The position of a doctoral researcher is set to begin on 1 January 2027 at the earliest and for the duration of a maximum of four years (up to until 31 December 2030).
Job description
The positions are primarily intended for full-time doctoral dissertation research and doctoral studies. Duties other than those related to doctoral dissertation research, such as teaching duties, must be proportioned so as not to compromise the completion of the doctoral dissertation within the planned schedule. As a rule, up to 5% (a maximum of about 80 hrs per academic year) of the annual working time of the doctoral researcher can consist of teaching.
Who we are looking for
You are required to have an active right to study in the doctoral programme FINDOS-Turku. If you have not yet been granted a right to study, you must apply for a right to pursue a doctoral degree in the Faculty of Medicine. A right to study is a prerequisite for an applicant to be chosen for a fixed-term doctoral researcher position under an employment contract. The right to study for a doctoral degree is applied for by filling in an electronic form in the My Studyinfo service by 8 September 2026 at 23:59 (local time in Finland). Please see instructions how to apply on FINDOS-Turku webpages.
You are planning to pursue or pursuing your first doctoral degree. You have not previously received four years of full‑time funding for doctoral studies. The doctoral researcher position requires working in Finland and the place of work is Turku.
In the selection of funded doctoral researcher positions, the following factors are emphasized: quality and feasibility of the research plan, applicant’s merits and completed studies as well as the applicant’s capability and motivation to complete a doctoral degree. The applicant’s research topic must fit in with the profile of the Doctoral Programme. Any other funding received by the applicant for doctoral studies is taken into consideration when determining the duration of the doctoral researcher position.
We value collegiality and promote equality, diversity, and inclusivity. We encourage all qualified applicants with different backgrounds to apply for our open positions.
Benefits
The University of Turku offers an international research environment and high-quality supervision, which emphasizes the supervisor's expertise and commitment to the individual guidance of the doctoral researcher.
We offer you responsible and interesting tasks and the opportunity to develop your professional skills in a versatile operating environment. You get a professional and inspiring team to support your work. We take care of your well-being at work and the functionality of your everyday life, e.g. with the help of flexible working hours and our well-being services.
- Possibilities to develop your expertise – We encourage our personnel to develop their professional expertise by offering versatile training and competence development possibilities which employees can take advantage of during their working hours. Also, the course offering of Open University is free of charge for our personnel.
- Your well-being is important to us! – In addition to comprehensive occupational health care, our own well-being services monitor, support and develop the well-being of our personnel. You are entitled to use the CampusSport’s services at a personnel price.
- We support your work-life balance – Flexible working hours and extensive remote work options help you balance work and leisure time.
- An inspiring and supportive work community – We encourage each other and value working together!
Please read more about University of Turku as an employer from our Come work with us! pages.
The European Commission has awarded the University of Turku the right to use the HR Excellence in Research quality label. The label is a token of the University's commitment to continuous development of the position and working conditions of researchers according to the guidelines set forth in the European Charter for Researchers.
The university offers good support and orientation for international hires. Please learn more about the Finnish culture and relocation to Finland:
The University of Turku is among the top of the world’s universities in most rankings and among the best universities in the world in certain fields. Our high-quality basic research, a multidisciplinary research profile and close cooperation in research infrastructures creates the basis for international top research. Read more about University of Turku in international university rankings.
The University of Turku has several high-quality research infrastructures required for cutting-edge research. Learn more about the roadmap of research infrastructures and how the research infrastructure and expert teams offer tailored solutions for businesses and organizations.
Salary and trial period
Salary is based on the salary system of the University’s teaching and research staff. Salary will consist of a task-specific salary component and a personal performance salary component. The task-specific salary component of a doctoral researcher varies between levels 2 to 4, depending on the stage of the doctoral degree. In addition, a personal performance salary component is paid. The salary of a doctoral researcher ranges roughly from € 2,400 to € 3,300 depending on progress of the doctoral research and the experience and skills of the person concerned. The level of task-specific salary component of a new doctoral researcher is generally assessed as level 2. The probationary period is six months, however not more than half of the employment period.
When determining the length of the employment, previously awarded funding for doctoral studies as well as the planned schedule and stage of the doctoral degree will be taken into account. The duration of a UTUGS‑funded fixed‑term doctoral researcher position is at most four years, but not beyond 31 December 2030. The basis for the fixed-term employment is doctoral researcher's work related to their doctoral studies.
In the Finnish Doctoral Programme in Oral Sciences (FINDOS-Turku) it is also possible to apply for a doctoral researcher position to carry out a specific component (subproject) of the dissertation. A subproject refers to a clearly defined and delimited research task that can be carried out during the term of employment and results in a concrete output (such as data collection, an article, a chapter, or an analysis). When applying for a salaried position to implement such a subproject, its content and implementation must be described in the application form.
A person who already holds a doctoral degree cannot be selected to a doctoral researcher position.
How to apply
Please submit your application through our online recruitment system. The closing date for applications is 8.9.2026 at 23.59 (Europe/Helsinki).
Applicants should enclose with their application:
- motivation letter (max 1 page)
- CV including a list of publications
- research plan (max 5 pages)
- degree certificate(s) / a transcript of records
Further information
For further information about the position, please contact: Director of the FINDOS-Turku professor Ulvi Gursoy, [email protected]
With questions about the application process, please contact: Coordinator Maiju Kannisto, [email protected]
