At the University of Jyväskylä, everyone can find their place in the human-centred environment of 2,500 experts and 14,500 students. Our goal is to create wisdom and wellbeing for us all. It is essential that each member of the community thrives and has opportunities to develop and grow. We cherish openness of thinking as well as the balance between research and education. Our naturally beautiful campus is located at the heart of the city of Jyväskylä. JYU is the third largest employer in Central Finland.

The Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences is currently seeking to recruit  staff to the positions (2-5) of Doctoral Student, beginning as from 1 january 2020 or according to a separate agreement, for a fixed term of not more than four years.

Education and research in sport sciences in Finland are concentrated at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences of the University of Jyväskylä. Physical activity and health, as well as their relationships and promotion, are explored there from a multidisciplinary perspective, with the improvement of health, functional ability and wellbeing across the human lifespan as the key aim.

There are two main lines of study at the Faculty: Sport Sciences and Health Sciences. There are also three research centres at the Faculty: the Neuromuscular Research Centre, the Gerontology Research Center and the Research Centre for Health Promotion. Doctoral school of the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences is one of the six doctoral schools operating within the University of Jyväskylä Graduate School for Doctoral Studies. Doctoral school of the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences includes three doctoral programmes; Doctoral Programme in Sport Sciences, Doctoral Programme in Biology of Physical Activity and Doctoral Programme in Health Sciences.

The main duties of doctoral students consist of research for the doctoral thesis and reporting the dissertation, postgraduate education, teaching assistance and possible other related tasks. 

The duties, qualification requirements and language skills of doctoral student are stipulated by the University of Jyväskylä Regulations, Rectors´s decision on personnel matters and language skills guidelines.The selected person is required to have a full command of Finnish language. According to Finnish law, a non-native university teaching and research staff member can be granted an exemption from the requirement of Finnish language proficiency. A good command of English is required. 

A prerequisite for the doctoral student position is a suitable Master’s degree and the study right for doctoral studies at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä. If the applicant does not already have the right for doctoral studies, it must be applied for by a separate application from the relevant faculty, considering application times.

Your total salary for a doctoral student is around € 2,200 - 2,700 per month, depending on your skills and previous experience.

A trial period of six months will be used when the position is first filled.

To find useful information about the University of Jyväskylä, the City of Jyväskylä and living in Finland, see the University's International Staff Guide.

For further information, please contact:
Professor Sarianna Sipilä, email: sarianna.sipila@jyu.fi,+358408053593 or
Head of Administration Heikki Herva, email: heikki.herva@jyu.fi; +358504432400.

The application should include as PDF files:

1. Application letter. The letter should also indicate the time frame for receiving the doctoral task if the applicant is unable to receive the task starting January 1, 2020.
2. Curriculum vitae (CV), composed according to good scientific practice and considering when possible the template for researcher´s curriculum vitae by The Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity. See: http://www.tenk.fi/en.
3. List of publications
4. Research plan (max. 10 pages, including references and annexes) should include:

1) Subject of study / working title
2) the scientific basis of the study (½-1 page)
3) the purpose and research problems of the research
4) research methods (this section describes the study layout, the studies, methods of measurement and analysis and, if necessary, interventions)
5) ethical issues
6) brief presentation of the postgraduate student, the supervisors and the member of the follow-up group
7) current stage of the research work and the timetable for the study and the publication plan
8) financial plan
9) benefits of the research
10) project risks and their management. 

5. Reference letter from the supervisor (max. 1 page).

Please submit your application at the latest on 17 November 2019 using the online application form.