Assistant Professor / Associate Professor, Tenure Track, Physical Geography - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The University of Eastern Finland is inviting applications for an Assistant Professor/ Associate Professor in Physical Geography, position in Joensuu. The position is a Tenure Track position to be filled for a four-year term from January 1, 2027 (or as agreed). Please find more information below and submit your application no later than 6 May 2026.

Note! The job description for the position has been updated on April 14, 2026

Role and salary

As our new Assistant/Associate Professor in Physical Geography, you will be working in the Department of Geographical and Historical Studies of UEF at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies. The position is located in Joensuu, Finland.

As our new Assistant Professor/ Associate Professor, your main responsibilities will include:

• carrying out and promoting high-quality research and teaching in physical geography
• providing teaching and supervision at all levels of education
• participating in project activities, in the acquisition of national and international research funding, and in international research networks and
• participating in other activities of the department

A successful applicant has extensive methodological understanding in the field of geography. The post focuses on physical geography that examines, for example, the diversity and sustainability of natural environments, ecosystems, and socio-ecological systems across different spatial and temporal scales, and the mechanisms that shape them. Methodologically, the applicant is expected to have diverse and innovative expertise in geospatial and remote sensing methods.

The position will be filled for a four-year term starting from January 1, 2027 (or as agreed). The position is filled for a fixed term due to it being a fixed-term research and teaching position (Tenure Track). A probationary period is applied to all new members of the UEF staff.

External expert review will be used in the filling of the position. After the experts have submitted their statements, the Appointments Committee preparing the recruitment will interview the applicant.

The salary of the position is determined in accordance with the salary system of the Finnish universities. The salary comprises two components: a job requirement component and a personal performance component. The Assistant/Associate Professor position is based on level 6-7 of the job requirement level chart for teaching and research staff (EUR 3,925.64-4,525.66/month). The personal performance component can be a minimum of 6 % and a maximum of 50 % of the job requirement component.

The Assistant Professor/Associate Professor in Physical Geography is a Tenure Track position. This means that at the end of your term, your merits and achievements will be evaluated to determine whether you can be promoted to the next level of the Tenure Track without public notice of vacancy. The criteria, objectives and results to be achieved during the term will be agreed with you in detail when signing the contract of employment. 

Our requirements and expectations

Requirements

• a suitable doctoral degree,
• strong research merits, including methodological expertise,  
• experience in the acquisition of research funding and in leading research projects,
• good teaching skills, 
• demonstrated achievements in international research collaboration he ability to teach and supervise in English.

 As an advantage will be considered

• national and international research networks,  
• experience in the supervision of postgraduate studies,
• pedagogical studies in teacher training,
• active involvement in the scientific community and
  societal impact and activities.

The evaluation of teaching skills follows the instructions of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies, according to which the good teaching skills required for the post are primarily sought to be verified on the basis of the merits described in the teaching portfolio. Applicants must submit a teaching portfolio compiled in accordance with the instructions in addition to other application documents.  If the good teaching skills required by the post cannot be verified on the basis of the teaching portfolio, the person proposed to be invited to the post may be invited to give a trial lecture. In connection to the evaluation of teaching skills and if otherwise considered necessary, the Appointments Committee may interview the applicant.

Your benefits

You will have access to the university’s staff benefits, including
• opportunity for flexible multi-location work
• extensive occupational health care
• staff discount on lunch in our campus restaurants, as well as on a range of other services,
• affordable sports services

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

You will have an opportunity to work in an interesting/meaningful/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 May 2026 by 24:00 (midnight) Finnish time (UTC+3).

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

1) a resume or a curriculum vitae compiled in accordance with the template for researcher’s curriculum vitae of the Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity (Template for a CV, TENK website)

2) a portfolio of teaching merits, (Portfolio of teaching merits YHKA.pdf)

3)  a complete list of publications compiled in accordance with the publication classification of the Ministry of Education and Culture (Instructions, the Research Council of Finland website)

4)  key publications (no more than 10) with which the applicant wishes to demonstrate his or her qualification and merits for the position

5) a list of the selected publications (no more than 10)

6) a plan (no more than 3 pages) of the applicant’s views on how to develop the field with regard to research, education and societal interaction   

7) copies of your academic degree certificates / diplomas

8) copies of certificates / diplomas relating to your language proficiency, if not indicated in the academic degree certificates / diplomas

The application with appendices (excluding publications) should be submitted in English.

Questions?

Further information 

Pieter Dhondt, Head of Department (+358 29 445 5028 / pieter.dhondt@uef.fi), and in matters related to the application procedure Marko Junkkarinen, Executive Head of Administration (+358 29 445 8426 / marko.junkkarinen@uef.fi), or Tuula Ranne, Senior HR Specialist (+358 29 445 5245 / tuula.ranne@uef.fi).