Socially disruptive technologies (SDTs) such as AI, robotics, new energy and climate technologies, and large-scale data infrastructures are transforming social practices, roles, institutions, and the frameworks through which people interpret and evaluate moral life. Existing ethical approaches are poorly equipped to address these multidimensional transformations. By focusing on individual actions or impacts, isolated design choices, or fixed value lists, they often fail to capture how SDTs reshape the broader social contexts in which moral phenomena arise and can be meaningfully assessed.
This postdoctoral project develops new methods for the ethical assessment of socially disruptive technologies. It is part of the ESDiT programme on the ethics of SDTs (see below), specifically a research line in ESDiT on methodological innovation, and involves close collaboration with another postdoc working on complementary approaches, as well as other scholars in the programme.
The project aims to identify and assess key forms of disruption associated with SDTs, with particular attention to changes in the organisation of society. These include institutional transformations in governance, coordination, and economic systems; shifts in social and relational structures; and changes in shared frameworks of meaning that shape roles, responsibilities, and expectations. More broadly, the project examines transformations in social roles and dependencies, coordination and decision-making, and forms of collective and distributed agency.
The expected outcome is a set of clear, practically applicable, and validated methods for ethical assessment that capture multi-level social and normative change and support more responsive evaluations of socially disruptive technologies. The methodological development will be informed by selected case studies across technological domains, focusing on distinct types of social disruption.
Information and application
Are you interested to be part of our team? Please submit your application before April 27th, 2026 and include:
- A cover letter (maximum 2 pages A4), emphasizing your specific interest, qualifications, experience, and motivations to apply for this position;
- A Curriculum Vitae;
- A writing sample;
- Contact information for two academic references (included in the CV or letter);
Additional information can be acquired via email from Prof. Dr. Philip Brey (p.a.e.brey@utwente.nl).
About the department
About the Philosophy Section
The section is internationally leading in the philosophy and ethics of technology. The section also participates in the interuniversity 4TU. Center for Ethics and Technology. Both the section and the Center have a strong international orientation and include members from many different nationalities.
About the ESDiT Programme
This postdoc position will be part of the Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies programme, a new ten year long international research programme of seven academic institutions in the Netherlands that has started in January 2020. This programme has a combined budget of € 27 million, and is funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research in the Gravitation funding scheme for excellent research, and by matching funds from the participating institutions. The duration is from January 2020 to December 2029. The programme has the aim of achieving breakthrough research at the intersection of ethics, philosophy, technology / engineering and social sciences, and to position its consortium at the top of its field internationally. A key objective is to investigate how new technologies challenge moral values and ontological concepts (like “nature”, “human being” and “community”), and how these challenges necessitate a revision of these concepts. The consortium, counting over 130 researchers, consists of internationally well-known ethicists, philosophers, engineers and social scientists. The programme functions through nine research lines and three synthesising workshops; for a complete overview, see www.esdit.nl. The project will be embedded in the New Methods for Ethics research line.
About the organisation
At the Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences (BMS), we unite the worlds of people and technology to address today’s complex societal challenges. We are passionate about understanding human behaviour, fostering responsible innovation, and designing solutions that create societal value. Our educational programmes span disciplines such as Psychology, Business Administration, Public Administration, Communication Sciences, Philosophy, Educational Sciences, and Health Sciences. Through our bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Professional Learning & Development programmes, and interdisciplinary research themes – including Emerging Technologies & Societal Transformations, Resilience, Smart Industry, Learning, and Health – we empower students and researchers to make a positive societal impact.
At BMS, we combine critical thinking with practical action. From advancing sustainable mobility with innovations like the world’s most efficient hydrogen car to shaping policies that promote digital inclusion, our work contributes to a healthier, fairer, and more sustainable future. Whether it’s exploring how technology influences human behaviour or leveraging data and innovation to transform industries and communities, we ensure that technology serves people – and not the other way around.
As an employer, BMS offers a vibrant, inclusive, and entrepreneurial environment where you can thrive personally and professionally. Join us and become part of a forward-thinking community that equips you to shape the future – for yourself and society. With us, you will become part of a leading technical university with increasing, positive social impact.
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