PhD – Project in Philosophy of Science – Denmark

Within the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA), University of Copenhagen is offering one PhD fellowship in Philosophy of Science for a Doctoral Candidate (DC).

The successful applicant will join a multidisciplinary and international MSCA Doctoral Network called TRANSCEND, which will deliver a training program to 13 doctoral candidates from 11 different partner universities. This doctoral position is based at the Section for History and Philosophy of Science, Department of Science Education, at University of Copenhagen (UCPH) and it is a full-time position for 36 months.

The mission of the TRANSCEND doctoral network is to equip doctoral candidates with a “bio-medico-philosophical” mindset, combining critical thinking from the philosophy of science with cutting-edge biomedical research. The PhD project is part of a work package called “Making mechanistic studies more translational”, which aims to achieve scientific breakthroughs through collaborations between experimental neuroscientists, computational modelling, and critical philosophical reflections on methods and concepts.

The project: Philosophical Perspectives on Animal Models in Translational Neuroscience

The aim of the PhD project is to provide a practice-oriented philosophical analysis of the role of animal models in translational research. The research project focuses on neuroscience, where it is often difficult to replace animal models with new alternative methods, such as organoids. The project explores how selected aspects of complex disorders, such as depression, are attempted operationalized into measurable traits and behaviours in animal experiments, as well as how (reverse) translational inferences are also made from mechanistic insights from animal studies to human medicine. Moreover, the project reflects on the implications of different experimental designs for knowledge generation, including efforts to make animal experiments more naturalistic and reduce stress induced by housing conditions or experimental procedures. The project combines theoretical analysis in philosophy of science with empirical analysis, such as ethnographic observation in labs and qualitative interviews with practicing scientists. The thesis should contribute to the existing scholarship in philosophy of science on animal model and animal experimentation, but efforts to engage with practicing scientists for discussion and communication of findings are also expected.

The research questions, methodology, and project plan for the PhD project will be developed together with the supervisors in the project’s initial phase. But candidates are encouraged to suggest a focus area and research questions of specific interest at the application stage, and to include in the application a brief project proposal (see below). The purpose is to demonstrate the candidate’s ability to pose relevant, original, and theoretically engaged questions within a specific area of interest, and to conduct this research through a feasible qualitative approach.

Duties

• Carry through an independent research project under supervision at the host institution
• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / 1/2 FTE
• Participate in active research environments, including a stay at one or more research institutions abroad
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities (corresponding to approx. 1/2 FTE)
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

Requirements

• You must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g., in history and philosophy of science, philosophy, anthropology, psychology, science and technology studies, or a related field of study.
• Applicants who have previously completed a PhD degree cannot apply for this position.
• Additional training and experience with qualitative methods is strongly preferred.
• Applicants can be of any nationality and must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Denmark for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the start of their employment at UCPH.
• Applicants must not be in possession of a doctoral degree at the first day of the employment. Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet been awarded the doctoral degree are not eligible.
• A change of scientific environment (3-6 months) is mandatory for all PhD candidates in Denmark.
• Applicants should have a curious mind-set with a strong interest in practice-oriented philosophy of science.
• Applicants should have good English skills, both written and spoken.
• It is desirable to have basic knowledge of or a strong interest in the practices of animal experimentation.
• It is considered an advantage that candidates have an interest in and experience with teaching of philosophy of science-to-science students (e.g., students from biology or chemistry).
• Candidates should be comfortable working in research groups and have an interest in collaborative work.

Benefits

Employment as a PhD fellow is full time and for a maximum 3 years.

The EU MSCA grant received by the University of Copenhagen consists of a monthly living allowance of EUR 5,325 (approx. DKK 39,603), and a monthly mobility allowance of EUR 710 (approx. DKK 5,280). In addition, a monthly family allowance of EUR 660 (approx. DKK 4,909) may apply if eligibility conditions are fulfilled.

Organization/Company – University of Copenhagen.

Research field – Philosophy » Philosophy of science.

Research profile – First Stage Researcher (R1).

Country –Denmark.

Application Deadline – 31 Oct 2025 – 23:59 (Europe/Copenhagen).

More information: Euraxess.