Postdoc for research project: The Morality of Extreme Wealth

Job title: Postdoc for research project: The Morality of Extreme Wealth

Company: Syddansk Universitet


Job description: Job Category: VIPJob Description:The Department of Design, Media and Educational Science (Philosophy Section) invites applications for a 2-year postdoc position on the topic of moral and political philosophy in relation to extreme wealth. The position is part of the research project, The Morality of Extreme Wealth, funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark and is available from 01-02-2026, or as soon as possible thereafter. The project is a collaboration between PI, Lasse Nielsen (SDU) and Co-PI, David V. Axelsen (University of Essex).The project explores how moral reasons to worry about inequality and poverty are transformed when wealth becomes extreme and aims to build new theory on the morality of extreme wealth. The project aims at three significant academic contributions: (1) to explore and map out distinctive moral reasons to be concerned with extreme wealth from the perspective of distributive justice, (2) to analyze the role of individual responsibility in a theory of extreme wealth morality, and (3) to evaluate the moral obligations of the extremely wealthy in a society with existing injustices.The postdoc candidate will be responsible for a work package focusing on the moral obligations of the extremely wealthy. While theories of distributive justice concern society-wide measures such as redistributive taxation and caps on wages and capital accumulation, extreme wealth ethics focus on the moral duties of the extremely wealthy individual. The postdoc project enquires into these ethical obligations and should aim to sketch a model of the moral requirements of being extremely rich. We expect the postdoc project to result in at least 2-3 peer-reviewed research articles (some of which may be co-authored with other members of the project).The postdoc candidate should have a background from philosophy or adjacent relevant fields. The candidate will be expected to be familiar with moral philosophy and political philosophy. Experience with philosophy of economics will be an advantage but is not a requirement. The candidate will be given extensive freedom to pursue personal ideas and to develop the postdoc project individually within the overall frame of the project. To be eligible for the position, the applicant must have obtained a PhD degree in a relevant field and have a PhD-age of max 4 years per October 1st, 2024 (parental leave deducted).The postdoc candidate will be affiliated with the Philosophy Section, at the Department of Design, Media and Educational Science, University of Southern Denmark. The SDU Philosophy Section is internationally very well connected and has a strong profile in both basic research (especially epistemology, value theory, ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of mind and phenomenology) and applied philosophy (e.g. philosophy of health, philosophy and climate change, philosophy of education and philosophy of technology). It has attracted a substantial amount of external funding in recent years and is strongly involved in interdisciplinary collaboration.The SDU Philosophy Section is based in University of Southern Denmark Campus Odense. Odense is Denmark’s third largest city with a population of about 200.000. It is one of the oldest cities in Denmark with a rich culture and history. Odense is nicely located and well-connected to both Copenhagen and Aarhus. A train to Copenhagen is approximately 1 hour.Applicants will be expected to have a documented working level of written and spoken English.The position is a pure research position with no teaching duties. It may be prolonged.Contact information
For further information about the position, the Morality of Extreme Wealth project, and the SDU Philosophy Section, feel free to contact Associate Professor, Lasse Nielsen ( ).For questions related to CV, diplomas etc., please contactWorking at University of Southern Denmark
The International Staff Office (ISO) at SDU provides a variety of services for new employees, guests and people who consider applying for a job at the University of Southern Denmark. International staff in tenured positions will be offered Danish language training in connection with the employment and are expected to achieve Danish language competences at CEFR B2-level within 5 years from being appointed.We recommend that as an international applicant you take the time to visit Working in Denmark where you will find information and facts about moving to, working and living in Denmark, as well asConditions of employment
The employment as postdoc is temporary. Employment stops automatically by the end of the period. An upgrade of pedagogical qualifications is not part of the position. Thus, employment as postdoc cannot stand alone as a qualification for later employment as associate professor/senior researcher.The successful applicant will be employed in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations), Cirkulære om overenskomst for 2025 (the document only exists in Danish).Application
Applications should be sent electronically via the link “apply online” and the Faculty expects applicants to read the information before applying.The application must include:

• Cover letter (max. 1 page)
• Project description and research plan (max. 4 pages)
• Curriculum Vitae with applicant’s e-mail and phone number
• Documentation of qualifications (examination certificates/PhD diploma, etc.)
• Complete list of publications indicating the publications attached
• Applicants may choose a maximum of two publications for assessment

Application and all appendices must be in Danish, English or one of the Scandinavian languages. Please always include a copy of original diploma/certificates. We only accept files in pdf-format no more than 10 MB per file. In case you have more than one file per field you need to combine the pdf-files into a single file, as each field handles only one file. We do not accept zip-files, jpg or other image files. All pdf-files must be unlocked and allow binding and may not be password protected.The assessment process
Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee and the applicant will receive the part of the evaluation that concerns him/her. The assessment report will subsequently be forwarded to the Head of Department who will assemble an appointments committee. An interview may form part of the overall assessment of the applicants’ qualifications.The committee may request additional information, and if so, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the necessary material.If the application does not meet the requirements mentioned above, the Faculty of Humanities may reject your application without further notice. Applications received after the deadline will neither be considered nor evaluated.Shortlisting and tests may be used in the assessment process. Please note that only a shortlisted applicant will receive an assessment. you can read more about shortlisting at SDU.Application deadline: October 31, 2025, at 11.59 PM/23.59 (CET/CEST)
The University of Southern Denmark (SDU) wishes to reflect the surrounding society and therefore encourages all, regardless of personal background, to apply.If you are not a Danish-speaking applicant, please ensure that you use the English website to access the electronic application form to receive further information in English.Read more about University of Southern Denmark:

Expected salary:

Location: Odense, Syddanmark

Job date: Sat, 21 Jun 2025 05:31:53 GMT

To help us track our recruitment effort, please indicate in your email/cover letter where (jobsnear.pro) you saw this job posting.Thanks&Good Luck