Institute of Cognitive Science

The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence research group (Prof. Dr. Rainer Mühlhoff) of the Institute of Cognitive Science invites applications for

2 Research Assistants (m/f/d)
(Salary level E 13 TV-L, 50%)

The positions are to be filled as soon as possible for a period of 3 years.

Description of Responsibilities:
The positions involve participation in the research activities of the Ethics of AI group. Our main research topics are critical philosophy and ethics of data-driven AI systems, philosophy and ethics of human-machine interaction, and philosophy of subjectivation in digital media. This includes philosophy of affect in the context of human-computer interaction.

The positions include teaching Cognitive Science courses at B.Sc. and M.Sc. level (2 hours/week) and allow to work towards a PhD.

We are looking for two different profiles:

Profile 1: Strong background in cognitive science and philosophy of affect/emotion as well as in continental philosophy to work on critical perspectives relating to affect, subjectivity and digitalization/AI.

Profile 2: Strong background in the humanities and cognitive science as well as applied ethics to work on ethics of AI in human-computer interaction, preferably from a critical perspective (e.g. gender studies).

Requirements:

• Applicants are expected to have an excellent academic degree (Master/diploma) as well as an excellent knowledge in the field of cognitive science, continental philosophy, affect studies (Profile 1) or philosophy/cognitive science, applied ethics, culture studies (including e.g. gender studies) (Profile 2).
• Experience in peer-reviewed academic publishing, basic programming and/or data analytics skills, and qualitative empirical methods in the humanities is of advantage.
• A good command of the English language is mandatory.

Osnabrück University is a family-friendly university and is committed to helping working/studying parents balanced their family and working lives.

Osnabrück University seeks to guarantee equality of opportunity for women and men and strives to correct any gender imbalance in its schools and departments.

If two candidates are equally qualified, preference will be given to the candidate with disability status.

Applications including CV, degree certificates, transcripts of records, a short exposé of a dissertation project in the context of the position (3-5 pages), a seminar concept (1-2 pages) for a seminar in cognitive science on a related topic, as well as a reading sample (published paper, excerpt of M.Sc./MA thesis, term paper etc., max 15 pages in English) should be submitted by e-mail in a single PDF file to the Director of the Institute of Cognitive Science (office@ikw.uni-osnabrueck.de) no later than September 9, 2021. Further information can be obtained from Prof. Dr. Rainer Mühlhoff (rainer.muehlhoff@uni-osnabrueck.de).