UCL SLASH Postdoctoral Research Fellow
The UCL Department of Philosophy wishes to appoint a full-time postdoctoral research fellow to work with Dr Jonathan Gingerich on a research project entitled ‘The Spontaneity of Freedom’ (SPONT). The five-year-long project, selected by the ERC and funded by UKRI, investigates the nature of spontaneous freedom–the freedom of acting in unplanned and unscripted ways–and its implications for ethics, politics, law, and aesthetics. SPONT organizes a speaker series during the academic year and an annual conference each summer.
This position is available for up to three years, commencing as early as 1 July 2026. Some flexibility regarding starting date is possible. The successful candidate will pursue their own research in one or more of the following areas: value theory (understood broadly to include ethics, political philosophy, jurisprudence, aesthetics, and moral psychology), history of philosophy, phenomenology, or philosophy of mind. The successful candidate should be prepared to engage in the intellectual life and activities of the Spontaneity of Freedom project, though their research need not concern spontaneity.
The successful candidate must hold (or be near completion of) a PhD in philosophy or a closely related subject.
As London’s Global University, we are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates whose backgrounds are underrepresented in Philosophy. You can read more about our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/equality-diversity-inclusion/.
About the role
The appointee will report to Dr Jonathan Gingerich, Principal Investigator.
The primary obligation of the appointee will be to engage full-time in philosophical research and its dissemination. The appointee will plan and carry out a program of high-quality original research, disseminate this research through scholarly presentations and publications, and engage in the intellectual life and activities of the Spontaneity of Freedom research project.
If you have any queries related to the role, please contact Principal Investigator Jonathan Gingerich (j.gingerich@ucl.ac.uk).
About you
The appointee will hold a PhD in Philosophy or a closely related field or nearing completion of such a PhD and on track to submit dissertation in advance of the agreed start date. They will have a research specialization in value theory (understood broadly to include ethics, political philosophy, jurisprudence, aesthetics, and moral psychology), history of philosophy, phenomenology, and/or philosophy of mind.
The appointee must be able to satisfy UK right to work requirements. This means either holding a relevant citizenship or settled status in the UK or being eligible to secure a UK visa. At the time of advertisement, a successful applicant for this role would be eligible to apply under the Endorsed Funder Route of the Global Talent Visa.
The appointee will actively follow UCL policies, including the Equal Opportunity Policy, the UCL Ways of Working, and UCL's Sustainability Strategy, policies and objectives.
For information on UCL’s values, culture, community and staff benefits, please visit Work at UCL.
What we offer
The appointment is expected to be at Grade 7, at UCL spine point 31. Appointment at a higher spine point within Grade may be possible if the appointed individual has significant relevant research experience post-PhD. The salary at this spine point is £45,103 in 2025/26 (inclusive of London Allowance) and is expected to be adjusted upwards in light of national pay negotiations for 2026/27. Annual incremental pay progression applies across the term of the position according to UCL’s pay policies. Please see https://www.ucl.ac.uk/human-resources/employees/pay-benefits/salary-scales%20 for details.
SPONT will provide the appointee with a research budget equivalent to the personal research allowance provided to permanent academic staff in the Philosophy Department.
Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women. You can read more about our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/equality-diversity-inclusion/
Available documents
Attached documents are available under links. Clicking a document link will initialize its download.
