Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student), Atmospheric Aerosol Physics and Chemistry

The University of Eastern Finland is inviting applications for a Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student) position in the field of Atmospheric Aerosol Physics and Chemistry at the Department of Technical Physics on the Kuopio campus. The position will be filled for a fixed term as from 1 April 2026 (or as agreed) to 31 December 2028.

Please find more information below and submit your application by 2 March 2026.

Role and salary

We are seeking a highly motivated Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student) in the field of Atmospheric Aerosol Physics and Chemistry to work at the Department of Technical Physics of the University of Eastern Finland. The work of the Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student) will be implemented within the Finnish Centre of Excellence (FCoE) in Anthropocenic Chemical Ecology of Forests (ACE-Forest) (website) funded by the Research Council of Finland. The ACE-Forest project will explore chemically mediated intra- and interspecific interactions in forests. The project will aim to advance understanding of the chemical ecology of forests in the Anthropocene. The Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student) may choose either one of the two research topics or both: i) characterization of biogenic VOCs and SOA chemistry, or ii) characterization of SOA particle deposition and fluxes onto forest vegetation.

As a Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student), you will focus on:

• identifying new stress-induced volatile organic compounds (VOC) precursors from vegetation
• studying the kinetic formation of SOA from these VOCs
• characterizing chemistry of SOA particles, or determining SOA and VOC fluxes onto vegetation
• carrying out experiments in atmospheric simulation chambers
• participating in field campaigns or model SOA formation and deposition processes.

The main duty of the Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student) is to conduct research for their doctoral dissertation and to complete postgraduate studies. The position may also include teaching duties (max. 5% of total working hours) within the discipline, in line with the candidate’s area of expertise.

The research will be conducted in the Aerosol Physics Research Group (website). The research group has an excellent international reputation in the field of atmospheric and aerosol related studies. The main research topics of the group are formation and properties of secondary organic aerosols (SOA), aerosol-cloud interactions, anthropogenic-biogenic interactions and representation of aerosols in climate models. The group is part of the Atmosphere and Climate Competence Center (ACCC), a Finnish Flagship (website). The recruited Doctoral researcher (PhD Student) is expected to work closely with other research groups in ACE-Forest consortium and with international collaborators. Embedded within the ACE-Forest Centre of Excellence, all researchers have great potential for building networks and conducting collaborative research.

The position will be filled for a fixed term as from 1 April 2026 (or as agreed) to 31 December 2028. The position will be filled for a fixed term due to the Doctoral Researcher’s (PhD Student’s) own doctoral dissertation work and studies. A possible extension will be agreed upon separately. A trial period is applied to all new members of 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. For a Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student), the job-related salary element is based on levels 2–4 of the job requirement level chart for teaching and research staff depending on the stage of the applicant's doctoral research and postgraduate studies. The personal salary element is 6–50% of the job-related salary element. At the beginning of the employment the total salary will be approximately EUR 2,650 – 2,785 /month.

Our requirements and expectations

Requirements

• eligibility for postgraduate studies; i.e., holding a Master’s degree in physics, mathematics, computer science, engineering, chemistry or a related field, awarded by a university or a university of applied sciences, or having completed an applicable study programme abroad which in the awarding country gives eligibility for corresponding postgraduate education
• meeting the student admission criteria for the LUMETO doctoral programme (Doctoral Programme in Science, Forestry and Technology, website)
• a good command of written and spoken English
• motivation for research work in aerosol physics or chemistry.

Please note that the applicant must fulfil the stated requirements by the end of the application period.

Applicants who do not yet have the right to pursue postgraduate studies at the University of Eastern Finland are not required to apply for study rights at the application stage. If the applicant is selected for the position and applies for postgraduate study rights, the selection will be conditional until the right to pursue postgraduate studies in the faculty’s doctoral programme has been granted. The application for postgraduate study rights is submitted through the Studyinfo (Opintopolku) service.

The following will be considered as advantages

• prior experience with the measurement and analysis of biogenic volatile organic compounds and secondary organic aerosol using mass spectrometer techniques, such as proton transfer reaction – time of flight – mass spectrometry (PTR-MS), aerosol mass spectrometry (AMS), or chemical ionization mass spectrometry (CIMS)
• prior experience with the measurement and analysis of gas and aerosol fluxes
• prior experience in working with atmospheric simulation chambers or flow tube reactors
• competence with data analysis with MATLAB or Igor programs.

Your benefits

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

• the opportunity for flexible multi-location work
• excellent opportunities for professional development and continuous learning
• 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

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

You will have an opportunity to work in a meaningful 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 2 March 2026 by 23:59 (midnight) Finnish time (UTC +2).

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

• a CV (Template for CV, TENK website)
• a list of publications (Instructions, Research Council of Finland website)
• 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 transcript of records
• a motivation letter (max. 1 page) in which you describe your interest in the position and research areas, your background, as well as your career aspirations
• other documents to demonstrate the your 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 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 the applicants themselves will not be accepted.

Questions?

For further information on the position, please contact Senior Researcher Jorma Joutsensaari, e-mail: jorma.joutsensaari@uef.fi, tel.: +358 29 4453010 and Staff Scientist Liqing Hao, e-mail: hao.liqing@uef.fi, tel.: +358 29 4453361.

For further information on the application procedure, please contact HR Specialist Iiris Korhonen, e-mail: iiris.korhonen@uef.fi, tel.: +358 29 445 8161 or HR Specialist Noora Hämäläinen, e-mail: noora.hamalainen@uef.fi, tel.: +358 29 445 8302.

Haemme Itä-Suomen yliopistolle väitöskirjatutkijaa, jonka tutkimus liittyy Antroposeenin ajan metsien kemiallisen ekologian tutkimuksen huippuyksikköön (ACE-Forest). Tehtävä sijoittuu luonnontieteiden, metsätieteiden ja tekniikan tiedekuntaan teknillisen fysiikan laitokselle Kuopion kampukselle. Tehtävä täytetään ajanjaksolle 1.4.2026-31.12.2028 (tai aloitus sopimuksen mukaan). Tehtävässä tehtäväkohtainen palkanosa on vaativuustasoluokittelussa tasoilla 2–4. Lisäksi maksetaan henkilökohtaiseen suoriutumiseen perustuvaa palkanosaa, 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 2.3.2026.