Research Fellow in Philosophical Moral Psychology

Location: Uehiro Oxford Institute, Littlegate House, 16-17 St Ebbe’s Street, Oxford, OX1 1PT

Contract type: FTC (2.5 years)

Hours: Full time (37.5/ 1 FTE)

About the role

The full-time postdoctoral fellow in philosophy will conduct independent and collaborative research in the Philosophical Moral Psychology Lab under the supervision of Dr Joanna Demaree-Cotton. The fellow will work as part of a collaborative interdisciplinary team contributing to projects within the Philosophical Moral Psychology Lab. Though they may work on various topics in the lab, the fellow’s research will include contributions to the Moral Psychology of Autonomy in Healthcare project, looking at topics such as: autonomy-based rights in healthcare; inequities in respect for medical autonomy; what it means to be ‘listened to’; whether there are moral duties of listening; cross-cultural understandings of medical autonomy and patient consent.

The lab includes researchers with complementary skills in philosophical and psychological methods respectively. The fellow will be expected to collaborate with researchers whose expertise lies in experimental moral psychology.

The fellow will actively contribute to research relevant to the Philosophical Moral Psychology Lab, and also provide guidance to junior members of the research group. The Philosophical Moral Psychology Lab conducts interdisciplinary research that draws on moral philosophy, ethics, experimental philosophy and moral psychology. The lab investigates the factors and psychological processes that shape moral intuitions, moral reasoning, and moral agency, and develops empirically-informed contributions to normative debates in philosophical ethics. Current research areas include: consent and autonomy; gender bias and medical ethics; moral dilemmas; moral responsibility and blame; moral duties to the dead; animal and AI ethics. For more information about the research group, see https://moralpsychlab.web.ox.ac.uk/home.

The start date of the role is 1 January 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter, and no later than 1 October 2027.

About you

You will hold a PhD or DPhil in Philosophy (or related field), or be close to completion by the advertised closing date for this application.

It is essential for the postholder to have expertise in ethics and moral philosophy. The possession of interdisciplinary skills is desirable, and interest in relevant interdisciplinary research (e.g. psychologically-informed ethics, philosophically-informed moral psychology, experimental philosophy, and/or philosophy of psychology) is essential. The successful candidate will have demonstrated excellent research skills and willingness to work collaboratively with others.

The duties and skills required are described in further detail in the job description.Click the 'Apply' button above. 

Application process

Applications for this vacancy are to be made online via the 'Apply' button above and Vacancy ID 188742 where the job description and access to the online recruitment system can also be found.

For further details, please refer to the How to apply section of the job description. Any further enquires about the application process may be directed to hr@humanities.ox.ac.uk. Enquiries about the role may be directed to joanna.demaree-cotton@uehiro.ox.ac.uk.

Committed to equality and valuing diversity.

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