Two post-doc positions (24 months) on theory (re)constuction in the empirical social and behavioral sciences

Two postdoc positions (24 months) on theory (re)constuction in the empirical social and behavioral sciences, at Faculty of Administration and Social Sciences, Warsaw University of Technology, Poland, starting 1 OCT 2020.

Vice-Rector for General Affairs announces an open competition for the position of Assistant Professor in a group of researchers in the Department of Philosophy and Ethics in Administration at the Faculty of Administration and Social Sciences of the Warsaw University of Technology, which will be the main workplace place of work in accordance with the Law on Higher Education (Journal of Laws of 2020, item 85, as amended). The position is financed under the research project number 2019/35/B/HS1/03281, which received funding from the National Science Centre under the call “OPUS-18”. In the project it is a post-doc position. Project title: Theory Construction and the Empirical Social and Behavioral Sciences (TESBS). Principal Investigator: Dr. Frank Zenker. A detailed project description can be found here. The position is scheduled for 24 months. Gross salary: 120 thousand PLN per year. The net salary depends on the tax burden and social security contributions in Poland (i.e. depends, among others, on the candidate’s country of origin).

TESBS provides infrastructure, meeting funds, and support in securing short-term training, conference, and follow-up funding.

TESBS responds critically to the absence of sophisticated theoretical superstructures in the empirical social and behavioural sciences (ESBS). TESBS adopts a semantic view of theory structures. The central goal is to develop a toolbox for theory (re-)construction that enables ESBS scientists to formulate point-specific hypotheses, and to integrate or differentiate such hypotheses into theoretical frameworks. This toolbox must align with what is cognitively accessible in the ESBS today. TESBS therefore downplays formal logic and set theory as representational tools, instead foregrounding topology (aka conceptual spaces).

Candidates requirements:

1. Hold a PhD in philosophy or a doctorate in a discipline related to the subject of the project.
2. Background knowledge of one or more of the following issues: conceptual analysis, theory reconstruction, specifically the semantic view, topology/conceptual spaces, statistical inference (including meta-analysis), philosophy of science.
3. Command of the English language to a degree that allows free academic exchange.

The following would be an asset:

4. Publications in the field of the project subject matter.
5. Additional education or competence in the area of social and behavioural sciences.
6. Additional education or competence in the formal sciences.
7. Organisational/administrative/media skills.

Additional conditions:

1. The doctoral degree was not awarded to the candidate by the Warsaw University of Technology.
2. A post-doc type post is a full-time post for a person who has obtained their PhD degree within 7 years before joining the project (planned employment from 1 October 2020). This period may be extended by a time of long-term (in excess of 90 days) documented sick leaves or rehabilitation leaves granted on account of being unfit to work. In addition, the period may be extended by the number of months of a child care leave granted pursuant to the Labour Code and in the case of women, by 18 months for every child born or adopted, whichever manner of accounting for career breaks is preferable.
3. During the period of receiving the remuneration, the candidate will not receive any other remuneration from the funds granted under direct costs from research projects financed in NCN competitions;
4. During the period of receiving the remuneration, the candidate will not receive remuneration from another employer on the basis of an employment contract, including an employer based outside Poland.

More info:
1. https://www.ans.pw.edu.pl/Pracownicy/Konkursy-na-stanowiska-naukowe-i-dydaktyczne/Konkurs-nr-1-w-projekcie-Konstrukcja-teorii-w-empirycznych
2. https://www.ans.pw.edu.pl/Pracownicy/Konkursy-na-stanowiska-naukowe-i-dydaktyczne/Konkurs-nr-2-w-projekcie-Konstrukcja-teorii-w-empirycznych