Frisch from Maryland to Hannover
Mathias Frisch, currently professor of philosophy at the University of Maryland, is moving to the University of Hannover to take up a chair in the philosophy of science. He will start there in the Spring (the German “Sommersemester”). Frisch works largely in philosophy of physics and philosophical issues concerning climate change.
(P.S. Junior folks on the market in philosophy of science: Frisch’s offer included the additional hiring of an assistant professor and a post doc, so keep an eye out for those.)
It’d be great if more big shots used their bargaining power to ask for new TT lines. Even if those jobs eventually went to fancy folks, they would free up positions elsewhere that those folks would have likely filled.
The position of an “assistant professor” is not a tenure-track position, but limited to six years with no possibility for tenure or renewal at this point. It’s also rarely the case that these positions are the result of negotiations: they are part of most W3 positions (“full professorships”) such as Frisch’s, and usually are not part of W2 positions (“associate professorships”).
Why are you saying six year-positions? I’ve never heard that.
3+3 years is the norm for a position as “wissenschaftliche(r) Mitarbeiter(in)” as well as for a position as “akademische(r) Rat/Raetin” in Germany (3+N because there is an interim review after the third year). The latter are better paid versions of the former that some richer provinces such as Bavaria have (the main difference is that one is a temporary civil servant with additional benefits rather than an employee). The former are misleadingly translated as “assistant professorships” (the literal translation is: scientific collaborator). The Frisch positions are actually just 3 years and 3+2 years, respectively.
Thanks for the clarification.
PS: I should perhaps also add that these positions are tied to the person holding the office rather than the office itself. If Frisch leaves, the positions end.
The Assistant Professor/Postdoc positions have already been advertised on PHILOS-L.