The Faculty of Humanities invites applications for the position of

PROFESSOR OF RUSSIAN

for a fixed-term appointment from 1 August 2026 to 31 December 2029. The position is based at the Department of Languages.

The appointee’s duties include conducting and supervising research on the Russian language, delivering research-informed teaching, following developments in scholarship, and participating in public engagement and international collaboration in the field. The appointee will also contribute to a range of administrative and expert duties within the University community.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The position covers research on the Russian language and related teaching. The successful candidate is expected to be a scholar of the Russian language with an international profile and demonstrable capacity for research leadership. The role requires a versatile language scholar who, in addition to specialist expertise in Russian, possesses skills aligned with the University’s strategic plan and the focus areas of the Department of Languages. Research experience in other Slavic languages will be considered an asset.

The professor of Russian will conduct and supervise scholarly research and deliver teaching across the bachelor’s and master’s programmes in languages and the Doctoral Programme in the Humanities. The appointee will be responsible, alongside other teachers in the discipline, for advanced teaching in Russian language and literature. They must be able to deliver teaching informed by their own research, supervise doctoral and other theses as well as postdoctoral researchers, head research projects, and follow developments in scholarship. The role also includes administrative duties and public engagement. In addition, the professor is expected to contribute to other teaching in the Master’s Programme in Languages and other degree programmes, including shared methodological and theoretical provision across study tracks.

APPOINTMENT CRITERIA

The appointee must hold a doctoral degree and possess advanced academic qualifications, experience in leading scholarly research, the ability to provide research-based teaching and supervise theses, and evidence of international collaboration in their research field. Additionally, professors must possess academic leadership skills.

The assessment of applicant merits considers both scholarly and teaching merits. The former include scholarly publications and other research results of scholarly value, success in obtaining external research funding, scholarly work outside Finland and international elected positions. The latter include teaching experience and pedagogical training, the ability to produce learning materials, additional teaching merits, a demonstration of teaching skills if required, and involvement in doctoral education. Also considered are applicants’ leadership and interaction skills and their active engagement in the academic and wider communities.

Holders of teaching and research positions at Finnish universities must be proficient in the language in which they provide instruction, in this case Russian. To successfully perform their duties, the appointee must also have excellent English skills.

SALARY

The salary will be based on levels 8–10 of the job requirement scheme for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, the appointee will be paid a salary component based on personal performance. The position carries an annual salary of €80,500–€99,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications, and includes a six-month trial period.

The University of Helsinki offers its staff occupational health and fitness services, professional development opportunities, and a first-class research and teaching environment, alongside the conditions necessary for international collaboration. Applicants should note the University’s recommendations and guidelines regarding the war in Ukraine.

Read more about staff benefits on our website.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications, together with the required attachments, must be submitted via the University of Helsinki recruitment system using the link below. Internal applicants, defined as current University employees, must submit their applications via the SAP Fiori portal.

Applicants are requested to provide the following documents in English as a single PDF file:

1.    A short cover letter
2.    A curriculum vitae
3.    A report (maximum 5 pages) on the applicant’s teaching expertise 
4.    A report (maximum 5 pages) outlining the applicant’s research activities, including engagement in the academic community, success in securing research funding and international research activity 
5.    A written statement (maximum 2 pages) presenting the applicant’s vision for their research and the development of the field
6.    A numbered list of publications
See instructions.

No other attachments, such as letters of recommendation or certificates, are required at this stage.

Applicants should note that, after the closing date, the appointment committee will ask shortlisted candidates to select and submit up to 10 publications for assessment via the recruitment system. Candidates will also be invited to attend an interview and, where appropriate, provide a separate report of their teaching merits and deliver a teaching demonstration.

The closing date for applications is 8 February 2026.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further information about the position is available from Professor Tomi Huttunen tomi.huttunen@helsinki.fi. For enquiries about the recruitment process, please contact HR Specialist Jenni Syväoja (jenni.syvaoja@helsinki.fi).