Postdoctoral Research Associate (Fixed Term)

This is an exciting opportunity to work within the research project titled "Amalgamating Evidence About Causes: Medicine, the Medical Sciences, and Beyond", led by Professor Jacob Stegenga, in partnership with Professor Stephan Hartmann (LMU Munich), and funded by AHRC & DFG. This full time Postdoctoral Research Associate position with expertise in philosophy of science or medicine is fixed term until 31 January 2027.

In many areas of science, a variety of evidence from different methods, experts, and disciplines can be relied on when inferring causal claims. The amalgamation of evidence to produce causal knowledge is a widespread challenge for scientists and those aiming to rely on causal claims in decision-making. This is acutely important in the biomedical sciences and in medical practice. The goal of the project Amalgamating Evidence About Causes is to systematically study the amalgamation of causal evidence in medicine, by articulating formal constraints, prescriptive principles, and methodological heuristics that could guide practitioners in medicine and could be used as evaluative norms in this practical, policy-oriented context. More information about the project can be found in the Further Particulars.

Applicants should have completed (or near completed) a PhD in Philosophy and have expertise in philosophy of science or philosophy of medicine. We welcome applicants using a diverse range of approaches in their research, including formal methods, computer simulations, and case studies. We particularly welcome applicants from candidates with research interests in causal inference in medicine, construed broadly to include, as examples, causal inference based on clinical experience, the use of quantitative effect sizes, the role of diverse evidence for causal inference, how expert judgements get aggregated, and how artificial intelligence might contribute to causal inference in medicine.

The postdoc will be based in the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence at the University of Cambridge (CFI) and will be regularly collaborating with other members of the research project based in LMU Munich at the Munich Centre for Mathematical Philosophy. There are no teaching duties, though teaching opportunities may arise. The project grant has funds dedicated to conference travel for the post holder, for regular visits to Munich, and for workshops. 

CFI is a highly interdisciplinary research centre addressing the challenges and opportunities posed by artificial intelligence (AI). Funded by the Leverhulme Trust, CFI is based at the University of Cambridge, with partners in the University of Oxford, Imperial College, and UC Berkeley. The Centre also has close links with industry, policymakers, and many academic disciplines.

For information on how to apply, please see the Further Particulars document, click the 'Apply' button above. 

Informal enquiries about the role are welcomed and should be directed to Professor Jacob Stegenga on jms303@cam.ac.uk. For questions on the application process, please contact the School's HR Team on sahhr@admin.cam.ac.uk.

The closing date for applications is midnight (GMT) on Sunday 12 January 2025. Interviews are planned for the week commencing 3 February 2025, subject to change.

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click the 'Apply' button above. 

Please quote reference GO44365 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

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