The University of Oulu is a multidisciplinary, international research university, with about 3,600 employees who produce new knowledge based on high-standards research and provide research based education to build a more sustainable, smarter, and more humane world. The University of Oulu community has about 17,000 people in total. Our northern scientific community operates globally and creates conditions for the emergence of innovations.
We are now looking for a
to join us in SafeEarth Research Programme at the University of Oulu (Finland).
The programme forms a part of our national profiling actions supported by the Research Council of Finland.
The University of Oulu has recently launched a new multi-faculty strategic research programme, SafeEarth. SafeEarth aims to discover novel ways to recognise and tackle safety and security threats by studying 1) how solar storms with sudden energy releases and particle bursts create natural hazards on different timescales from seconds to centuries, 2) how the effects of humanmade attacks, especially in the cyberspace, can be minimised, and 3) how language, communication and information practices enable protective actions.
As an Assistant/Associate/Full Professor, you will:
We search for candidates supporting the strategic aim to renew the scientific profile of the University of Oulu. We expect an interdisciplinary research vision as well as strong collaboration and networking capabilities.
Our tenure track (Assistant and Associate Professor) aims at exceptionally talented researchers with a high potential to advance in their careers. The Professor position is targeted for experienced and highly qualified candidates who have already advanced in their careers. The top candidates will undergo an evaluation by external, international experts and are required to reach top scores (5-6 on a scale from 1 to 6 for scientific activity and as the overall score) in order to qualify for the position.
This tenure track position Language use and comprehensive security strengthens the SafeEarth research in the area of Human Safety and Security. Comprehensive security means that society’s vital functions are secured through collaboration between authorities, business operators, organizations and citizens. Comprehensive security is about promoting security and preparedness against different kinds of threats and safeguarding the vital functions of society. Clear and timely language use (e.g., in media, instructions, guidelines, training and at work) is the primary tool for building, maintaining and enhancing safety and security. It is important when preparing for threats, collaborating during crises and tackling dis- and misinformation.
Applicants for this position are expected to have proven theoretical and methodological expertise in the research of language use (e.g., applied linguistics, conversation analysis, discourse analysis, interaction analysis). They are also expected to have a doctoral degree and be able to teach and supervise at undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. The ability to teach and supervise across disciplinary boundaries on themes related to the position is considered a benefit.
While applicants are not yet expected to have a strong track record in research related to language, safety and security, they are expected to have a strong vision of how their research would produce ground-breaking research in the area. Possible themes and questions include, for example, the following: How can language be used to build and support human security and crisis response? How can language be used effectively to build a sense of security and make security issues and processes visible and accessible before a threat or crisis? How is language used to support effective action during acute threats and crises? How does adverse language use that disrupts or undermines safety and security look like (e.g., mis- and disinformation)? How can knowledge about effective language use be applied to the building and supporting of safe and secure societies?
Because this is an interdisciplinary position, depending on the position level, we expect vision (assistant) or demonstrated experience (associate/full professor) in interdisciplinary approaches in research. Collaboration with non-academic operators and/or organisations in the position’s area is a benefit.
The general criteria for each career level are as follows:
Qualifications for a tenure track Assistant Professor position: You must demonstrate the ability to work independently and have proven teaching skills. In order to be eligible for a position as Assistant Professor, you must have received your doctoral degree not more than ten years ago.
Qualifications for a tenure track Associate Professor position: You must demonstrate evidence of scholarly research work and relevant teaching skills. You must have the ability to lead research as well as have experience in acquiring external research funding. We also expect you to have sufficient and relevant experience in international scientific work and evidence of international cooperation.
Qualifications for a Professor position: You must demonstrate high-quality academic qualifications and experience of leading research. You are able to provide high-quality teaching based on research and also supervise thesis work. You are expected to show evidence of international cooperation and should already be an academic leader in your field.
A researcher appointed to a tenure track position has the opportunity to advance systematically through the tenure track career levels towards permanent professorship, provided that the performance criteria are met.
Those hired at the Assistant or Associate level will be tenure track positions with five-year terms at each level. The Professor position will be a permanent, tenured position.
In Assistant or Associate Professor positions, the salary is based on levels 5-7 and in the Professor position, on levels 8-10 of the demand level chart for teaching and research staff of Finnish universities. In addition, a salary component based on personal work performance will be paid (maximum of 50 % of the job-specific component). In EUR terms, the salary will likely be between 3800–5500 for an Assistant or Associate Professor and 6000–7200 for a Professor. A trial period of 6 months is applied in the position.
Interested? If yes, please apply by 6.5.2025 (23:59 Finnish local time) through our recruitment system.
The application should be written in English and include the following:
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, such as people of different ages, genders and lingual, cultural or minority groups.
The selection process follows the University of Oulu´s recruitment guidelines. The process is carried out by a recruitment committee, and the candidates are subjected to publication analyses based on their publication lists. The candidates that are considered most suitable by the recruitment committee will also undergo an expert evaluation assessing the following merits:
The eligible candidates fitting best in the profile expected for the position will be invited to an on-site or remote interview. All applicants will be notified during the selection process.
If you have any further questions, please contact the coordinator of SafeEarth, Emma Bruus, emma.bruus@oulu.fi, tel. +358 50 573 1213
Type of employment | Temporary position |
---|---|
Contract type | Full time |
First day of employment | 1.9.2025 or as agreed |
Number of positions | 1 |
Full-time equivalent | 100% |
City | Oulu |
County | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa |
Country | Finland |
Reference number | 2025/248 |
Published | 02.Apr.2025 |
Last application date | 06.May.2025 |