Professor (Bioethics)

Associate Professor or Professor in Biomedical Ethics

Centre for Biomedical Ethics, National University of Singapore

The Centre for Biomedical Ethics (CBmE) was established in September 2006 in the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine through a generous gift by the Chen Su Lan Trust. We work to develop understanding, capacity for good judgement, and sound ethical practice in the context of healthcare provision, biomedical science and health-related policy development.  CBmE, directed by Prof Julian Savulescu, is a thriving centre for learning, teaching and research relating to ethical and legal aspects of healthcare and biomedical sciences.  We are responsible for the development and delivery of the Health Ethics, Law and Professionalism programme through all five years of the undergraduate medical curriculum in addition to the postgraduate and continuing professional education courses in bioethics.  You can find out more about CBmE here: https://medicine.nus.edu.sg/cbme/ .  The goal of the new Director is to make CBmE a world leading Centre of medical ethics with a vibrant culture and strong international, particularly Asian, presence.

We are looking to appoint a talented, collegial, committed and enthusiastic bioethicist to join our faculty.  We are particularly keen to develop our strengths in research and teaching in medical ethics generally with possible specialisms in empirical bioethics, experimental bioethics, reproductive ethics, genethics, neuroethics, AI ethics or clinical and healthcare ethics (including work on health systems and public health).  The person appointed will have sufficient experience and standing to strengthen and support the development of our research portfolio, and to make significant educational contributions as we enhance our undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.  We will consider medically qualified applicants who are eligible and keen to maintain some clinical responsibilities, but they must be able and willing to take on (proportionately) the full range of teaching and research responsibilities of the position. 

This is an academic faculty appointment, and the appointment track depends on experience and track record.

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Provide academic leadership in research, producing and publishing work of international standing in medical ethics and bioethics, and contributing to the strategic development of CBmE’s research portfolio
• Teach and contribute to undergraduate education, particularly within the Health Ethics, Law and Professionalism (HeLP) programme
• Teach, develop, and coordinate postgraduate bioethics programmes, including supervision of Master’s and doctoral students
• Mentor undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and early‑career researchers, and contribute to staff development within the Centre
• Serve in a senior leadership role for a regional bioethics journal, and provide intellectual leadership in shaping Asian and global bioethics discourse.
• Support CBmE’s broader academic activities, including the organisation of international conferences, workshops, and public engagement initiatives, and contributions to policy consultations (e.g. Ministry of Health)
• Participate in university, school, and external committees as appropriate to rank, and contribute collegially to the academic life of CBmE, the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, and the National University of Singapore

Essential Requirements

• A PhD in bioethics or a closely related discipline (e.g. philosophy, sociology, anthropology, health policy) from a reputable university
• A strong grounding in ethics, including normative argumentation, to the level expected of advanced postgraduate training
• High‑level editorial leadership experience at major international bioethics journals, including service as Editor‑in‑Chief, Deputy/Associate Editor, or editorial board member.
• Demonstrated ability to draw on a range of methodologies relevant to applied and practical ethics
• Substantial experience in university‑level teaching in ethics or a closely related field, with a clear commitment to educational excellence
• A strong and sustained record of high‑quality research and publication in bioethics or related areas, appropriate to senior appointment
• For appointment at Associate Professor or Professor level, a proven track record of securing competitive research funding
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Strong organisational, leadership, and academic service capabilities
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively

• A PhD degree or postgraduate medical qualification recognised by the Singapore Medical Council.
• Experience of broader aspects of academic work e.g. doctoral supervision, doctoral examination, peer reviewing, contributions to professional networks/organisations.
• Capacity to conduct empirical research, including qualitative research involving interviews and questionnaires

An attractive remuneration package, commensurate with the candidate’s qualifications and experience, will be offered with this position.  For more information about NUS Medicine, please visit http://nusmedicine.nus.edu.sg

Interested parties should submit their letter of application, along with a full curriculum vitae, a soft copy of a recent paper or chapter (published or accepted for publication) online