About the TransforM Excellence Cluster: TransforM is one of TUM’s interdisciplinary Clusters of Excellence, funded under Germany’s Excellence Strategy. The cluster brings together researchers from engi-neering, medicine, social sciences, humanities, and law to study and shape the societal transformation driv-en by artificial intelligence, robotics, and emerging technologies. TransforM combines cutting-edge tech-nical research with strong expertise in ethics, governance, and public engagement.

The successful candidate will be a full member of the TransforM Excellence Cluster, with access to its research infrastructure, internal funding instruments, international network, and cluster-wide scientific and policy activities.

About the NeuroTranslate project: NeuroTranslate investigates how AI systems translate neural activity into speech and action, and how this translation reshapes agency, responsibility, legitimacy, trust, and men-tal privacy. The project adopts a comparative embedded ethics approach, examining neuroAI development in both clinical neuroscience and neurorobotics settings.

Your tasks: The postdoctoral researcher will play a central role in the project and work closely with the PI and interna-tional collaborators. Responsibilities include:

• Conducting independent postdoctoral research on ethical, legal, and societal aspects of neuroAI and neural decoding • Implementing embedded ethics research in clinical neuroscience and neurorobotics laboratories

• Designing and carrying out qualitative and mixed-methods studies (e.g. interviews, ethnography, workshops)

• Contributing to analyses of agency, responsibility, trust, mental privacy, and algorithmic bias in neuroAI systems

• Collaborating with technical partners on issues of transparency, interpretability, and fairness

• Publishing research results in leading international journals and presenting at conferences

• Contributing to policy-oriented outputs, governance use cases, and public engagement activities

In addition, the successful candidate will assume a project management and coordination role within the TransforM Excellence Cluster, including:

• supporting the strategic integration of NeuroTranslate within the cluster

• coordinating with other TransforM projects and cluster leadership

• contributing to milestone tracking, internal reporting, and synergy-building across projects.

Your Profile

Required qualifications:

• A completed Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline, such as philosophy, neuroscience, psychology, medicine, law, social sciences, computer science, or a related field

• Strong interest in the ethical and societal implications of emerging technologies, particularly AI and neurotechnology

• Willingness and ability to work in an interdisciplinary research environment

• Very good command of written and spoken English

• Experience with supervising master’s and/or PhD students

• Strong publication record or clear postdoctoral research agenda

Desirable qualifications:

• Project management skills

• Experience with qualitative or mixed-methods research • Familiarity with AI, machine learning, neurotechnology, or robotics research contexts

• Interest in science policy, governance, or public engagement

• Teaching experience

What we offer:

• Full-time postdoctoral position (100%, TV-L E13)

• Initial contract for 3 years, with possibility of extension

• Full integration into the TransforM Excellence Cluster and its interdisciplinary research ecosystem

• An outstanding international research environment at TUM

• Close collaboration with leading neuroAI laboratories and policy institutions

• Support for publications, conferences, and academic career development

• Mentoring and support for third-party funding applications (e.g. ERC, MSCA, Humboldt, TUM Global Postdoc Fellowship)

• Opportunity to gain hands-on experience in project coordination and research management within a Cluster of Excellence, providing valuable preparation for future leadership roles in academia, research coordination, or science policy

• A collegial, inclusive, and supportive working environment committed to diversity and scientific excellence

The Laboratory for Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience offers a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive working environment and is committed to fostering diversity, well-being, and scientific excellence.

Candidates who subsequently wish for a full-time position will have the opportunity to apply for complementary grants (e.g. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowships, TUM Global Postdoc Fellowships, Humboldt Research Fellowships etc.) with the support of the PI. In addition, the selected candidate will also be part of the Institute for Ethics and History of Medicine and will have the opportunity to interact with other members of the institute. Application Interested candidates should submit the following documents in one single PDF

• CV (max 2 pages) • Publication list (max 2 pages including a short-list of 5 top publications)

• Letter of intent (max 2 pages)

• Degree certificates

• Sample of written work (e.g., published first-author article or extract of the PhD thesis)

• Two letters of recommendation (to be sent later as they are required for candidates invited for interview only)

As part of the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments, TUM actively promotes equal opportunities. Applications from women, people with disabilities, and candidates from underrepresent-ed groups are explicitly encouraged. Applicants with severe disabilities will be given preference in cases of essentially equal qualifications. Note: The workplace is not completely barrier-free, not wheelchair accessi-ble (listed old building)

Please send your application as one single PDF file (in English or German) with the subject line "TransforM Postdoc application” to: Institute of History and Ethics in Medicine office.ethics@mh.tum.de

Applications will be considered as they are received and until the positions are filled. Job interviews will take place in March 2026. Start date: May 1, 2026 (or by agreement)

Technische Universität München

Institut für Geschichte und Ethik der Medizin

Ismaninger Str. 22

www.get.med.tum.de / www.tum.de

Kontakt: office.ethics@mh.tum.de