Post-doctoral researcher in computer science or digital humanities specializing in audiovisual data

The Faculty of Humanities at the University of Helsinki invites applications for the position of

POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCHER IN COMPUTER SCIENCE OR DIGITAL HUMANITIES SPECIALIZING IN AUDIOVISUAL DATA

for a fixed-term period of 36 months, starting in May 2026.

This position is based at the Multimodality Research Group in the Department of Languages and funded by an ERC Consolidator Grant awarded to Professor Tuomo Hiippala. The project develops novel methods and resources for studying multimodality, or how humans communicate using combinations of multiple ‘modes’ of expression. These methods and resources are used to develop empirically founded theories of multimodal communication in the domain of everyday cultural artefacts. The data studied in the project includes, for example, school textbooks, news broadcasts and instruction manuals.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The post-doctoral researcher will participate in building a large multimodal corpus of news broadcasts in Finnish, Finland-Swedish, Sámi and Finnish Sign Language. The responsibilities of the appointee include developing approaches that use automatic speech recognition, computer vision models and other computational methods to annotate the data, and verifying the quality of these annotations using human-in-the-loop approaches. In addition to conducting research, the post-doctoral researcher is expected to report the results in lead- and co-authored publications submitted to suitable venues, which will be determined collaboratively with the PI.

QUALIFICATIONS

The appointee must hold a doctoral degree in computer science, digital humanities or a related field, and have a keen interest in multimodality and audiovisual media. Previous experience of applying computational methods to large volumes of audiovisual data is essential. The appointee must have solid skills in programming and working with libraries for training and using machine learning models. Previous experience in managing large volumes of data and high-performance computing is necessary. Experience in collaborative development of research software and building annotated datasets or corpora is considered an advantage. The appointee must be able to work independently and as a part of a multidisciplinary research group consisting of researchers with diverse backgrounds. Strong teamwork skills and an excellent command of written and spoken English are also required. A knowledge of Finnish is considered an advantage for the corpus work.

The appointee is expected to reside in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area while employed by the University of Helsinki.

WHAT WE OFFER

The Faculty of Humanities at the University of Helsinki is Finland’s most diverse faculty in terms of the organisation and selection of its disciplines. The University of Helsinki scores highly in international comparisons of research and teaching in the humanities: it is among the leading Nordic and European universities and close to the top 50 in the world.

The successful candidate will become a part of vibrant research community at the Faculty of Humanities. The three-year position offers an excellent opportunity to conduct pioneering research on the multimodality of human communication in a multidisciplinary environment. The project provides generous funding for conference travel and networking. The project also offers access to state-of-the-art computing resources provided free-of-charge by the CSC – the IT Center for Science.

The starting gross salary for the position ranges from 3820 to 3952 EUR per month, depending on experience and qualifications. The appointee is also expected to contribute to teaching, which is limited to 10% of annual working time. The employment contract will include a probationary period of six months.

The University of Helsinki provides its staff with occupational health and fitness services, professional development opportunities, as well as a first-class research and teaching environment and the conditions necessary for international cooperation. Read more about staff benefits on our website.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your application, together with the required documents, through the University of Helsinki Recruitment System via the link “Apply now” (“Hae nyt”). Applicants who are currently employed by the University of Helsinki are requested to submit their application via the SAP Fiori portal. The closing date for applications is February 28, 2026.

The applicants are requested to provide the following documents written in English with their application:

1. A statement of motivation for applying for the position, or how you would contribute to the project and a description of your core skills (max. 750 words)
2. A curriculum vitae with contact information for two references
3. A list of publications with key publications relevant to the position highlighted.

FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information about the position and the research project, please contact Professor Tuomo Hiippala (tuomo.hiippala@helsinki.fi).