1-3 Senior Researchers, INVEST (NetResilience) (# of pos: 3)

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.

We invite applications for 1–3 positions of Senior Researchers (recent postdocs or equivalent) to the INVEST Research Flagship Center for a fixed term period until 30.9.2024 (with an option for extra 3 years).

The persons chosen for the positions are expected to begin their employment in 1st January 2022 at the earliest and in 1st April 2022 at the latest.

The researchers are chosen to perform research in the consortium “Social networks, fertility and wellbeing in ageing populations: Building demographic resilience in Finland” (NetResilience), funded by the Strategic Research Council. NetResilience investigates how social networks vary between regions and demographic groups and over time, and how they affect fertility, active ageing, individual wellbeing, and demographic resilience.

NetResilience consortium director is professor Antti O. Tanskanen (University of Turku) and the working package (WP) leader at the University of Turku is assistant professor Mirkka Danielsbacka. WP2 led by Danielsbacka focuses on active ageing and explores the role of social and kin relations (social networks) for healthy, happy and active ageing using longitudinal Generational Transmissions in Finland (Gentrans) surveys combined with population registers and Survey of Health, Ageing, Retirement in Europe allowing wider country comparisons. The following themes are considered in WP2: Structure of informal social networks of older adults; How social networks relate to the wellbeing of older adults and what kind of network and support structure enhance resilience of older adults; Older adults as promoters of the wellbeing of others.

NetResilience is part of the research flagship “INVEST – Inequalities, Interventions and New Welfare State ” which aims at providing a new model for the welfare states that is more equal, better targeted to problem groups, more anticipatory as well as economically and socially sustainable. The flagship has been funded by the Academy of Finland and is implemented in cooperation with the University of Turku and the Institute of Health and Welfare (THL).

The persons chosen to the positions are expected to participate in research conducted according to the NetResilience research plan and to realise their own research projects related to the topics of NetResilience. Work tasks include some teaching responsibility (5% of the working time at the maximum). The positions include possibilities to work as a visiting researcher in collaborating universities abroad. NetResilience researchers working in University of Turku may also collaborate with the other NetResilience WPs in University of Turku, Population Research Institute (the Family Federation of Finland), University of Helsinki and Aalto University and there is mobility also between the sub-projects. In strategic research consortia, societal interaction has a central role, and NetResilience offers excellent opportunities to gain experience also in societal impact of research.

Requirements

The persons chosen for the positions are expected to have:

• a PhD or expected to acquire such a degree within six months,
• strong skills in quantitative methods and experience in using register, panel, and/or survey datasets,
• the ability to conduct independent scholarly work and publish research on the topics related to the project.

Successful applicants have strong research orientation and fluency in English.

The eligibility criteria for the positions are defined in the rules of procedure of the University of Turku (Section 38).

The persons chosen for the positions are expected to begin their employment in January 2022 at the earliest and in April 2022 at the latest. There will be a trial period of six months.

Salary

The salary is determined by the collective agreement system of Finnish universities. The position belongs to the category of teaching and research personnel. The pre-estimated salary will be on average 2850–3000 eur/month for a person holding a MSc degree, and on average 3300–4000 eur/month for a person holding a PhD degree. The exact salary will depend on the person’s competence and research experience and will be specified when the employment contract is prepared. Progress in the researcher's personal performance will be taken into account when determining the salary during employment.

Working in Finland

The university offers comprehensive support and orientation for international recruits. Please learn more about the Finnish culture and people:

Applications

The application should include:

The appendices should follow the guidelines of the faculty . 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 on 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 details are available upon request from Mirkka Danielsbacka, +358 50 304 9408, mirkka.danielsbacka(at)utu.fi or Antti O. Tanskanen, +358 40 5893980, antti.tanskanen(at)utu.fi. Any inquiries about the recruitment process or the e-recruitment system will be answered by HR Specialist Marja Andersson, +358 29 450 4756, marja.andersson(at)utu.fi.

Applications must be submitted by the 1st of December, 2021 (23:59 GMT+02:00 Helsinki) 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).