Doctoral Researcher (7 positions)

We are seeking Doctoral Researchers (7 positions) to the Doctoral Programme of the Philosophical Faculty. The positions will be hosted by the Philosophical Faculty on the Joensuu campus and will start on 1 January 2026.

Role and salary

The Philosophical Faculty trains professionals and experts in the fields of the humanities, education, psychology and theology (https://www.uef.fi/en/philosophical-faculty). The faculty's research activities are multidisciplinary and theoretically and methodologically diverse, and they are closely linked to the university's strategy. A total of seven (7) Doctoral Researcher positions will be filled in the Doctoral Programme of the Philosophical Faculty.

As a Doctoral Researcher, you will work in the Doctoral Programme of the Philosophical Faculty. The duties of a Doctoral Researcher include conducting doctoral research in accordance with their approved research plan.

The position of a Doctoral Researcher may be applied for either on a full-time or a part-time basis. Part-time positions must be co-financed with some other funding source. The positions will be filled as from 1 January 2026 or as agreed, however, no later than 1 June 2026. Doctoral Researcher positions are always filled for a fixed term. The positions will be filled for a fixed term of at least one and at most three years.

The salary of the post is based on the salary system for the teaching and research staff of Finnish universities. The salary consists of a job-related salary element and a personal salary element. In this position, the job-related salary element is based on levels 2–4 of the job requirement level chart (EUR 2,281.48 – 2,844.66 /month).

We expect you to

• Be eligible for doctoral education: to hold a relevant Master’s degree or have suitable foreign education qualifying for equivalent university studies in the awarding country

• Meet the student admission criteria for the Doctoral Programme of the Philosophical Faculty

• Be planning or working on your first doctoral degree

• Be a doctoral student registered with the University of Eastern Finland or planning to complete your doctoral dissertation at the University of Eastern Finland

• In addition, the duration of the funding of your full-time doctoral research must not exceed three years by 1 January 2026.

We offer you

• An interesting position in an international, creative, participatory and inclusive university community

• The opportunity for flexible multi-location work

• The staff benefits of the University of Eastern Finland, including comprehensive occupational health care, extensive provision of staff training, affordable lunch in our campus restaurants, Sykettä sports services and a tax-free bike benefit.

How to apply

Please submit your application by 4 September 2025 by using the electronic form. Please note that the application must contain the following appendices in PDF format in Finnish or English:

• A CV (Template for CV, TENK web page)

• A publication list, if not included in the curriculum vitae (Instructions, Research Council of Finland web page)

• A research plan including a funding plan

• A copy of the degree certificate and a transcript of academic records that prove the applicant’s eligibility for doctoral studies, if applicable

• Certificates/dipomas demonstrating the applicant’s Finnish or English proficiency, if applicable.

Applications will be evaluated based on uniform criteria, taking into account the research plan and the strengths and weaknesses of the application as a whole.

The Philosophical Faculty operates on the Joensuu Campus of the University of Eastern Finland. The faculty trains professionals and experts in the fields of the humanities, education, psychology and theology.