Professor and Chair of the Philosophy Group

An inspiring professor to lead the Chair Group Philosophy. The Philosophy Group focuses on social-political, ethical, epistemic, and ontological issues involved in the relationship of humans with nature, animals, food, and agriculture. The Group aims to understand processes of societal and ethical debates around science and technology in different societal and cultural settings, by engaging in normative analysis and reflection on presuppositions.

The chair group has strong expertise in environmental philosophy, environmental ethics, and philosophy and ethics of technology. Moving forward, it wants to, additionally, strengthen its expertise in areas including:

• social and political philosophy,
• philosophy of science,
• moral philosophy,
• any other specialisation in philosophy relevant to the domains of Wageningen University & Research.

The new chair holder will foster a vibrant academic climate, provide a supportive working environment for academics, and help maintain the Group’s good track record in publications, acquisitions, education, and societal impact. The chair holder will enable the Group's research ambitions by further strengthening its position in national and international networks, strategically develop collaborations within and outside Wageningen University & Research and strengthen the established research lines as well as pursuing novel ideas. Strengthening the acquisition of external funding for research and interacting with societal partners are key elements of the chair holder’s responsibilities.

The successful applicant will play an active role in the Group’s education programme, develop educational strategies for all study programmes of Wageningen University and initiate courses in philosophy and ethics with experts from life and social sciences.

More info about our ground-breaking research projects, education and publications can be found at the Group’s website . And a virtual tour on WUR’s green and sustainable campus can be taken here!

• a PhD degree in a relevant field e.g., social and political philosophy, philosophy of science or moral philosophy;
• enthusiasm for, and experience, in managing professionals with an inspiring, supportive, and inclusive leadership style and proven financial and operational management skills;
• profound knowledge of social-political, ethical, epistemic and/or ontological issues in the Wageningen University & Research domains, and a vision for future research and education of the Philosophy Group;
• a track record of scientific publications of recognized international quality;
• a track record of acquiring, leading and managing externally funded research projects;
• a committed and inspiring educator and supervisor with a proven ability to mentor PhD candidates and young scholars;
• creativity in communication of findings and an inspiring vision on how philosophers can contribute to societal impact.

You will be working for an international oriented organization with research projects all over the world. We offer a challenging position as full professor and chair of the Philosophy Group. In addition to a competitive salary, we offer several additional benefits, such as an end-of- year- extra month’s salary, a holiday allowance, and a pension plan with the Dutch pension fund for government and education. International candidates moving to the Netherlands may benefit from a special tax relief, by which 30% of their salary is exempt from tax. Have a look on https://www.wur.nl/en/Jobs/Moving-to-the-Netherlands.htm.

The position as chair is also open for candidates who prefer to work 0,8 fte in stead of fulltime.

Coming from abroad
We are a globally leading university in the life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

The university’s highly qualified team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family. Furthermore, WUR offers a dual career programme for groups of partners and a specialised organization will further assist your partner in finding a job or starting a business in the Netherlands. Furthermore, we assist you in finding schools for your children and advise you on finding housing in the region or elsewhere in the Netherlands. The Wageningen University & Research's (WUR) International Community page contains practical information about what we do to support international employees and students coming to Wageningen.

Further information about the position can be acquired from Professor Dr Anita Hardon, Chair of the Appointment Advisory Committee, email [email protected] , Tel: +31 317482776

More detailed information on the profile and the Philosophy Group is available upon request via the executive secretary of the Committee, Dr Esther Roquas, [email protected] .

Application
You are encouraged to upload your complete application via the respond button on top of this page. Please include in separate documents an (1) application letter, (2) curriculum vitae and a (3) list of publications.

Applications can be sent until and including Monday 28 August 2023. We especially encourage female candidates, and candidates from abroad, to apply for this position.

The Committee will inform you about the status of your application after 26 September 2023. Selected candidates will be interviewed for this position on Tuesday 10 October 2023. The Committee will thereafter invite short-listed candidates for a second interview and a trial lecture on Thursday 9 November 2023.

Equal opportunities
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) employs a large number of people with very different backgrounds and qualities, who inspire and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisation and be offered the same career opportunities. We therefore especially welcome applications from people who are underrepresented at WUR. A good example of how WUR deals with inclusiveness can be read on the page working at WUR with a functional impairment .

Wageningen University & Research
The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life.” Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,200 employees (6,400 fte) and 13,200 students and over 150.000 participants to WUR’s Lifelong Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch this video to get an idea of our green campus!

The Philosophy Group is currently composed of 5 tenured and non-tenured scientific staff, 4 lecturers, 10 postdoctoral researchers, 7 PhD candidates and support staff. The Group also hosts 2 endowed professors in Christian and Humanistic philosophy. The Group is part of the Department of Social Sciences within Wageningen University. The Department provides social sciences research and academic education in the domains of Wageningen University: food, environment, health. The Philosophy Group is well positioned to collaborate with other social sciences and life sciences experts. The Group is embedded in the SPICE section together Strategic Communication Group, the Knowledge, Technology & Innovation Group, and the Education and Learning Sciences Group. The Philosophy Group collaborates with the other technical universities in the 4TU Centre of Ethics of Technology.