. In the application form, you will find which documents you need to include with your application.

The first interviews will take place on Thursday 21 August between 10:00-16:00 CET. Any second interview will take place on Monday 25 August between 13:00-16:00 CET. You will preferably start your employment on 1 October 2025.

We can imagine you're curious about our application procedure. It describes what you can expect during the application procedure and how we handle your personal data and internal and external candidates.