"Postdoctoral Researcher"

Position description

The successful candidate will work within the research project “From Clay to Code: Investigating Microbial Evolution in Response to Human Influence” funded by the Helsinki Institute of Life Sciences (HiLIFE). The project aims to establish a scientific foundation for investigating viable ancient bacteria recovered from archaeological ceramics to determine the evolutionary trajectories and adaptation mechanisms of the isolated bacteria under anthropogenic influences.

Advances in ancient DNA techniques have substantially increased our understanding of past human populations, other animals as well as on ecology and evolution of microbial diseases. However, dormant forms of microbes that can persist for extremely long periods of time in the right conditions, may also act as windows to the past. In this work we will compare ancient and modern bacteria with various methods. By integrating the findings with archaeological knowledge, the goal is to elucidate bacterial genetic evolution that was shaped by human influence and make predictions to the future. The work provides the possibility to develop skills in microbiology, data analysis, bioinformatics and molecular dating methods in an international and multidisciplinary setting and gain a competitive academic CV.

The Postdoctoral Researcher is expected to:

1. Advance the research project together with the team
2. Participate in future funding application preparations for the project

The work may also include teaching duties (10-20 % of annual working time).

Requirements and eligibility criteria

The appointee shall hold a doctoral degree in microbiology or bioinformatics (or a related field) and have the ability to conduct independent scholarly work. The degree requirement (doctoral degree) must be met by the beginning of the employment.

Other requirements are a good computational background (basic knowledge of R, Python or Bash programming languages) as well as experience in analysing sequencing data with cluster computing environments. Experience with molecular dating methods and nanopore sequencing is considered an advantage. Excellent communication skills in English, both verbal and written, are expected.

Salary and benefits

The salary is defined in accordance with the University’s salary system for teaching and research personnel.

The Postdoctoral Researcher’s salary is based on level 5 of the job requirement scheme for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, the appointee shall be paid a salary component based on personal work performance. The starting salary of the Postdoctoral Researcher will c. 3600 euros/month, depending on the qualifications and experience of the candidate.

The University of Helsinki offers comprehensive services to its employees, including occupational health care, well-equipped sports facilities, and vast opportunities for professional development.

How to apply

Please submit your application, which includes the following documents in English.

• A motivation letter describing why you are interested in this position and how you are qualified (max. 1 page)
• A curriculum vitae including a list of publications
• Names and contact information of two referees, who are willing to provide reference letters upon request (optional).

External applicants, please submit your application through the University of Helsinki’s recruitment system via the Apply Now button.

Applicants who have a helsinki.fi username, and a valid employment/grant/visitor contract at the University of Helsinki are requested to submit their application via the Employee login button.

We are eager to fill this position as soon as possible and therefore encourage early applications. However, the absolute deadline for submitting applications is February 2, 2026 (at 23:59 UTC +3).