Research Associate

Job title:

Research Associate

Company

University of Glasgow

Job description

Job PurposeTo make a leading contribution as an RA to an AHRC project ‘Digital Knowledge: A New Framework for Digital Epistemic Virtues’ working with Prof J Adam Carter (PI, Glasgow) in collaboration with Prof Jesper Kallestrup (Co-I, University of Aberdeen). The successful candidate will produce high-quality research in accordance with the project’s aims (see project overview below).Main Duties and Responsibilities1. Take a leading role in the planning and conduct of assigned research individually or jointly in accordance with the project deliverables and Philosophy, School of Humanities and College of Arts research strategy.2. Document research output including analysis and interpretation of all data, maintaining records and databases, drafting technical/progress reports and papers as appropriate.3. Establish and maintain your research profile and reputation and that of School of Humanities and College of Arts, and of the COGITO Epistemology Research Centre, including establishing and sustaining a track record of independent and joint publications of international quality in high profile/quality refereed journals, enhancing the research impact in terms of economic/societal benefit, and gathering indicators of esteem.4. Survey the research literature and environment, understand the research challenges associated with the project & subject area, & develop/implement a suitable research strategy.5. Presentation of work at international and national conferences, at internal and external seminars, colloquia and workshops to develop and enhance our research profile.6. Take a leading role in the identification of potential funding sources and to assist in the development of proposals to secure funding from internal and external bodies to support future research.7. Take a leading role in developing and maintaining collaborations with colleagues across the research group/School/College/University and wider community (e.g. Academic and Industrial Partners).8. Take a leading role in team/group meetings/seminars/workshops and School research group activities to enhance the wider knowledge, outputs and culture of the School/College.9. Take the lead in the organisation, supervision, mentoring and training of undergraduate and/or postgraduate students and less experienced members of the project team to ensure their effective development.10. Perform administrative tasks related to the activities of the research group and School, including Budgets/Expenditure.11. Make a leading contribution to Teaching activities (e.g. demonstrating etc) and associated admin as assigned by the Head of School and in consultation with Principal Investigator.12. Keep up to date with current knowledge and recent advances in the field/discipline, including: virtue epistemology; or social epistemology; or epistemology of the internet.13. Engage in personal, professional and career development, to enhance both specialist and transferable skills in accordance with desired career trajectory.14. Undertake any other reasonable duties as required by the Head of School, Head of Department and project team leaders (Carter and Kallestrup).15. Contribute to the enhancement of the University’s international profile in line with the University’s Strategic Plan, World Changers TogetherKnowledge/Qualifications
Essential:A1 Normally Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 12 (PhD in Philosophy) or alternatively possess the equivalent in professional qualifications and experience, with experience of personal development in a similar or related role(s)Skills
Essential:C1 A comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge of current issues and future directions within the wider subject area or subject specialismC2 Knowledge of project-specific technical models, equipment or techniquesC3 Sufficient depth of relevant research experience, normally including sufficient postdoctoral experience in a related field, appropriate to an early career researcherExperienceEssential:E1 Proven ability to deliver quality outputs in a timely and efficient mannerE2 A track record of presentation and publication of research results in quality journals/conferencesE3 Experience of making a leading contribution in academic activitiesE4 Ability to demonstrate a degree of independence as illustrated by identification of project objectives from assessment of the literature, design & analysis of experiments & drafting of papers.E5 Experience in undertaking independent researchE6 Commitment to open research, as appropriate to the discipline, through open data, open code, open educational resources and practices that support replication.E7 Proven commitment to supporting the career development of colleagues and to other forms of collegiality appropriate to the career stage.Project overview: ‘Digital Knowledge: A New Framework for Digital Epistemic Virtues’Traditional theorizing in philosophy and cognitive science about our mental lives has focused on properties of innate, biological cognition. Mainstream epistemology (the philosophical theory of knowledge) has largely inherited this traditional brainbound approach to cognition. This – as the latest evidence from cognitive science and social psychology shows – is increasingly out of step with the way we nowadays often perform cognitive tasks previously executed entirely in the head – viz, by offloading and outsourcing tasks to do with storage, planning and computation to our gadgets, including online and in the cloud. This allows us to access information much more expediently and effortlessly than ever before, but at the cost of a cluster of increased epistemic risks, including online misinformation, ‘fake news’, polarization, echo chambers, and information overload.A deeper understanding of how to better seek information and conduct inquiries in a digital world requires an epistemological framework free from the constraints of ‘bioprejudice’, and with the capacity to explain how we can be efficient and responsible digitally scaffolded thinkers. Against this background, three core research questions guide our project.Q1: How should our epistemological theorising respond to the influx of cognitive offloading, and associated risks of misinformation online?Q2: Are there such things as ‘digital’ epistemic virtues and vices, and if so, how are these related to more traditional intellectual virtues?Q3: What is needed to convert digitally stored information into digital knowledge, and how might we best communicate, and educate for, such knowledge?Getting clear answers to these questions would constitute a much-needed breakthrough in contemporary epistemology. The core hypothesis to be tested is that insights from virtue epistemology in conjunction with recent philosophy of mind and cognitive science can transform our understanding of technologically scaffolded inquiry, and in a way that will make traction on Q1-Q3, which are all philosophically important and socially timely questions.The proposed project will accordingly offer:1. an epistemology of the internet; (in connection with Q1)2. an explication of digital epistemic virtues; (in connection with Q2)3. an account of digital knowledge and its value (in connection with Q3)The project team, led by J Adam Carter (PI) and Jesper Kallestrup (Co-I), along with two postdocs, will deliver the above.Key outputs will include (i) a co-authored monograph by Carter and Kallestrup, (ii) journal articles aimed at top-flight venues during each of the three project phases, (iii) yearly international conferences and workshops, and work-in-progress feedback on all research prior to publication, (iv) an impact workshop with educationalists and local and UK policy makers related to combatting online misinformation and educating for digitally oriented epistemic virtues, (v) a regular podcast (disseminated with public philosophy articles on the project website), and (vi) a mini-MOOC Online Virtue which will disseminate the project’s key findings to a wide audience of non-specialists. A wider objective of the project is to establish Scotland as a world-leading hub for digital epistemology.For informal enquiries, please contact Dr J Adam Carter, Adam.Carter@glasgow.ac.uk.Terms and ConditionsSalary will be Grade 7, £39,347 – £44,263 per annum.This post is full time, and has funding up to 12 December 2025.As part of Team UofG you will be a member of a world changing, inclusive community, which values ambition, excellence, integrity and curiosity.As a valued member of our team, you can expect:1 A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.2 An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full time staff, pension – pensions handbook https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/payandpensions/pensions/, benefits and discount packages.3 A flexible approach to working.4 A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/healthwellbeing/.We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/.In line with the commitments in the University of Glasgow’s Gaelic Language Plan, we also welcome and value skills in Gaelic language for anyone working within areas where key Gaelic services are delivered, in particular within the School of Humanities / Sgoil nan Daonnachdan and the College of ArtsWe endorse the principles of Athena Swan https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/ and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.We are investing in our organisation, and we will invest in you too. Please visit our website https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/ for more information.Vacancy Ref : 154829 Close Date : 14-Oct-2024 23:45

Expected salary

£39347 – 44263 per year

Location

Glasgow

Job date

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 22:25:24 GMT

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