The Innovation, Society and Public Policy (ISPP) research group at the Munich Center for Technology in Society (MCTS) is inviting applications for the following position to be filled immediately: Postdoctoral researcher (TV-L E13, 100%, 2+1 years, fixed term).
ISPP investigates the practices, politics, knowledge structures, and economic processes underwriting today’s innovation-driven societies. We examine current phenomena at both the level of public policy (e.g. national and regional innovation strategies, sustainability transitions, test beds) and concrete technologies (e.g. electric mobility, neuroscience, robotics, food innovation). Across a range of domains and projects, we are committed to a strong co-productionist approach that treats technoscientific and societal changes as essentially interrelated and co-evolving.
Our research group brings together perspectives from science and technology studies (STS), political science, sociology, public policy, management, and anthropology to study cultural, political, and economic dynamics that shape, and are being shaped by, innovation. Among the questions that drive research in our group are: How do understandings and practices of innovation differ across technological domains, regions, and cultures? How do governments and institutions go about building capacities in innovation? How do societies envision their future and express social values through projects of science and technology? How do science and innovation play out in international and collaborative settings? How can we govern science, technology innovation responsibly, sustainably, deliberatively, and inclusively?
Tasks are, among others: conducting independent STS research projects (of your choice) compatible with the research group’s general areas of interest and ongoing projects; publishing with recognized international journals and book publishers, including the option to co-author papers with other senior group members; applying for competitive and internationally oriented research grants; teaching of graduate-level courses in STS (1-2 per semester); supervision of Master’s students at TU Munich and mentor PhD candidates in the research group.
Job requirements are, among others: completed/submitted dissertation in Science and Technology Studies (STS), (Qualitative) Policy Studies, Innovation Studies, Sociology, Political Science or other field, presuming that they can demonstrate an equivalent level of qualification and subject-specific expertise; broad knowledge of the topics, theories and methods of STS; a distinct research profile in STS or related fields (demonstrated through publications and previous teaching) compatible with the ISPP research profile and interests; experience in designing and conducting independent empirical research projects, using qualitative methods; knowledge of co-productionist and comparative approaches in STS are a strong advantage.
The application deadline is July 15, 2018.
For further information, check the full job posting.