Postdoc Impact of Computational Infrastructures on Public Institutions and Administration of Justice

How do computational infrastructures expand into sectoral organizations? Are current (digital) policies adequate in responding to their impact on administration of justice?

Job description

This is an opening for a two-year postdoc position in the NWO algosoc Project, located with our research group at TU Delft. We invite applications from candidates who are interested in taking a technically informed political economic approach to empirically researching the expansion of computational infrastructures into public institutions. We are especially interested in candidates who want to move the needle from tech reformist projects towards reimagining other socio-technical-economic futures that respect public values and interests in the making. This position is an exciting opportunity for scholars who like to do impactful research in transdisciplinary settings.

Background and Context of the Project:

Over the last years, players in academia, tech policy and public institutions have started demonstrating greater consciousness of the power of “clouds”. Popular discussions revolve around the topics of data protection, algorithmic regulation, and asymmetric ‘technological dependencies’ that raise concerns around monopolies and “digital sovereignty”. Different scholars have located the power of clouds in market devices like intellectual monopolies (Rikap) or assetization (Birch), or in infrastructural aspects like computing arrangements for scale (Narayan), data-driven supply chains (Cobbe), or infrastructuralization of platforms (Plantin). These approaches have in common that they take either a data- or compute-centric view on what drives the industry while exploring the various economic, legal or technical mechanisms to engage with these developments.

In the Programmable Infrastructures Project based in TU Delft, we add to these family of approaches by taking software production as our main protagonist. We ask how software production has come to increasingly take place in an agile production environment we call ‘computational infrastructures’, concentrated in the hands of a few companies. These infrastructures consist of ‘public clouds’ with global reach as well as end-devices, like smart phones, necessary to produce digital services. We empirically study how computational infrastructures develop over time through shifts in software production. We do so to critically engage with these transformations and explore more equitable ways of organizing the technological interdependencies that shape our societies.

Situated within the context of the algosoc project, this postdoc position will inquire into how computational infrastructures expand into and impact public institutions in the justice sector. The project will seek to understand how software production -- the practices, economic models and material conditions necessary to deliver digital services-- undergirds computational infrastructures’ expansion into different sectors under the heading of “digitalization”. Marketed with the promise of making organizations as programmable as computational systems, services developed in these infrastructures are expected to bring with them improvements in the management of resources, innovation of operations, and economic gains to public institutions. However, the underlying software production models often require public organizations to adopt new technical, economic, governance, and labor frameworks—changes that may have far-reaching consequences beyond what is currently anticipated.

The candidate is invited to collaborate with existing projects in algosoc on Automated Decision-Making Systems (ADMs) in order to identify how their delivery as services enable or deter computational infrastructures expansion into public sector organizations. The empirical collaborations will provide a deeper understanding of how computational infrastructures reconfigure public organizations and the administration of justice. Ultimately, we hope the findings will serve to evaluate whether and how associated changes and challenges are reflected in the public imaginary as well as in existing digital policies aimed to govern these developments.

Being part of the algosoc project comes with a community of support but also responsibilities, which include:

• Developing, conducting, and publishing research on project topics
• Contributing to the public debate, advocacy and organization of outreach activities of algosoc;
• Contributing to the overall program in terms of events, research meetings, activities; 
• Collaborating with other researchers within the algosoc consortium
• Participating in the development of a project internal digital infrastructure 
• Giving guest-lectures in the area of your expertise at BA or MA level including our internal courses on Computational Infrastructures; 
• Helping in co-supervising research projects of students working on related topics.

Job requirements

The candidate has completed a PhD in a relevant field including but not limited to STS, Computer Science, or Organizational, Software or Infrastructure studies.

This project requires the ability to conduct interdisciplinary literature research and empirical studies combining qualitative methods and perspectives from political economy. The position requires enthusiasm for engagement with current computational infrastructures (cloud + end devices concentrated in the hands of a few companies), with some understanding of their technicalities, financials or everyday practices underlying their production. A critical perspective on technology production and institutional processes, as well as experience working with technologists will help in conducting the project.

The ideal candidate:

• has a clear research interest in the topic of the project and enthusiasm for joining our research group on Programmable Infrastructures (https://www.tudelft.nl/tbm/onze-faculteit/afdelingen/multi-actor-systems/onderzoek/projects/programmable-infrastructures-project)
• has excellent written and spoken command of English, as demonstrated by publications in English-language journals (written and spoken command of Dutch is not required but is a plus); 
• is able to conduct autonomous work in a transdisciplinary team that includes legal scholars, communication scholars, economists, ethicists and computer scientists; 
• has experience with organising workshops, lecture series, and similar events;
• is based in the Netherlands sufficient time to collaborate with algosoc researchers and partake in project activities regularly.

The vacancy appeals to you, but you are doubting whether you might be THE person we are looking for? You don't feel you meet every requirement? Please consider the following: if you are excited about this position, but your profile doesn't align perfectly with every qualitification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. Studies have shown that women, people of color, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and other communities underrepresented at the university are less likely to apply unless they fulfill every single requirement. At TU Delft, in our research group and in the algosoc project we are committed to creating an environment of mutual respect, inclusiveness, and equal opportunities. If you have special needs that you would like us to accommodate to be able to complete the application process, please get in touch with us.

TU Delft

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Technology, Policy and Management

The Faculty of TPM provides an important contribution to solving complex technical-social issues, such as energy transition, mobility, digitalisation, water management and (cyber) security. TPM does this with its excellent education and research at the intersection of technology, society and policy. We combine insights from both engineering and social sciences as well as the humanities. TPM develops robust models and designs, is internationally oriented and has an extensive network of knowledge institutions, companies, social organisations and governments.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management.

Conditions of employment 

• Duration of contract is 2 years Temporary
• A job of 28-40 hours per week. 
• Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.
• An excellent pension scheme via the ABP. 
• The possibility to compile an individual employment package every year. 
• Discount with health insurers on supplemental packages. 
• Flexible working week. 
• Every year, 232 leave hours (at 38 hours). You can also sell or buy additional leave hours via the individual choice budget. 
• Plenty of opportunities for education, training and courses. 
• Partially paid parental leave 
• Attention for working healthy and energetically with the vitality program. 

Will you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? TU Delft is committed to make your move as smooth as possible! The HR unit, Coming to Delft Service, offers information on their website to help you prepare your relocation. In addition, Coming to Delft Service organises events to help you settle in the Netherlands, and expand your (social) network in Delft. A Dual Career Programme is available, to support your accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands.  . 

Additional information
If you would like more information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact Seda Gürses, via f.s.gurses@tudelft.nl. For information about the application procedure, please contact Martine van de Vorst M.M.vandeVorst@tudelft.nl.

Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 12 October 2025 via the application button and upload the following documents:

• A short CV (max 4 pages) including a list of publications and other notable achievements
• Motivational letter (max 2 page), addressed to dr. Seda Gürses and prof. Linnet Taylor
• An example of academic writing, paper, essay or part of your thesis

• Documentation of prior degrees

You can address your application to Seda Gürses. In addition to this position, there are multiple Postdoc and PhD openings advertised for the algosoc project (For TU Delft positions see here, for an overview of other algosoc positions see here.  

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post. 
• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• For the final candidates, a knowledge security check will be part of the application procedure. For more information on this check, please consult Chapter 8 of the National Knowledge Security Guidelines. We carry out this check on the basis of legitimate interest.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.