Project Planner

The Research Program Unit at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki invites applications for a fixed-term Project Planner position at the Meilahti Campus, starting June 2026 (or as agreed) for an initial period of 12 months, with the possibility of extension by agreement.

We are seeking a highly motivated project planner to join an international team. Project Planner will support the Principal Investigator in matters related to grant application writing, project management and laboratory management.

Job description

The goal of this position is to provide high-level project planning, coordination, and research administration support to the Principal Investigator and research team. You will help ensure that projects progress efficiently from idea generation and grant preparation through implementation, compliance, and publication. The role is designed to strengthen the lab’s capacity for competitive grant success, high-quality project delivery, and timely dissemination of results.

Your responsibilities will include:

1. Grant support: Coordinate grant applications, support proposal writing/editing, and assist with reporting, milestones and deliverables;
2. Project management: Organize meetings, document decisions and action points, and proactively follow up on bottlenecks across parallel projects;
3. Governance and compliance: Coordinate ethics applications and amendments; manage and track agreements and data/sample transfers (e.g., MTA/DTA), in line with institutional policies and GDPR requirements;
4. Collaboration coordination: Serve as a key coordination point for collaborations with clinicians, biobanks, and core facilities; support logistics for data/sample access and transfers;
5. Publication support: Support projects toward manuscript completion by coordinating inputs, timelines, revisions, and submission steps; assist with dissemination planning when needed;
6. Lab operations: Support lab management tasks such as documentation systems, onboarding routines, and practical coordination that improves efficiency and reproducibility.

The content of the position may be adjusted based on the selected candidate’s expertise.

Requirements

We are looking for a candidate with:

• A PhD degree in one of the fields: Systems Biology, Immunology, Metabolism, RNA biology
• Experience in research project preparation, administration, or research support roles
• Ability to work independently and professionally on multiple parallel processes, supporting the PI and the team
• Excellent scientific writing, communication, interpersonal, and networking skills
• Excellent command of English

The role also involves collaboration with our partners worldwide.

The chosen applicant is expected to reside in Finland while employed by the University of Helsinki.

What we offer

Depending on the appointees’ qualifications and experience, the salary of the Project Planner will be ca. 3900 €/month. A six-month trial period will be applied.

The University of Helsinki offers comprehensive services to its employees, including occupational health care and health insurance, unemployment and pension fund, a generous holiday package, sports facilities, and opportunities for professional development (https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers).

How to apply

Applications should be submitted through the University of Helsinki Recruitment System via the "Apply now" button.

Internal applicants (i.e., current employees of the University of Helsinki) submit their applications by using the “Employee login” button.

The application needs to include the following appendices:

1. CV including names of two (2) referees with their contacts
2. Motivation letter

The closing date for applications is 29th May, 2026. The position will be filled on a rolling basis as soon as a suitable candidate is found.

For further information on the position, please contact Dr., PI Ping Chen, ping.chen@helsinki.fi.

If you need technical support with the recruitment system or additional information about the application process, please contact HelsinkiUni Help, uni-help@helsinki.fi.

About us

The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Helsinki is committed to high-quality medical research and research-based education across medicine, dentistry, psychology, and logopedics, including an international Master’s Programme in Translational Medicine. The faculty also contributes actively to healthcare expertise and ethical discourse, aiming to be a leading multidisciplinary institution.

In addition to its research and teaching activities, the faculty serves as a significant expert organisation in the healthcare sector and contributes to the discourse on ethics in the field. The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Helsinki constitutes the academic medical centre together with HUS Helsinki University Hospital and the Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE). This medical centre has been successful in international comparisons, ranking among the top 10 medical campuses in Europe and the top 50 globally. The faculty aims to be one of the best medical research faculties in the world, while reinforcing its status as a distinguished institution of multidisciplinary education in healthcare.