The Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences is currently seeking to recruit a

DOCTORAL RESEARCHER, SPORT AND EXERCISE PSYCHOLOGY, starting June 20th 2022, or as agreed, until 31 March 2023 with the possibility to continue up to two years.

We are looking for a Doctoral Researcher to work in a project entitled “A collaborative theory-based intervention to promote physical activity among sedentary parents and their children” funded by OKM (Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland).

In this project, the research team will develop an online theory-based behavioural intervention to increase physical activity engagement in low-active children and their parents. The efficacy of intervention will then be tested in a randomised waitlist-controlled trial, wherein parents and their children will be allocated to either an intervention group that receives the intervention, or to a waitlist control group that receives basic information on activity and measurement only. Processes of intervention acceptability, uptake and engagement, as well as how these factors relate to intervention effectiveness, will also be explored.

Tasks and qualifications

The person selected for the Doctoral Researcher position will contribute to developing the intervention and its contents, planning the research studies around the intervention, and lead practical execution of the studies. The PhD student will also pursue the PhD degree and write the dissertation. Depending on experience, the PhD student may also make some contribution to teaching (roughly 5% of total working time).

Applicants for the Doctoral Researcher position should have a Master's degree in exercise psychology or other adjacent fields (e.g., social psychology, health psychology, sport psychology). Research experience in the areas of intervention development, motivation or behaviour change is a plus. We value applicants with strong knowledge of theories of motivation and behaviour change, experience with quantitative data analysis, and excellent skills in scientific writing.

The duties, qualification requirements and language skills of a Doctoral Researchers are stipulated by the University of Jyväskylä Regulations and language skills guidelines. Bilingual Finnish and English preferred, due to the need to create intervention materials for a Finnish population.

What does the University of Jyväskylä offer as an employer?

At the University of Jyväskylä, you are a recognized member of our community with a unique opportunity to influence international research. You get to participate in our international and multidisciplinary community where the welfare of each individual is important. At the University of Jyväskylä, we offer a great and lively campus area with opportunities to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.

The salary of a successful candidate will be based on level 2-4 of the job requirement scheme for teaching and research staff in the salary system of Finnish universities. The annual salary will be approximately 28,900 EUR (gross income, including a holiday bonus). With progress of the thesis work, the salary will be increased in accordance with the Collective Agreement of Finnish Universities. A trial period of six months will be used at the beginning of the employment.

Jyväskylä is an attractive but compact modern city in Central Finland. It features excellent opportunities for sport and recreation and beautiful natural surroundings. Around 150,000 people live in the city, many of them students. To find useful information about the University of Jyväskylä, the City of Jyväskylä and living in Finland, see the University's International Staff Guide.

How to apply

Please attach the following documents as PDF files in English to the online application form:

1. Application letter
2. Curriculum vitae (CV), composed according to good scientific practice and considering where possible the researcher CV template by The Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity
3. A brief description of research experience (1–2 pages) with clear indication on the motivation to apply for this position.

Please submit your application by 5 June 2022 using the online application form.

For further information, please contact Assistant Professor Keegan Knittle: keegan.p.knittle@jyu.fi, +358504698252.

At the University of Jyväskylä, everyone can find their place in the human-centered environment of 2,600 experts and 14,700 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.

Education and research in sport sciences in Finland are concentrated at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences of the University of Jyväskylä. There are two main lines of study at the Faculty: Sport Sciences and Health Sciences. Links between physical activity and health as well as promotion of exercise and health are viewed from a multidisciplinary perspective with the improvement of health, functional ability, and wellbeing across the human lifespan as the key aim. An important national responsibility of the Faculty is teacher education in sport and health sciences. 

Research at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences is a central part of the University’s denoted core research field of exercise, health and well-being.