Job Description

The Notre Dame Institute for Ethics and the Common Good (ECG) and Dr. Pinar Zorlutuna, the Roth-Gibson Professor of Bioengineering and Director of the Notre Dame Bioengineering Program, invite applications for a residential postdoctoral fellowship, running from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.

This fellowship supports independent research in the ethics of bioengineering and emerging technologies while fostering close interdisciplinary collaboration across engineering, philosophy, and ethics at the University of Notre Dame.

The postdoctoral fellow will be expected to:

• Conduct an independent research project on the ethics of bioengineering, ideally engaging one of the themes outlined below.
• Collaborate with the Research Group of Dr. Pinar Zorlutuna on a multi-institution National Science Foundation (NSF) Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) award, exploring questions at the intersection of biology, technology, and ethics.
• Assist in planning a week-long interdisciplinary workshop that convenes scholars from bioengineering, computer science, synthetic biology, philosophy, and ethics to explore convergent research ideas from multiple disciplines.
• Participate actively in the weekly seminars, research retreats, and other events hosted by both the ECG and the ND-IBM Tech Ethics Lab. The fellow will be expected to present once per semester at the ECG research seminar.
• Attend Zorlutuna lab meetings and events, as well as other Engineering events that are related to the project.
• Publish a manuscript to share the findings of the project.

Qualifications

Candidates should have a strong background in ethics from any field, including (but not limited to) philosophy, theology, political theory, sociology, and the history of science. Ideally, the fellow’s research should engage with questions currently under investigation by the EFRI award and Drs. Zorlutuna and Meghan Sullivan. For examples of research questions and topics that fit this work, please see: https://ethics.nd.edu/fellowships-and-grants/bioengineering-ethics-postdoc/.

Successful candidates will either have a Ph.D. or be an advanced doctoral student nearing the completion of their dissertation. All requirements for the Ph.D. should be completed prior to the beginning of the fellowship. The postdoc will be in residence in South Bend for the duration of the fellowship.

The postdoctoral fellow will receive $60,822 per year and full benefits through the University of Notre Dame, as well as a $1,000 research account.

The postdoctoral fellow will have a primary appointment in the ECG. He/she will receive mentorship from the faculty and staff of the Institute as well as from Dr. Pinar Zorlatuna.

Applicants should submit a cover letter, CV, research proposal, writing sample, and two letters of reference. The research proposal (no more than 2 pages, single spaced) should discuss the research project(s) the fellow intends to work on during their time as a fellow.

Additional Information

Application deadline is February 27th.

The University of Notre Dame seeks to attract, develop, and retain the highest quality faculty, staff and administration. The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or age in employment. Moreover, Notre Dame prohibits discrimination against veterans or disabled qualified individuals, and complies with 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-300.5(a). We strongly encourage applications from candidates attracted to a university with a Catholic identity.