Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA): Early Stage Researcher – 1 position

PARTICIPATE Project: Parents and Technology in Cyberbullying: Intervention and Prevention for Future Experts



MSCA Doctoral Networks - Project Ref 101073332

INVEST Flagship Research Center, UNIVERSITY OF TURKU INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR THE POSITION OF

Doctoral Researcher in the project “PARTICIPATE: Parents and Technology in Cyberbullying: Intervention and Prevention for Future Experts” for a fixed term of 36 months.

The person chosen for the position is expected to begin in their employment in August 2023.

The person chosen for the position is expected to work full time and to complete their doctoral degree in four years. The funding covers the 36 months during which the successful candidate is enrolled for PhD studies at the host institution. After the 36 months, a salary position in the graduate school of the University of Turku will be applied for the final 12 months.

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 University’s flagship research centre INVEST (http://invest.utu.fi/) is a joint research centre that operates under the Faculties of Medicine and Social Sciences at the University of Turku (UTU) and at the Welfare State Research and Reform unit at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

Description of the project Parents and Technology in Cyberbullying: Intervention and Prevention for Future Experts

Cyberbullying is a significant social, health and behavioural concern throughout the EU and worldwide, yet crucial areas in its prevention and intervention have largely been side-lined, namely the key role of parents, as well as the role of gender, disability, ethnicity and sexuality. PARTICIPATE will address this research and action gap, by delivering a world-class multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary doctoral training program incorporating plans for substantial networking and exchange of information, expertise and action potential regarding the nature and extent of cyberbullying across Europe. By focusing on parents, as well as on gender, disability, ethnicity and sexuality, the project aims to empower both parents and young people, creating a safer space online for our youth, while placing Europe firmly at the forefront of cyberbullying research and practice.

Job description

Ten doctoral candidates will be working in the PARTICIPATE project, one of them at the University of Turku. All candidates are required to undertake 2 secondments abroad, one academic and one non-academic, of between 2 and 6 months duration.

The Turku candidate will work in the research project “Gender, Diversity and Parental involvement in cyberbullying interventions”. The aim of this project is to (1) Examine the knowledge parents (mothers vs fathers) have about bullying and cyberbullying and the weight of importance each gives to the problem. (2) Assess differences in mothers and fathers levels and methods of interaction in the home with their children in regards to bullying and cyberbullying, focusing on their beliefs and attitudes for prevention as well as their respective willingness to contribute to and participate in prevention measures in cooperation with others e.g., schools, local authorities, IT industry programmes. (3) Examine the role diversity (ethnic, religious, same sex couples) plays, if any, in parents interactions with their children and their schools in relation to bullying and cyberbullying, both in general terms and in regards to gender. Both quantitative and qualitative methods can be implemented to best gather and assess parental feedback. The result will be analysed so as to inform practical approaches to working with parents of both genders, and provide recommendations for schools.

General eligibility criteria (MSCA criteria)

Candidates must have obtained a degree which formally entitles them to embark on a doctorate, either in the country in which the degree was obtained or in the country in which the researcher is recruited.

Candidates cannot have been awarded a doctoral degree and/or completed more than four years of full-time equivalent research experience.

The candidate must not have resided or carried out their main activity (e.g. work, studies) in the country of their host organisation for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date – unless as part of a [compulsory national service or a] procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention. This excludes short stays such as holidays.

Desirable qualifications

The candidate should have a master’s degree in psychology, education, or a related discipline, interest in bullying among schoolchildren, and experience in collecting and analyzing quantitative survey data. The candidate will work in a team and cross-culturally at an international level. (S)he must be prepared to travel to conferences and network training events, and to take part in an academic and non-academic secondments abroad. Ability to work with a range of stakeholders including NGOs, social media companies, policy makers, parents and young people, and academics is essential. Informal Enquiries in relation to this project should be directed to: Prof. Christina Salmivalli, University of Turku, email: christina.salmivalli@utu.fi. Please do not send applications to this email address, instead apply as described below.

Salary and trial period

Financial conditions (including salary levels) and background documents are available at

https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/msca-itn-2020

For the first three years of your employment, your salary will be calculated according to MSCA rules and your personal and family situation. Information can be found at the financial section of the MSCA ITN guide for applicants that you can find in section 5 (Financial Aspects) of the document. For the last year, your salary will be funded from the resources of the INVEST Flagship Unit. Therefore it follows the regulations of the collective agreement for Finnish universities. The appointment starts with a trial period of six months. The chosen applicant is expected to reside in Finland while employed by the University of Turku.

Approximate gross salary: about 3,690 EUR/month for researchers without family and about 4,230 EUR/month for researchers with family; this amount includes a separate living allowance, mobility allowance and family allowance according to MSCA rules.

Note: The monthly gross salary may vary somewhat in different years, as side costs change. For different positions within the same PARTICIPATE network, the salary is country- and unit-dependent.

The University of Turku offers comprehensive services to its employees, including occupational health care, sports facilities, and opportunities for professional development. The University assists employees from abroad with their transition to work and life in Finland. Please read further information at the website https://www.utu.fi/en/university/come-work-with-us.

In addition, funds are provided to cover the cost of research, networking and training.

The funding covers the 36 months during which the successful candidate is enrolled for PhD studies at the host institution.

Trial period is 6 months.

How to apply

Applicants are requested to enclose with their applications the following English-language documents as a pdf file:

• A one-page letter motivating a) why are you applying for this specific position; b) why do you consider yourself a suitable candidate for this position;
• A detailed CV listing education, work experience, publications, and relevant other activities;
• Names and contact information (address, email, phone) of between two to four referees;
• An academic transcript of B.Sc. and M.Sc. education;
• A copy of academic works such as papers or M.Sc. thesis (if available)
• Demonstrated English proficiency

Applications must be submitted by 15.3.2023 (23:59 Finnish time) 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).

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 of 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 information:

Informal queries may be made in regards to this ESR post – contact Christina Salmivalli, christina.salmivalli@utu.fi