Area of Specialization: Environmental Philosophy
Areas of Competence: Gender and diversity, political philosophy and/or ethics
Salary: Salary academic staff (AP)
The Institute of Philosophy of KU Leuven invites applications for a full‐time, open rank professorship at its Research center In Political Philosophy and Ethics Leuven (RIPPLE). Successful candidates must have made (or show strong potential to make) significant contributions to philosophical research on foundational issues and engage with relevant public debates connected to our contemporary environmental crises. We are looking for internationally oriented and collegially minded candidates who combine their research strengths with enthusiasm for teaching philosophy, also beyond their narrower specialization. The appointment is expected to start on February 1, 2024.
The Institute of Philosophy offers bachelor, master, and research master programs both in Dutch and in English. More than a hundred PhD students and Postdocs from all over the world join close to forty professors in an exceptionally wide range of research specializations and approaches. The Institute enjoys an elaborate international network and an excellent library. Despite the large size and scope of the Institute, we understand ourselves as a community. We strive for a culture of respect and inclusiveness that welcomes and supports members from diverse backgrounds and life experiences. We are committed to open and free inquiry from multiple perspectives. Look us up at
Duties
Research
You are an internationally oriented philosopher who is able, or shows strong potential to:
- develop environmental philosophy into one of the Institute’s research strengths;
- strengthen existing research lines, bring complementary expertise and perspectives, and contribute substantially to the research community at RIPPLE and at the Institute of Philosophy as a whole;
- publish in the most relevant philosophical journals, edited collections, monographs, or other appropriate channels;
- supervise PhDs and postdocs working in environmental philosophy and related topics;
- contribute to public debates on environmental as well as other relevant political or ethical issues;
- collaborate with other researchers at the Institute and at other KU Leuven faculties in an open and collegial way.
Education
You are a motivated teacher who is able, or shows strong potential to:
- effectively teach smaller seminars as well as larger lecture courses in philosophy, also beyond the narrow confines of your specialization;
- engage and motivate students to think philosophically, including students from other faculties;
- supervise BA, MA, and ResMA theses, instruct students in the relevant research skills, and support their independent research and intellectual growth;
- develop your teaching in accordance with KU Leuven’s mission on education, making use of the possibilities for educational professionalization offered by the faculty and the university.
- Teaching and supervision may initially be in English only, but will, within 5 years, be expected also in Dutch.
Service
You are a team-oriented colleague who actively and competently contributes to relevant initiatives and committees at faculty and university levels.
Profile
In order to be considered you must provide evidence of the following:
- You hold a PhD in Philosophy or other relevant discipline at the time of application. If you have recently obtained your PhD, it is important that you support your candidacy with academic references.
- The quality of your research through your publications in philosophical journals, edited collections, monographs, or other appropriate channels. Existing or emerging international visibility of your research is considered an important advantage.
- You are able to design and teach courses in environmental philosophy as well as on a wider range of philosophical topics at undergraduate and graduate level, including general introductory courses in Ethics and Political philosophy.
- You have organizational skills and are motivated to work in a team, with an open and collegial attitude.
- Your spoken and written English is of a high academic standard (existing skills in Dutch are a plus). The official administrative language used at KU Leuven is Dutch. If you do not speak Dutch (or do not speak it well) at the start of employment, KU Leuven will provide language training and other accommodations if necessary. Before teaching courses in Dutch or English, you will be given the opportunity, if necessary, to learn the relevant language to the required standard.
Offer
- Depending on your qualifications and academic experience, you will be appointed to, or tenured in one of the grades of senior academic staff: assistant professor, associate professor, professor, or full professor. In principle, junior researchers are appointed as assistant professor on a tenure track for a period of 5 years; after this period and a positive evaluation, they are permanently appointed as an associate professor. The period of 5 years may be extended by a year in the case of pregnancy or serious illness.
- To facilitate scientific onboarding and accelerate research in the first phase a starting grant of 110,000 Euro is offered to new professors without substantial other funding.
- You will work in Leuven, a historic and dynamic and vibrant city located in the heart of Belgium, just twenty minutes from Brussels, the capital of the European Union, and less than two hours from Paris, London and Amsterdam.
Interested?
If you have further questions about the position, or about work and life at the institute more generally, please feel free to contact Prof. dr. Gerd Van Riel, Dean of the Institute of Philosophy, ([email protected]), or Prof. dr. Julia Jansen, Vice-Dean of the International Programme, ([email protected]), KU Leuven, Institute of Philosophy, Kardinaal Mercierplein 2, B-3000 Leuven.
If you wish to declare your being a member of an underrepresented group, we are inviting you to do so.
For problems with online applying, please contact [email protected]
You can apply for this job no later than September 11, 2023, by clicking the ‘Apply’ button.
KU Leuven seeks to foster an environment where all talents can flourish, regardless of gender, age, cultural background, nationality or impairments. If you have any questions relating to accessibility or support, please contact us at [email protected]