The Department of Science Communication and Higher Education Research, University of Klagenfurt (Klagenfurt, Austria) are offering 2 positions within the “Epistemology of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)” Research Unit:

1 Postdoctoral Researcher in Science and Technology Studies (40 hours/week)
1 Doctoral Researcher in Science and Technology Studies (30 hours/week)

Positions are funded for 3 years (fixed-term contracts) by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). Prospective starting date: October 1, 2020.

Deadline for applications: May 22, 2020

The Research Unit, which was established in 2016 and recently re-approved for another three-year period by the DFG (German Research Foundation) and the FWF, investigates the LHC at the European laboratory for particle physics CERN from an interdisciplinary perspective. It addresses key issues in philosophy and history of science as well as Science and Technology Studies (STS) in six individual projects.

Candidates should have sound knowledge of STS and a pronounced interest in physics. The successful applicants will investigate the epistemic practices and culture of LHC experiments from the perspective of Science and Technology Studies. Particular emphasis will be placed on the role of creativity, instrumentation, and trust in the production of novel results; and on the question of how researchers secure credibility for their results within a highly complex and differentiated organizational environment. These issues will be addressed by way of qualitative social research methods, including interviews with physicists and fieldwork at CERN.

Requirements for the Postdoctoral Position – PhD with above-average results in the social sciences, humanities or physics – Pertinent academic publications – Sound knowledge of STS (concepts, approaches, themes) – Very good command of English

Requirements for the Doctoral Position – Master’s degree with above-average results in the social sciences, humanities or physics – Knowledge of STS (concepts, approaches, themes) – Very good command of English

Application documents should include: letter of motivation (1-2 pages), CV, list of publications (if available), certificates of study degrees, 1-2 writing samples (e.g. master thesis, doctoral thesis, journal article), names and contact details of 2 referees, submitted as a single pdf document with the title “B3Postdoc”, or “B3-PhD” to Martina Merz: martina.merz@aau.at

Deadline for applications: May 22, 2020

Job interviews will take place by video in June 2020.

Informal enquiries can be addressed to Prof. Dr. Martina Merz: martina.merz@aau.at

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