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 Turku Intersectoral Excellence Scheme (TIES) is jointly funded by the European Union’s Marie Skłodowska Curie-actions (MSCA) COFUND programme and the University of Turku. It is located within the University’s Turku Institute for Advanced Studies (TIAS), a research collegium which supports the bottom-up development of excellent early- and mid- career stage academics through the provision of three years of funding, enabling them to carry out self-designed research projects.

TIAS invites applications for up to eight (8) TIES Fellowship positions (Senior Researcher) for a three-year period starting from 1 September 2023. TIES Fellows are selected via an international call for applications and TIAS welcomes applications from projects based in any discipline within its five constituent faculties (Economics, Education, Humanities, Law and Social Sciences). Selection of successful applicants will be on the basis of academic excellence.

TIES has been developed in order to enhance TIAS’ provisions by offering a special opportunity for outstanding researchers to undertake a three year research project of their own design which must directly concern at least one non-higher education sector organisation of the applicant’s choosing.

Applicants must have completed their doctoral degree by the call deadline. They must have gained their doctoral degree a maximum of eight (8) years before the call deadline. Applicants are also expected to have attained other academic achievements.

The positions are located at one of the campuses of the University of Turku and successful candidates are required to be resident in Finland. Applicants must meet the MSCA mobility rule that they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Finland for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline.

The main task of TIES Fellows is to carry out an internationally excellent research project over a three year period, during which the results of the project should be disseminated in a number of ways. In addition to undertaking their own research project, including at least one mandatory secondment between two and six months, TIES Fellows are also required to contribute to TIAS’ interdisciplinary intellectual life. This includes an obligation to attend regular TIAS meetings and events and to make contributions to the academic and social life of the Institute.

In their motivation letter applicants should state how their work supplements existing work at the University, identifying both the department within which they wish to be located and relevant areas of the department’s research interests which align with their own.

Applicants should outline why they particularly wish to be part of the TIES programme and briefly outline any non-research-oriented training needs (transferable skills) which they have and how they propose to address these during the fellowship. They should also demonstrate how their work relates to one or more of the strategic research and education profiles of the University of Turku for 2021–30. Successful candidates are requested to demonstrate engagement in international academic networks and must provide evidence of their ability to work in a research environment of high international standard.

TIES applicants are expected to abide by the University of Turku's policies on equal opportunities and open science.

All applications meeting all the eligibility requirements of the TIES programme will be sent for external review. Based on the external evaluations, the TIES Selection Committee makes final decisions on the successful applications.

The salaries of TIES Fellows are determined within the university salary system for teaching and research personnel. The salary for a TIES Fellow corresponds to a requirement level 6 and the pre-estimated personal performance percentage of 17 % at the beginning of employment (current gross salary 4153 € per month), and is subject to yearly increases.

>> Detailed Instructions and guidance for applicants

The closing date for applications is 9 January 2023 (23.59.59 Finnish time, GMT +2). Applications (incl. attachments) must be submitted via the University of Turku’s electronic application form, a link to which can be found at the beginning of this announcement (Apply for the job).

For more information on TIAS and the TIES programme please see the TIAS website.

An information session for applicants will be held online on Wednesday 7 December 2022 between 14.00 and 16.00 EET (GMT +2). The TIAS Director will introduce the Call, explain the applications and reviews process and answer questions. A recording/Powerpoint slides of this will be placed online. Please sign up to the information session in order to get the online meeting link.

 Further questions about the TIES programme may also be addressed to ties@utu.fi.

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The University of Turku is a responsible employer and educator and follows The Equality Plan of the University of Turku approved by the University Board. The European Commission has awarded the University of Turku the right to use the HR Excellence in Research logo. The logo is a token of the University's commitment to continuous development of the position and working conditions of researchers according to the guidelines set forth in the European Charter for Researchers.