The University of Turku is a world-class multidisciplinary research university which offers interesting challenges and a unique vantage point to national and international research and education.

THE FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF TURKU INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR THE POSITION OF

3-6 Senior Researchers (recent postdocs or equivalent) to the INVEST Research Flagship Center for a fixed term from 1.8.2021 to 31.7.2025.

The INVEST Research Flagship Center (http://invest.utu.fi/), located at the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Turku, is recruiting 3-6 senior researchers (recent postdocs or equivalent).

The research flagship Inequalities, Interventions, and New Welfare State (INVEST) aims at providing a new model for the welfare states that is more equal, better targeted to problem groups, more anticipatory as well as economically and socially sustainable. The existing research indicates that the Nordic welfare states are efficient in reducing the negative outcomes that are related to many of the structural family disadvantages, such as parental low education, unemployment or poverty. Despite this, children and youth are still particularly vulnerable when negative life course events take place unexpectedly or when many disadvantages accumulate to the same families. The growth environments can strengthen these negative effects.  

The flagship has been funded by the Academy of Finland and is implemented in cooperation with the University of Turku and the Institute of Health and Welfare (THL). The multidisciplinary project combines sociology, social policy, demography, psychology and psychiatry, in addition to the other connected fields of sciences.

The researchers are expected to conduct sociological research in one or more of the following topics:

• Socioeconomic differences and wellbeing
• Intergenerational and within-family influences
• Social relationships and networks
• Demography and life-course
• Skills and learning
• Health and biology

The persons chosen to the positions are expected to work on their own research projects related to the above listed topics (around half of the working time), participate to the research conducted according to the research plans of the flagship and its affiliated projects and apply further external funding to their research. The positions include a small proportion of teaching responsibility (5% of the working time at the maximum) in the PhD and Master’s programmes of the flagship (DPInvest and MPInvest). The positions include possibilities to work as a visiting researcher in collaborating universities abroad.

Requirements

The persons chosen for the positions are expected to have:

1. a PhD in sociology, demography or in a field related to the topic; it is also possible to apply for the position if you expect to complete a doctoral degree within the next six months,
2. strong skills in quantitative methods and experience on using register, panel, survey or comparative datasets,
3. the ability to conduct independent scholarly work and publish research on the topics related to the project.

The eligibility criteria for the positions are defined in the rules of procedure of the University of Turku (Section 37).

The persons chosen for the positions are expected to begin in their employment on the 1^st of August 2021 at the earliest and on the 1^st of January 2022 at the latest. Contracts will last for four years, with an option for an extension.

There will be a trial period of six months.

Salary

The salary is determined by the collective agreement system of Finnish universities. The position belongs to the category of teaching and research personnel. The pre-estimated salary will be in average 2850-3000 eur/month for a person holding a Master’s degree, and in average 3300-4000 eur/month for a person holding PhD degree. The exact salary will depend on the person’s competence and research experience and will be specified when the employment contract is prepared. Progress in the researcher's personal performance will be taken into account when determining the salary during employment.

Applications

The application should include:

1. a research plan describing researcher’s own four-year research project (max 5 pages),
2. an academic portfolio,
3. a CV,
4. a list of publications,
5. a copy of the PhD thesis (or if not yet defended, the manuscript and a statement from the supervisor on the expected date of defending the thesis) and
6. two writing samples (articles or manuscripts) on topics related to the topic areas of the flagship.

The appendices should follow the guidelines of the faculty. 

The electronic database allows the applicant to submit only one application file to each application section. Information on the file forms to be used can be found in the additional information on each application. Please note that the database only allows the publications to be submitted in a packaged form (.zip). One .zip-file may include several individual files.

Further details are available upon request from Professor Jani Erola, +358 29 450 2157, jani.erola@utu.fi. Any inquiries about the recruitment process or the e-recruitment system will be answered by HR Specialist Marja Andersson, +358 29 450 4756, marja.andersson@utu.fi.

Applications must be submitted by Monday the 7th of June, 2021 (23:59) using the electronic application form of the University of Turku on the following address: https://www.utu.fi/en/university/come-work-with-us/open-vacancies. The link to the application system is at the beginning of this announcement (Apply for the job).