Post Doctoral Researcher (7 positions)

The University of Eastern Finland is inviting applications for 7 Post Doctoral Researcher positions at all four faculties. The position will be filled for a fixed term with a starting date 1st January 2025 or as agreed, starting at latest 31st March 2025. Please find more information below and submit your application no later than 30th September 2024.

Role and salary

UEF offers 7 new full-time post doctoral researcher positions with the duration of 2 years. UEF is recruiting post-doctoral researchers with strategic funding as part of the research training reform. The aim is to provide support for UEF doctoral graduates who wish to pursue an academic career. In addition to high quality research, the PhD studentships aim to facilitate the establishment of a research team alongside funding applications. See our careers page for more information. 

The work will be carried out in accordance with a research plan that contains work packages and sub-goals so after this two-year period researcher has better capacities to seek external funding and found/expand their research team. The work plan will be drawn up in cooperation with the mentor and possible partners.

Observing working life connections is part of research education, and each researcher draws up a career plan that supports their work as a post doc researcher and aims to map career opportunities not only at the university but also in the service of the industrial sector, research institutes and other public and private organisations in Finland. Also, the big aim is also qualifying for an academic career.

As our new Postdoctoral Researcher, your main responsibilities will include:

•    developing new research questions and proposals within research group, 
•    advancing research and own research career at our university,
•    applying for grants for research, 
•    producing high-quality scientific publications,
•    supervising students´ theses (especially doctoral theses), 
•    building national and international research cooperation networks.

You may also have the possibility to participate in teaching activities relevant to your expertise.

The position will be filled for a fixed 2-year term, from 1st January 2025 to 31st December 2026 (or as agreed starting at latest 31st March 2025), due to it pertaining to a specific project task. A probationary period is applied. 

The salary of the position is determined in accordance with the salary system of the Finnish universities. The salary comprises two components: a job-related salary element and a personal salary element. In this position, the job requirement component is EUR 3,213.55 /month, based on level 5 of the job requirement chart for teaching and research staff. The personal performance component ranges from a minimum of 6% to a maximum of 50% of the above-mentioned sum. Depending on the personal performance component, the salary will be approximately EUR 3,730-3,920 /month at the beginning of the employment. 

Evaluation 

In the evaluation of applications, special attention will be paid to the following elements:

• suitability of the doctoral degree completed by the applicant and as well as other academic qualifications supporting the topic of the work plan
• a quality and feasibility of research plan, includes a career plan (maximum 2 pages) The work placement must include a period abroad of at least 3 months during the two year contract (as part of the plan).
• motivation letter (maximum 1 page)

In evaluation of applications, special attention will also be paid to the following: plans and potential for independent research career including international networking and applying for external funding.

The assessment may include interviews with candidates. Interviews will be invited separately.

Our requirements and expectations

Requirements:

• you are eligible for these posts, if you have got a doctoral degree completed at the University of Eastern Finland during 2023 or 2024 and if you have a doctoral thesis under preliminary examination by the end of September 2024 
• good skills in oral and written English.

The following will be considered an advantage: 

• demonstrated competence to disseminate scientific results
• previous research funding (at doctoral level) and independent roles in research projects

Your benefits

You will have access to the university’s staff benefits, including:

• the opportunity for flexible multi-location work
• extensive occupational health care
• a broad selection of staff training (including supervising thesis course)
• staff discount on lunch in our campus restaurants, as well as on a range of other services
• affordable sports services and a tax-free bike benefit

How to apply?

Submit your application by using our electronic application form no later than 30 September 2024 by 24:00 (midnight) Finnish time (UTC+2). Only applications that contain all appendices specified in the call will be evaluated and taken into account in the selection. Before taking a final decision, we will ensure that the university department is committed to host the proposed candidates.

Please note that you must include the following appendices in your application: 

• a CV (Template for CV, web page) 
• a list of publications (Instructions, web page)
• copies of your academic degree certificates / diplomas, and copies of certificates / diplomas relating to your language proficiency if not indicated in the academic degree certificates/diplomas,
• research plan, includes a career plan (maximum 2 pages),
• motivation letter (maximum 1 page),
• other documents to demonstrate your merits for the position.

Questions?   

For further information about the position, please contact Deans: 

Philosophical Faculty, Janne Pietarinen, email: janne.pietarinen@uef.fi, tel. +358 50 4650642.
Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology, Kari Lehtinen, email: kari.lehtinen@uef.fi, tel. +358 40 867 7844.
Faculty of Health Sciences, Jussi Pihlajamäki, email: jussi.pihlajamaki@uef.fi, tel. +358 50 344 0187.
Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies, Sari Rissanen, email: sari.rissanen@uef.fi, tel. +358 40 594 3774.

For further information about the application procedure, please contact HR Specialist Nina Miinalainen, email: nina.miinalainen@uef.fi, tel: +358 50 442 3362.