In this post, we have listed all available fully-funded PhD and academic positions at the University of Helsinki. All of these positions are fully funded and provide a high salary.

University of Helsinki

The University of Helsinki is a public research university in Helsinki, Finland. It was founded in 1829 by King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden and five other prominent figures at the Royal Academy of Turku in Finland.

The University of Helsinki is the largest and most comprehensive university in Finland with around 38,000 students and 3,300 employees. The main campus is located in Otaniemi next to Mannerheimintie, the central square of the capital city. In addition to its main campus in Otaniemi, it also operates several branch campuses elsewhere in central Helsinki as well as a study abroad center at Peking University’s campus at Shijitan Road Campus. The University of Helsinki has been ranked among the world’s top 100 universities since 2011 according to Times Higher Education World Rankings


How to apply for PhD and postdoc positions at the University of Helsinki in Finland?

Following are the general steps that should be followed when applying for a PhD or postdoctoral position at the University of Helsinki in Finland:

  1. Find a suitable position: The first step is to identify a research position that aligns with your research interests and expertise. You can find it in the following list.
  2. Check the admission requirements: In various departments and programs at the University of Helsinki, there may be different admission requirements for PhD and postdoctoral positions. The requirements should therefore be carefully read and understood before you begin the application process.
  3. Prepare your application: When you have met the admission requirements, you should begin preparing your application materials, which may include a CV, research proposal, motivation letter, academic transcript, and letters of recommendation.
  4. Submit your application: Your completed application should be submitted through the university’s online application portal. Follow the instructions carefully and meet all deadlines for submitting your application.
  5. Wait for a response: You should wait for the university to respond to your application after submitting it. Depending on how long it takes for you to receive a response, it may take several weeks or even months.

Applicants should be aware that the application process may differ depending on the department or research group for which they are applying, so it is always a good idea to confirm any additional requirements with them.

Available Fully Funded PhD Positions at the University of Helsinki

Here you can see the list of all available fully funded PhD positions in various study subjects at the University of Helsinki. The positions will be updated regularly.


Title: Doctoral Researcher in Sustainability of Wooden Construction

Location: Faculty of Medicine

Deadline: 31.01.2024

Salary: The starting salary of the Doctoral researcher will be based on level 2 of the demands level chart for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, the appointee will be paid a salary component based on personal performance. The starting salary of the Doctoral researcher will be ca. 2400-2600 euros/month, depending on the appointee’s qualifications and experience.

Summary:

The University of Helsinki’s Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry is seeking a Doctoral researcher for a 3-year contract starting March 4, 2024, for the “Hyytiälä Living Lab – Sustainable wood construction and human health” project. This role is within the Department of Forest Sciences and involves doctoral studies in the AGFOREE program. The project, supervised by key academic and research figures, focuses on developing a multidisciplinary research environment at the University of Helsinki Forest Research Station. The researcher will contribute to understanding and assessing the multi-dimensional sustainability of wooden construction, covering its entire lifecycle. This encompasses exploring the economic, ecological, and social/cultural sustainability dimensions and their interrelations, especially in relation to human health and wellbeing.

The aim is to develop a framework for assessing the overall sustainability of wood construction, considering its impact on various stakeholders. This research will leverage the new Hyytiälä Living Lab environment for data and analysis.

Requirements

Educational and Technical Skills

  • A Master’s degree in a relevant field (forest economics/environmental economics, wood construction, building technologies, or related areas).
  • Proficiency in English, with excellent writing skills. Finnish or Swedish language skills are a plus.
  • Experience in the wood-forestry sector and construction/housing industry is beneficial.
  • Skills in quantitative methodologies, like life-cycle analysis and statistical modeling, and knowledge in building/housing are advantageous.

Personal Attributes and Competencies

  • Strong motivation and commitment to scientific research.
  • Excellent analytical research skills with an active, goal-oriented approach.
  • Proficiency in interpersonal and communication skills.
  • Ability to work effectively in multicultural and multidisciplinary teams.
  • Eagerness to bridge academic research and practical applications in the field.

Responsibilities

  • Independently design, conduct, and report research within the project scope.
  • Contribute to undergraduate student supervision and teaching within the department.
  • Engage actively with both the scientific community and the public through various channels like scientific publications, conference presentations, and blogs.

This position offers an opportunity to contribute significantly to the field of sustainable wooden construction, working in a dynamic, collaborative environment.

More Details and Apply.


Title: UNIVERSITY-FUNDED DOCTORAL RESEARCHER POSITIONS”

Location: University of Helsinki

Deadline: Open

Summary:

The University of Helsinki (UH) annually allocates funding to doctoral programmes for salaried positions (employment contracts). These doctoral researcher positions are designated as full-time work. The goal is for doctoral researchers employed by the University to work towards completing a post-graduate doctoral degree within a four-year timeframe.

