Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student), Nordic Literature

We are seeking a Doctoral Researcher whose field of research is Nordic Literature. The post will be based on the Joensuu campus and will be filled from 1 September 2025 to 31 December 2027. Please find more information below, and submit your application by 17 April 2025. 

Role and salary

We are seeking a Doctoral Researcher (doctoral student) for the ParaMig project, which is funded by the Research Council of Finland. The Doctoral Researcher will work in the ParaMig project in the School of Humanities on the Joensuu campus. 

The ParaMig project studies Nordic autobiographical narratives of immigration in a time when the political paradigm is changing. The Doctoral Researcher will work in the project and will contribute to it with their doctoral dissertation which may be an article-based dissertation or a monograph. 
The project material has been published after 2015 and includes autobiographical literature from Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway.  The project aims to understand how political changes impact personal narratives.  The Doctoral Researcher can choose the material they wish to use freely from one or more Nordic countries. The project aims to understand how political changes impact personal narratives.

The main duties of the Doctoral Researcher include working on their doctoral dissertation. The researcher responsible for the project will act as the supervisor, and the other supervisor will be agreed upon based on the chosen topic. In addition, the Doctoral Researcher is expected to participate in international mobility activities (a research visit) at a Nordic university for a few months. 

The post will be filled for a fixed term from 1 September 2025 to 31 December 2027. The position is filled for a fixed term due to the Doctoral Researcher’s own doctoral dissertation work and postgraduate studies. A probationary period is applied to new members of the staff.  

The salary of the post is based on the salary system for the teaching and research staff of Finnish universities. The salary consists of a job-related salary element and a personal salary element. The job-related salary element is based on levels 2–4 of the job requirement level chart (EUR 2,225.83-2,775.28 /month). In addition, a personal salary element is paid, which is 6–50% of the job-related salary element.   

Expectations and merits  

We expect you to have: 

• a Master’s degree in Literary Studies or Cultural Studies,
• eligibility for postgraduate studies, i.e., the selected candidate must apply for and be granted the right to pursue further studies at the University of Eastern Finland, and
• excellent written and spoken language skills in English.

The following will be considered an advantage 

• a strong interest in multidisciplinary and international research.

We offer you  

• an interesting position in an international, creative, participatory and inclusive university community, 
• the opportunity for flexible multilocation work, 
• the staff benefits of the University of Eastern Finland, including comprehensive occupational health care, extensive provision of staff training, affordable lunch in our campus restaurants, Sykettä sports services and a tax-free bike benefit. 

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

How to apply  

Submit your application by using our electronic application form no later than 17 April 2025 by 24:00 (midnight) Finnish time (UTC+3). 

 Please note that the application must contain the following appendices: 

• a CV (a template for researchers: TENK website)
• a research proposal summarising previous research experience and the topic of the doctoral dissertation (research question, material, methodology/theoretical framework), max. 5 pages
• copies of academic certificates/diplomas and of certificates/ diplomas relating to the applicant’s language proficiency, if not indicated in the academic degree certificates/ diplomas
• a motivational letter (no more than 2 pages)
• any other documents with which you wish to demonstrate your merits for the position   

If your certificate/diploma is not in English, Finnish or Swedish, official English translations of the academic certificate/diploma documents must be provided.

Questions?  

Further information on the post is provided by Project Director Lena Englund, tel. +358 29 444 2111, lena.englund@uef.fi    

For more information on how to apply and on the application process, please contact HR Specialist Nina Miinalainen, tel. +358 29 445 2006, nina.miinalainen@uef.fi