Postdoctoral researcher in insect morphology and evolution

The Finnish Museum of Natural History (LUOMUS) at the University of Helsinki invites applications for a Postdoctoral researcher in insect morphology and evolution for a fixed-term period of two years. The work will be based at the Finnish Museum of Natural History (Luomus), Helsinki, Finland. The postdoctoral researcher will join the PhenoBees project, funded by the Research Council of Finland, and work under the supervision of Diego S. Porto, an Academy Research Fellow. The successful candidate is expected to start by September 2026.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The main goal of the PhenoBees project is to develop a semantic data workflow to integrate comparative information from different phylogenetic datasets (for more details, see: PhenoBees page) and address hypotheses about the evolution of the mouthparts of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). As part of the main project, the work of the postdoctoral researcher will be focused on generating, processing, and analysing comparative morphological data on bee mouthparts. The ultimate goal of the postdoctoral research is to understand the drivers and dynamics underlying the evolution of the mouthparts in bees.

The postdoctoral researcher will be primarily responsible for:

1. Data collection: Dissecting and preparing material of bee mouthparts and measuring anatomical structures;
2. Data analysis: Analysing comparative data (discrete and continuous traits) to test alternative hypotheses of modularity/integration of mouthpart structures in bees;
3. Morphological study: Performing comparative anatomical study of a representative of a long-tongued bee and a short-tongued bee;
4. Dissemination: Contributing in manuscript writing and attending conferences

QUALIFICATIONS

The position requires:

• A doctoral degree relevant to the project (e.g., biology, entomology, evolutionary biology)
• Experience working with comparative anatomy of insects, preferentially Hymenoptera
• The ability to conduct independent scholarly work
• Teaching skills necessary for the position
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills
• Excellent written and spoken English skills
• Clear motivation and commitment to perform the research

Highly valued qualifications:

• Experience working with bee morphology
• Experience working with CT-Scan data or willingness to learn the necessary skills to work with it
• Knowledge of morphometrics and/or phylogenetic comparative methods in general

The starting gross monthly salary of the postdoctoral researcher will be about 3800 - 4000 euros depending on the appointee's qualifications and experience, based on level 5 of the salary system in the Collective Agreement of Finnish Universities. A six-month trial period will be applied. The working hours of the postdoctoral researcher will be 1612 hours on a yearly basis as they will belong to the annual workload scheme of research and teaching staff.

HOW TO APPLY?

Only online applications submitted through the University of Helsinki recruiting system will be considered. The deadline for application submission is 22 May 2026 (23:59 EEST). The application must include the following documents written in English as a single pdf called “lastname_firstname”:

1. Motivation letter (max 1 page). Please, describe your research interests and address the qualifications listed above, outlining why you are the right person for this position
2. Curriculum Vitae (max 4 pages).
3. List of publications. Please, also indicate the five most relevant publications for the position.
4. Contact information of three referees who can provide a reference based on request and your relation to them.
5. Degree certificate

Applications will be reviewed after the application deadline, after which the top candidates will be invited for interviews. The interviews will be held in early June 2026 via Zoom.