Doctoral Research-Position on Ethical Aspects of Risk and Resilience in Relation to moral autonomy in Emerging Technologies (f/m/d)

The University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) unites the Medical Faculty of the Georg-August University and the University Hospital in an integration model. With around 9,700 employees, the UMG and its subsidiaries are one of the largest employers in the region. Our clinics and institutes stand for high-quality patient care, excellent research, modern teaching and transfer of innovative technology.

Göttingen as a city of science is located in the center of Germany and the University Medical Center Göttingen is integrated into an attractive network of university and non-university scientific institutions.

The Institut für Ethik und Geschichte der Medizin of the University Medical Center Göttingen is looking for a new position to 01.01.2027

Doctoral Research-Position on Ethical Aspects of Risk and Resilience in Relation to moral autonomy in Emerging Technologies (f/m/d)

part time, 25 hours/week hours per week, limited term of 3 1/ 2 years

The University of Göttingen is receiving a grant of 15 million euros from the 'Potenziale strategisch entfalten' funding program of the Ministry of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony and the Volkswagen Foundation. Through a range of measures, strategic development goals and the universitys research profile will be strengthened. A central component of this effort is the establishment of five Campus Research Alliances. These alliances will bring together interdisciplinary research activities across the campus, focusing on future-oriented thematic areas.

As part of the newly established interdisciplinary Campus Research Alliance on Responsible Emerging Technologies CA.REX, we are seeking a highly motivated researcher to pursue a doctoral degree in an interdisciplinary research environment. CA.REX brings together principal investigators and researchers from Computer Science, Law, Psychology, Ethics in the Medicine, and related disciplines to investigate the responsible development, deployment, and governance of emerging technologies, especially Extended Reality (XR). The consortium addresses fundamental scientific and societal challenges arising from the increasing integration of immersive technologies into domains, such as healthcare and medical education.

In addition to this position at the Dept. of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine at the University Medical Center Göttingen led by Prof. Dr. Silke Schicktanz, which focuses on ethical issues, individual and social risks arising from long-term XR use? How are risk-benefit-ratios allocated along different social groups? How can technological design and regulation help in minimizing risk for them?

In addition to this subproject P4, the consortium focuses on three other overarching interdisciplinary research themes: Privacy, Transparency, and Control [P1] (Prof. Delphine Reinhardt), Human Autonomy, Trust, and Behavior [P2] (Prof. Anne Schacht), and (Power, Markets, and Access [P3] (Prof. Eckart Bueren).

Your tasks

Your tasks

conduct independent research on ethical questions related in particular to risk assessment and risk allocation for diverse social groups in emerging technologies, such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR), and Extended Reality (XR)

collaborate with researchers from Computer Science, Psychology, and Law within CA.REX

publish and present research results at leading national and international conferences and in high-quality journals

collaborate with researchers from the Dept. of Medial Ethics and History of