Requirements: To be eligible for a salaried position in a doctoral programme, you must either currently hold the status of a doctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki or have intentions to pursue a doctoral degree. If you possess post-graduate study rights at the University of Helsinki, you can apply for a salaried position, provided that you have not yet spent a total of four years with a UH-funded doctoral researcher salary.

More Details and Apply.


Available Postdoc Positions at University of Helsinki

Here you can see the list of all available Postdoctoral positions in various study subjects at the University of Helsinki. The positions will be updated regularly.

Title: Postdoctoral Researchers in Environmental and resource economics

Location: Department of Economics and Management

Deadline: 31.01.2024

Salary: The salary of the postdoctoral researcher will be based on level 5 of the demands level chart for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, the appointee will be paid a salary component based on personal performance. A six-month trial period will be applied.

Summary:

The University of Helsinki is seeking two postdoctoral researchers for a project on “Green Tax Reform for a Just Climate Transition” within the Department of Economics and Management. These 2-3 year positions involve analyzing climate policy’s impact on inequality and exploring mitigation strategies through taxation. The roles are part of the Helsinki Graduate School of Economics, based at the Viikki campus, and offer opportunities to engage in a broad research community across multiple universities.

Requirements:

Applicants for these postdoctoral positions should have a background in environmental and resource economics or a closely related field. The University is specifically looking for candidates who:

  • Specialize in applied empirical economics or economic theory, particularly focusing on information economics and mechanism design.
  • Demonstrate a strong motivation for academic research.
  • Possess a doctoral degree awarded before the commencement of employment.
  • Exhibit capabilities for independent scholarly work and possess the teaching skills necessary for this role.

Additionally, the research questions and focus areas can be tailored to align with the successful applicants’ interests and expertise.

More Details and Apply.


Title: Postdoctoral Researcher / University Researcher in Sustainability Assessment of Food Systems

Location: Department of Agricultural Sciences

Deadline: 31.01.2024

Salary: The salary of the postdoctoral researcher will be based on level 5 and the salary of university researcher at level 5-7 of the requirements level chart for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, the appointee will be paid a salary component based on personal performance. The starting salary of the postdoctoral researcher will be c. 3400-4000 €/month and the starting salary of the university researcher ca. 4200 – 4500 €/month. A six-month trial period will be applied. The workplace of the position is in Helsinki.

Summary:

The University of Helsinki offers a 30-month postdoctoral or university researcher position in the Department of Agricultural Sciences, within the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, located at the Viikki campus. The role is affiliated with the Future Sustainable Food Systems (FS)2 research group and focuses on the RESET project, aiming to develop resilient and equitable sustainable food and water systems. Responsibilities include creating sustainable assessment methods and involvement in teaching and course development related to life cycle assessment.

Requirements:

Ideal candidates should:

  • Hold a doctoral degree (for the postdoctoral researcher position) or possess at least 5 years of postdoctoral experience (for the university researcher position).
  • Have expertise in life cycle assessment (LCA) related to agriculture, food production, or food systems, evidenced by at least one peer-reviewed publication in the field, and experience with LCA software such as SimaPro, Gabi, or OpenLCA.
  • Possess programming skills in languages like Python, R, MATLAB, or C.
  • Demonstrate the ability to conduct independent scholarly work and collaborate within interdisciplinary research groups.
  • Show a strong interest in developing holistic sustainability assessment methods for food systems.
  • Be willing to engage in networking within the RESET program, its constituent networks (HELSUS, INEQ, and HOH), and broader national and international collaborations.
  • Have the motivation and ability to teach, develop courses in environmental life cycle assessment, and supervise academic theses.

More Details and Apply.


Title: Staff Scientist (University Researcher) for eLTER and AnaEE related work at the SMEAR-Agri

Location: Department of Agricultural Sciences

Deadline: 31.01.2024

Salary: The salary of a university researcher is at level 5-7 of the requirements level chart for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, the appointee will be paid a salary component based on personal performance. The starting salary of the university researcher is ca. 4200 – 4500 €/month. A six-month trial period will be applied and the workplace is at Viikki campus in Helsinki. 

Summary:

The University of Helsinki is offering a five-year University Researcher position at the SMEAR-Agri station, starting immediately or from March 1, 2024. The role involves managing long-term atmospheric and soil measurements, data processing, and linking with international research infrastructures. Key responsibilities include ensuring high-quality data production, coordinating data management, and supporting research and teaching activities related to SMEAR-Agri station.

