PhD Position in History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences

Are you passionate about exploring the intersection of history, philosophy, and the life sciences? Utrecht University offers a unique opportunity for an aspiring scholar to embark on a four-year full-time journey as a PhD researcher. Dive into the fascinating realm of “Microbiome research and race in the ‘Local South'” and contribute to cutting-edge scientific inquiries in the rapidly growing field of human microbiome research.

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Job Description:

In today’s biosciences, the use of racial classifications is still contested. While ‘race’ is usually denied a biological reality, it still figures in human diversity and health research. Recently, the concept of race has become central in the rapidly growing field of human microbiome research, where it is widely used to highlight health problems (e.g., obesity, type-2 diabetes) suffered by socio-economically disadvantaged groups. Here, ‘race’ is not primarily genetic but refers to different microbial compositions (e.g., in the gut) of human groups in certain local and global environments.

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Research Objectives:

The research group “Microbiome research and race in the ‘Local South'” aims to develop a new classification tool to better identify populations under study in human microbiome research and evaluate when it is legitimate to refer to race and when it is not. The central questions of the project are as follows:

• Does race in microbiome research capture people’s identities?
• How to correctly account for populations found in different local contexts to effectively address health disparities?
• How to link local labeling practices with globally operating classifications?
• How can scientists in human microbiome ecology adopt epistemically fruitful, non-discriminatory, and locally relevant classification criteria of human diversity and race?
• How can such local epistemologies of human diversity be integrated within a globally operating science?

Your Role:

As a PhD researcher, your role involves leading the subproject “Transitions in Racial Classification from Human Genetics to Human Microbiome Research.” Your tasks include detailed analyses of genomics and metagenomics publications (especially on the gut microbiome), historical and empirical research. You will interact with scientists working on human microbiome research in local settings in South Africa. Your findings on historical shifts in racial classifications are key to developing new tools to study human diversity in the field of microbiome research. Beyond your research, you will contribute to the organization of regular project events such as biweekly reading groups, group discussions, and presentations, as well as workshops. Additionally, you will present your work in academic conferences and contribute to increasing public awareness on this topic by co-writing science communication pieces with the team and participating in educational activities.

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Qualifications:

Are you collaborative, enthusiastic, and excited to establish new interdisciplinary connections? We are looking for you if you have:

• A background in history and philosophy of the life sciences or a related field (e.g., philosophy of science, history of science, science and technology studies, sociology of science, medical anthropology among others).
• A demonstrable interest in doing research on race and racism, health inequalities, discrimination, scientific pluralism, epistemic diversity, decolonization, and similar topics.
• Some experience using empirical methods (or are willing to learn them).
• Interest in collaborative team research and developing your research and teaching skills.
• An excellent command of English.

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Offer:

We offer:

• An exciting research environment as part of the HPS program of the Freudenthal Institute and the Descartes Centre.
• A full-time position (1.0 FTE) for four years.
• A full-time gross salary ranging from € 2,770 in the first year, increasing to € 3,539 in the fourth year in scale P of the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities (CAO).
• 8% holiday bonus and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• A pension scheme, partially paid parental leave, and flexible employment conditions based on the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities.

In addition to the employment conditions from the CAO for Dutch Universities, Utrecht University has a number of its own arrangements, including agreements on professional development, leave arrangements, sports and cultural schemes, and discounts on software and other IT products. We also give you the opportunity to expand your terms of employment through the Employment Conditions Selection Model.

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About the Organization:

At Utrecht University, various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. The focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences, and Pathways to Sustainability. You will work in a shared office at the Utrecht Science Park, in the Freudenthal Institute, which includes the History and Philosophy of Science (HPS) group, as well as mathematics and science education and communication. The HPS group is one of the largest of its kind in Europe, responsible for one of the largest HPS Master’s programs in Europe.

You will be part of a vibrant and diverse community, with activities like weekly Freudenthal Research Seminars, biweekly seminars in philosophy of science, and a monthly Descartes Colloquium.

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Additional Information:

For more information about this position, please contact Dr. Abigail Nieves Delgado via a.nievesdelgado@uu.nl. If you have questions about the application procedure, please send an email to science.recruitment@uu.nl.

Application Deadline: 6 November 2023

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Apply: Application Link

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Join us to become one of the fundamental connections in science and research. Apply today!

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