Doctoral Researcher (PhD student), Chemical Ecology

The University of Eastern Finland is inviting applications for a Doctoral Researcher (PhD student) position in Chemical Ecology at the Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, on Kuopio campus. The position will be filled from 1 March 2025 (or starting date as agreed).

Please find more information below and submit your application no later than 6 February 2025.

Role and salary

We are seeking a highly motivated Doctoral Researcher (PhD student) to work on the project “Insect-pheromones and climate change: Effects of ozone and warming on sexual communication and plant induced resistance”. The person to be appointed to this position will work at the Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences in the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology. The research will be conducted in the Environmental Ecology Research Group (EERG) (Web page, UEF Connect).

Pheromones play an important role in insect communication and the sexual isolation of species. Warming and air pollution, which are expected to continue increasing as a result of anthropogenic activity, may affect the production and release of pheromone. In addition, air pollutants such as ozone can degrade these volatile cues. The project will follow a multidisciplinary approach to determine the effects of warming and ozone on intraspecific interactions using Lepidoptera species as model insects.

As our new Doctoral Researcher (PhD student), you will be in charge of performing manipulative experiments that utilise a suite of complementary techniques including pheromone gland extraction, volatile collection and analysis by GC-MS, gas chromatography, electroantennography and olfactometry tests.

The main duty of Doctoral Researcher (PhD student) is to conduct research for their doctoral dissertation and to pursue postgraduate studies.

The position will be filled for a three-year fixed term from 1 March 2025 (or starting date as agreed). The position will be filled for a fixed term due to it pertaining to the Doctoral Researcher’s (PhD student's) own doctoral dissertation work and studies. A probationary period is applied to all new members of the staff.

The salary of the position is determined in accordance with the salary system for Finnish universities. The salary comprises two components: a job-related salary element and a personal salary element. In this position, the job-related salary element is EUR 2,225.83 – 2,775.28 /month, based on levels 2–4 of the job requirement level chart for teaching and research staff. The personal salary element can be a minimum of 6% and a maximum of 50% of the above-mentioned sum. In the post of Doctoral Researcher (PhD student), the salary is determined based on the stage of doctoral research and doctoral studies, as well as on personal performance. Depending on the personal salary element, the salary at the beginning of the employment will be approximately EUR 2585–2720 /month.

Our requirements and expectations

Requirements

• Master’s degree in biology or agricultural sciences with major subject in entomology or equivalent.
• A person to be appointed as a Doctoral Researcher shall be qualified to pursue postgraduate studies, i.e., the Doctoral Researcher must be eligible to apply for and must have been granted the right to pursue postgraduate studies in the Faculty’s Doctoral Programme LUMETO (Web page).
• A good command of written and spoken English.

The following will be considered an advantage

• Prior experience with rearing of insects, sampling and sample preparation of insect pheromones, gas-chromatography and electroantennography experience in cell culture.

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
• 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.

Please read more in the Work at UEF section on our website.

You will have an opportunity to work in an interesting and diverse role as part of our international, creative, participatory and inclusive academic community.

Enjoy your life in Finland! Known for its cleanliness, welfare know-how, modern technology and superb education system, Finland is an exotic and safe country to work in. Please visit  the Life in Finland section on our website to learn more.

How to apply?

Submit your application by using our electronic application form no later than 6 February 2025 by 24:00 (midnight) Finnish time (UTC+2).

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

• a CV including 1 or 2 reference contact (Template for a CV, TENK web site)
• 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
• a motivation letter (max. 1 page)
• other documents to demonstrate the applicant’s merits for the position

If your degree certificate is not in English, Finnish, or Swedish, you must provide official English translations of your degree certificate documents. All translations must be issued either by the awarding educational institution or an authorized translator. Each page of the official translation must bear the translator’s stamp and/or signature. Official translations must be accurate translations of the original documents. Translations made by applicants themselves will not be accepted.

Questions?

For further information on the position, please contact Senior Researcher Delia Pinto-Zevallos, e-mail: delia.pinto@uef.fi, tel. +358417232439.

For further information on the application procedure, please contact HR Specialist Noora Hämäläinen, e-mail: noora.hamalainen@uef.fi, tel. +358 29 4458302 or HR Specialist Iiris Korhonen, e-mail: iiris.korhonen@uef.fi, tel. +358 29 4458161.

Haemme väitöskirjatutkijaa (kemiallinen ekologia) Itä-Suomen yliopiston luonnontieteiden, metsätieteiden ja tekniikan tiedekuntaan, ympäristö- ja biotieteiden laitokselle, Kuopion kampukselle. Väitöskirjatutkija työskentelee projektissa, jonka aihe on "Hyönteisten feromonit muuttuvassa ilmastossa: Otsonin ja lämpenemisen vaikutukset seksuaaliviestintään ja kasvien indusoituvaan puolustukseen". Tehtävä alkaa 1.3.2025 tai sopimuksen mukaan. Tehtävä täytetään kolmen vuoden määräajaksi. Tämän tehtävän tehtäväkohtainen palkanosa on vaativuusluokitteluissa tasoilla 2-4, jonka lisäksi maksetaan henkilökohtaiseen suoriutumiseen perustuva palkanosa, joka on 6-50% tehtäväkohtaisesta palkanosasta. Tehtävässä edellytetään hyvää englannin kielen taitoa.

Lue tarkemmat tiedot tehtävästä ja hakuohjeet yllä olevasta englanninkielisestä ilmoituksesta. Jätäthän hakemuksesi englanniksi. Hakuaika tehtävään päättyy 6.2.2025.