Witten/Herdecke University (UW/H) is Germany's first privately funded university. It was founded in 1982 and has since established itself as an important educational institution in Germany. Today, it employs more than 900 employees and over 3,000 students enrolled in the Faculties of Health as well as Business and Society, located in Witten.

At the Chair of Practical Philosophy, we are looking for a part-time postdoctoral researcher (75%, 30 hours/week) to start on 1 January 2026 or later, for an initial period of three years with the possibility of extension.

• Conducting independent research and publishing in the field of moral and political philosophy
• Contributing to the chair’s main research areas, including support in acquiring third-party funding, and participating in the organization of academic events and international collaborations
• Teaching 3 SWS (i.e. approx. 3 contact hours per week on average during teaching periods) within the faculty’s mandatory curriculum as well as in independently designed courses, and supervising BA and MA theses
• Contributing to the transfer of knowledge between academia and society

• A completed doctorate in practical philosophy or a related discipline (e.g. political science) with a strong normative orientation.
• A record of publications or clear potential for publication in international peer-reviewed journals
• Excellent knowledge of ethics and political philosophy, with a strong alignment to the chair’s research profile (e.g. structural injustice, global justice, environmental and climate ethics, health justice, business and economic ethics, ethics of AI)
• Willingness to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration
• Strong teamwork skills, a high degree of initiative and reliability, and enthusiasm for developing research projects collaboratively
• Excellent command of English; willingness to acquire German language skills up to B2 level within two years, C1 in three years (with support from the university)

• An inspiring and collegial working environment at the Chair of Moral and Political Philosophy, within the PPE Department and the Faculty of Economics and Society, with access to a broad academic network
• Support for publications, grant applications, career development, and independent profile building, as well as opportunities for internal and external training
• Flexible working arrangements to support work-life balance and family commitments, a dynamic team with flat hierarchies, and a high degree of research freedom
• Thirty days of annual leave, plus additional leave between 24 and 31 December and on three "bridge days"
• Reimbursement of childcare costs up to €200 per month (depending on salary level and age of the child)
• Employer-funded pension scheme
• A comprehensive training programme
• Support for environmentally friendly mobility (e.g. bike leasing, rental of e-cars, etc.)
• Subsidised public transport ticket
• Access to a range of sports activities for staff

For questions, please contact Prof. Jan-Christoph Heilinger at jan-christoph.heilinger@uni-wh.de .

Please submit your application until 31 October 2025 online , including the usual documents (cover letter, CV, certificates, if applicable a list of publications and of courses taught, a writing sample of about 15 pages plus a short statement of your research interests) and your earliest possible starting date. We look forward to your application!

You can find the German version at the following link: