PhD Opportunity in Biomedical Ethics

PhD Opportunity in Biomedical Ethics

The Institute for Biomedical Ethics at the University of Basel (IBMB), Switzerland (http://ibmb.unibas.ch/),
is currently looking for dynamic and independent graduate students (Master’s degree) who are interested
in carrying out their PhD work in the ethics of automation. The PhD position is part of our work as partners
in the National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) in Dependable, Ubiquitous, Automation, funded
by the Swiss National Science Foundation. The Developing Ethics for Automation project collects qualitative
interview data as well as quantitative survey data to investigate public and expert attitudes towards
integrating ethics in automation across different aspects of society (including autonomous vehicles, smart
energy networks, and beyond). The successful candidate will ideally start work in August 2024.

Your tasks:

• Coordinating and managing a research project including carrying out qualitative interviews and analyzing a large panel data set, including collaboration with other NCCR Automation researchers.
• Continuing your education/training (e.g., taking courses on research methods).
• Mentoring research assistants, supervising bachelor and master students and reviewing their contributions.
• Documenting and presenting research findings in English.
• Contributing to various organizational processes at the IBMB.

Your qualifications:

• Master’s degree in ethics, philosophy, psychology, bioethics, law, AI or other related fields.
• Very good Master’s and Bachelor’s academic grades.
• Excellent language skills in English.
• Willingness to contribute towards an empirical project.
• Ability to speak and understand German and/or French.)
• Excellent knowledge of research methods and statistics; ideally you are familiar with the analysis of large panel data sets; at a minimum, you are willing to quickly learn these skills independently.
• High level of commitment, intrinsic motivation, enthusiasm, and responsibility.
• You wish to be an integral part of an international team and contribute to its success.
• Your long-term goal is an academic career.
• You have strong organizational skills and the ability to work independently.

We offer:

• Enrolment in a Swiss Bologna accredited PhD Program in Bioethics and Health Policy at one of the leading research universities in Europe, in collaboration with the Center for Social Psychology.
• An attractive salary and well-equipped working environment.
• Positive and productive working atmosphere in which you can develop yourself and realize your potential with in a dedicated team that enjoys collaborating on various projects.
• Opportunity to engage in a cutting-edge interdisciplinary topic.
• Empirical methods courses in order to successfully conduct your PhD Project.
• You will also have the possibility to contribute to the academic life at the IBMB, including contributions to teaching, collaboration in other research projects and academic publications in scientific journals.

Environment: The University of Basel is the oldest Swiss university with a long tradition in ethics and the
humanities and is committed to diversity, equal opportunities and family-friendliness. It has a long-standing
reputation in outstanding research and teaching. Its doctoral candidates come from many international
countries providing a vibrant and rich community. More information about the University is available at the
following website: https://www.unibas.ch/en/University/About-University.html. The city of Basel is a
global centre for biomedical research with major academic institutions and research departments of leading
life science companies. Basel is a multicultural city and ranks among the best in terms of quality of life.

Applications: Applications must be submitted in English and should include in a single PDF file: (1) A detailed
CV, including an overview of study results (grades), the title of your master thesis, contact information of
(at least) two (academic) referees, and a PDF-file of the master thesis; (2) A motivation letter (maximum
two pages, double-spaced, font 12), specifying your interests in the topic and PhD at Basel. Applications
should be sent via email directly to Dr David Shaw (david.shaw@unibas.ch) by 30th April 2024.