The Faculty of Humanities at the University of Turku invites applications for contract-based, fixed term doctoral researcher positions in the Doctoral programme in Languages and Translation Studies (Utuling).
The doctoral researcher position begins on 1 January 2027 or by agreement during the year 2027. 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
Also available are fixed-term positions of up to one year for doctoral researchers in the final stage of completing their dissertation, for the year 2027. The aim is to submit the dissertation for pre-examination during 2027.
Job description
The position is intended for full‑time doctoral research and doctoral studies. Participation in teaching and other duties should be arranged so that the dissertation can be completed within the planned timetable. The employment contract is based on a total annual working time of 1,612 hours, which gives the doctoral researcher flexibility to arrange working hours. As a rule, teaching and other duties may account for up to 5% of the annual working time (approximately up to 80 hours per academic year).
Who we are looking for
Requirements / Qualifications / You should have
• You must hold an active study right to pursue a doctoral degree at the University of Turku in the Faculty of Humanities, Doctoral programme in Languages and Translation Studies (Utuling). In addition, when acquiring the degree or otherwise, you are required to have demonstrated the ability to undertake postgraduate studies and the capacity to complete a doctoral degree in accordance with the research plan. (University of Turku Rules of Procedure 13.12.2024.)
• If you have not yet been granted right to pursue a doctoral degree, you must apply for the right to pursue a doctoral degree in the Doctoral programme in Languages and Translation Studies (Utuling) via the Studyinfo (Opintopolku) service 8 September 2026 at the latest. The right to pursue a doctoral degree is a prerequisite for being selected for a position of a doctoral researcher;
• You are planning to pursue or pursuing your first doctoral degree (A person who already holds a doctoral degree cannot be selected to a doctoral researcher position.)
• You have not previously had a four-year full-time employment contract funded by UTUGS.
• The doctoral researcher position requires working in Finland and the place of work is Turku
We value collegiality and promote equality, diversity, and inclusivity. We encourage all qualified applicants with different backgrounds to apply for our open positions.
Benefits
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.rial period of six months.
How to apply
Please submit your application through our online recruitment system. The closing date for applications is 8 September 2026 at 23.59 (Europe/Helsinki).
Please write your application and accompanying documents in English, Finnish or Swedish.
Applicants should enclose with their application:
1) Degree certificate and transcript of study records
- the scanned or electronic original certificate of the higher university degree (e.g. Master’s degree),
- the scanned or electronic original transcript of study records of the higher university degree,
- other study certificates relevant to the selection criteria (for example, studies completed outside the degree that relate to the doctoral degree you are applying for).
If the documents are not in Finnish, Swedish or English, you must also submit an official translation into one of those languages; an official translation is accepted if issued by the degree‑awarding university or produced by an authorised translator. A Diploma Supplement (DS) issued by a European higher education institution may be accepted instead of an English translation of the degree certificate and transcript, provided it contains the details of the study records.
2) Research plan
When preparing the research plan you must follow the principles of good scientific practice (link to TENK’s guidelines on good scientific practice). Any use of artificial intelligence (AI) as an aid in preparing the research plan must be clearly declared in the application.
The research plan should be formulated according to the following structure. Only research plans that include all the sections named below can be accepted.
Background
- the topic of the doctoral dissertation and its significance and contribution
- its connections to relevant national and international research as well as current scholarly discussions
The aim of the research and the research question
The materials and methods used in the research
- a reflection on research ethics
A plan for collaboration and mobility
Execution
- the applicant’s abilities, previous research experience and familiarity with the field
- a schedule for the research
- a publishing plan: whether the dissertation will be a collection of articles or a monograph
a) in case of an article-based dissertation, the applicant should include an estimate of the number of articles, a brief summary of their contents as well as a tentative plan concerning the possible publishing forums
b) a preliminary plan for the content of the monograph and a preliminary view on its possible publishing
A list of references
The max. length of the preliminary research plan is five pages, not including the list of references (using 12-point font, 1.5 line spacing and 2-2.5 cm margin).
3) Motivation letter
A motivation letter is a one page long, free-form document (12-point font, 1.5 line spacing) that states:
- why the applicant wishes to undertake postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Turku,
- how the proposed research relates to other research done at the University of Turku and
- the funding plan for the postgraduate studies.
4) Curriculum vitae and a list of publications
CV according to guidelines of the Finnish Advisory Board of Research Integrity
Further information
Doctoral Programme's Call for Applications
For further information, please contact: Doctoral education specialist Meri Heinonen ([email protected]), +358 50 453 5110.
