Postdoctoral Researcher, Pervasive Sensing for Microsurgical Training and Skill Assessment

The University of Eastern Finland is inviting applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher position in Pervasive Sensing for Microsurgical Training and Skill Assessment at the School of Computing of the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology on the Joensuu or Kuopio campus. The position will be filled for a fixed term of two years starting on 1 April 2026 (or as agreed).

Please find more information below and submit your application no later than 29 January 2026.

Role and salary

Join our vibrant research team where microsurgery, expertise, and technology revolutionize how we train and assess surgical skills! When stakes are high, there is little margin for error. In mission-critical tasks, such as microsurgery, every little movement can make the difference in a patient’s safety and well-being. To understand how expertise develops over time, the Synergetic Mechanisms in High-Precision Expertise (SyMPeX) project (website) develops data-driven solutions that promote ubiquitous long-term and sustainable training and objective skill evaluation.

We seek a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to join our SyMPeX project funded by the Research Council of Finland. Situated in microsurgical training and operating rooms, our interdisciplinary project combines cutting-edge sensors with current computational tools and machine/deep learning. As a Postdoctoral Researcher, you will be a key member of our team responsible for designing the seamless integration of biosensors into microsurgical training, developing a robust framework for data collection, and advancing performance analytics. Together, we shift how we train, observe, and understand microsurgical expertise. You will collaborate with specialists in Computer Science, Microsurgery, Plastic Surgery, and Otolaryngology spanning three university hospitals worldwide.

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

• designing and integrating biosensing architecture for pervasive data capture from the state-of-the-art wearable sensors and cameras
• validating the framework and running systematic feasibility tests in the wild
• collaborating closely with researchers and clinicians to prepare for autonomous data collection in the training centers and/or operating rooms
• visiting project’s international partners at Kuopio University Hospital (Finland), Rigshospitalet (Denmark) and University of Alberta (Canada)
• publishing in high-impact journals and giving presentations at international conferences.

You will be based at the School of Computing of the University of Eastern Finland. You will be part of an interdisciplinary and international team of computer scientists, cognitive scientists, clinicians, and specialists. The SyMPeX project will collaborate with cutting-edge research groups in Finland (University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio University Hospital), Denmark (Rigshospitalet), the United States (Indiana University of Bloomington), and Canada (University of Alberta), who will provide complementary insights into domain-specific expertise and medical topics (simulation training of microsurgery and otolaryngology). You will have access to the state-of-the-art research facilities and sensors, including microscope eye tracking, motion sensing, and cardiac sensors.

The position will be filled for a fixed term of two years as from 1 April 2026 (or as agreed). The position will be filled for a fixed term due to a specific project task. A trial 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. For a Postdoctoral Researcher, the job-related salary element is based on level 5 of the job requirement level chart for teaching and research staff. 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 3,825 – 4,020 /month.

Our requirements and expectations

Requirements

• a doctoral degree in Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering or another relevant field. The doctoral degree may not have been completed more than five years ago at the time of starting in the position (a net period of time, which does not include parental leaves, military service etc.)
• good skills in spoken and written English for day-to-day communication and collaboration with international partners

Other requirements

• proven coding expertise in biometric sensor integration and time-series signal processing
• ability to write clean, reproducible, and well-documented code for research or production use
• scientific research experience demonstrated through high-quality publications and code samples or publications with code

The following will be considered an advantage

• experience with machine/deep learning for time-series data analysis
• prior experience with computational multi-sensor synchronization, cloud infrastructure, and secure file transfer
• prior experience of clinical / health technology-oriented projects

Your benefits

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

• 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 29 January 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 motivation letter (max. 2 pages). In the letter, please indicate why you are interested in this research project and why you would be a suitable candidate for this position
• other documents to demonstrate the applicant’s merits for the position

If your diploma is not in English, Finnish or Swedish, an official English translation must be provided. All translations must be issued either by the awarding educational institution or an authorised 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 are not accepted.

Questions?

For further information on the position, please contact Academy Research Fellow Hana Vrzáková, e-mail: hana.vrzakova@uef.fi, tel. +358294453262.

For further information on the application procedure, please contact HR Specialist Noora Hämäläinen (out of office 22.12.2025-4.1.2026), e-mail: noora.hamalainen@uef.fi, tel. +358 29 445 8302 or HR Specialist Iiris Korhonen (out of office 22.12.2025-4.1.2026), e-mail: iiris.korhonen@uef.fi, tel. +358 29 445 8161.

Haemme tutkijatohtoria Itä-Suomen yliopistolle. Tehtävä sijoittuu luonnontieteiden, metsätieteiden ja tekniikan tiedekuntaan tietojenkäsittelytieteen laitokselle Joensuun tai Kuopion kampukselle. Tehtävä alkaa 1.4.2026 (tai sopimuksen mukaan), ja se täytetään kahden vuoden määräajaksi. Tehtävässä tehtäväkohtainen palkanosa on vaativuustasoluokittelussa tasolla 5. 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 29.1.2026.