Requirements:

Candidates for this position should have:

  • A doctoral degree in a relevant field such as forest and agricultural sciences or environmental sciences.
  • The ability to work both independently and as part of interdisciplinary research groups.
  • Technical proficiency in hardware and software, with a willingness to learn and handle tasks related to measurement technology in ecophysiology and soil sciences.
  • A keen interest in participating in networking activities within research infrastructures like ICOS, AnaEE, eLTER, and ACTRIS RI at both national and international levels.
  • A strong understanding of ecophysiological principles underpinning the research.
  • The willingness and capability to assist, supervise, and mentor graduate and postgraduate students in technical, statistical, and academic aspects, including thesis and dissertation supervision.

More Details and Apply.


Title: 2 Postdoctoral researchers in Molecular Plant Physiology and Biochemistry

Location: Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences

Deadline: 31.01.2024

Salary: starting salary ca. 3300 – 3800 EUR/month depending on the qualifications and experience

Summary:

The University of Helsinki is seeking two Postdoctoral Researchers for its Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme. These roles focus on studying guard cell signalling in Arabidopsis thaliana. The researchers will be involved in two main projects:

  1. Project 1: Involves characterizing new mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana guard cell signalling.
  2. Project 2: Centers on understanding guard cell signalling pathways using advanced techniques like interactomics and phosphoproteomics.

These positions offer collaboration with expert teams and international mobility opportunities within Europe.

Requirements:

The ideal candidates for these positions should possess:

  • A doctoral degree in a relevant field such as molecular or cell biology, plant biology, or biochemistry.
  • Experience in plant physiology and molecular plant sciences, particularly in areas like proteomics, interactomics, phosphoproteomics, and kinase assays.
  • Proven ability to independently conceive, execute, and complete research projects.
  • Creativity and independent thinking skills.
  • Excellent proficiency in both written and verbal communication.

More Details and Apply.


Title: Staff Scientist (University Researcher) for eLTER related work at the SMEAR II

Location: Department of Forest Sciences

Deadline: 31.01.2024

Salary: The salary of a university researcher is at level 5-7 of the requirements level chart for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, the appointee will be paid a salary component based on personal performance.  The starting salary of the university researcher is ca. 4200 – 4500 €/month. 

Summary:

The University of Helsinki’s Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry is recruiting a university researcher for a five-year term at the SMEAR II station. The role focuses on overseeing long-term ecophysiological and soil measurements, especially related to eLTER RI. Responsibilities include maintaining and developing measurement systems and conducting fieldwork.

Requirements:

Candidates for the university researcher position should have:

  • A doctoral degree in a relevant field such as ecophysiology or soil sciences.
  • The ability to conduct scholarly work and research both independently and collaboratively within interdisciplinary research groups.
  • A willingness or demonstrated aptitude for learning and managing measurement technologies pertinent to forest ecology, ecophysiology, and/or soil sciences.
  • An eagerness to engage in networking activities associated with eLTER RI at both national and international levels.

More Details and Apply.


Title: Two postdoctoral researchers for Taipale lab

Location: Faculty of Medicine

Deadline: 31.01.2024

Salary: The monthly gross salary will be approx. 3600-4000 €/month (OV5 scale + performance percentage) depending on the appointee’s qualifications and experience.

Summary:

Two Postdoctoral Researcher positions are available in a research group that is a part of the Academy of Finland’s Centre of Excellence in Tumour Genetics Research. This group specializes in the study of transcriptional control of cell growth, employing functional genomics and systems biology approaches. Their current research includes high-throughput determination of binding sites and specificities of human transcription factors involved in cell growth regulation in both steady state and cancerous conditions.

Requirements:

They are seeking applicants who have completed their doctoral degrees and possess a strong foundation in molecular biology. Additionally, applicants with an interest or background in bioinformatics will find this position particularly fitting. Ideal candidates should be eager to work in an interdisciplinary, dynamic, and international environment. They should be capable of independent work and possess excellent proficiency in English.

It is mandatory that the degree requirement is fulfilled by the start of the employment. The selected postdoctoral researchers are expected to reside in Finland during their tenure at the University of Helsinki.

More Details and Apply.


If you are interested in studying in Finland and need to find a fully funded position, there are also some:

Would you like to know the salary amount of PhD and postdoc positions in Europe? 

You can find all the available full-funded PhD positions in different countries here.


We have been providing academic vacancies on Fastepo for over ten years. On our website, you will find fully funded PhD positionsopen positions (postdoctoral positions), and a variety of scholarships. You can stay up-to-date on all our activities through our social media pages and our YouTube channel.