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The University of Oulu is one of the biggest and most multidisciplinary universities in Finland. We create new knowledge and innovations that help to solve global challenges. We offer you an international and inspiring working environment where you are given responsibility and can use your skills, develop yourself and do work that matters. Our flexible and family-friendly workplace makes it easy for you to balance work and leisure. The University of Oulu is ranked in the top 3% of the world´s universities.
We are looking to hire a highly motivated
Postdoctoral Researcher
to join the University of Oulu’s Faculty of Humanities, Unit of History, Culture and Communications. The researcher will work with Dr. Anna Krzywoszynska (University of Oulu) and Dr Erika Szymanski (Colorado State University) on the new FARIA-funded project “MicroBio. The Microbial Bioeconomy Transition: Reconfiguring the Food, Energy, and Land Use Sectors”.
MicroBio is a pilot project into the transition to a microbes-based bioeconomy. Taking a social science perspective, the project investigates how microbial knowledges and practices impact existing food networks, knowledge-cultures, and land use and management practices in agricultural and natural resource management in Finland and the USA. The project also builds a stakeholder and academic network for further research on the microbial bioeconomy transition.
You will support Dr Krzywoszynska (PI) and Dr Szymanski (Co-I), who are experienced social science researchers of human-microbe relations, in the delivery of this pilot project. The position offers a unique opportunity to conduct original research and publish in a dynamically growing research area, to create new academic networks, and to acquire experience of grant-writing. The work will involve a research visit to Colorado, and networking with leading members of the renowned Food Systems Institute at Colorado State University.
This project benefits from an affiliation to the Biodiverse Anthropocenes programme. Biodiverse Anthropocenes is a Research Programme of the University of Oulu supported by the Academy of Finland PROFI6 funding (2021-2026). This innovative and transdisciplinary research initiative brings together scholars from across the social and natural sciences to collaboratively investigate the biodiversity loss currently threatening multi-species well-being and planetary sustainability, and to generate future-oriented solutions both in the Arctic and around the planet. The postdoctoral researcher will be invited to join as a member of Biodiverse Anthropocenes and take part in the programme’s exciting calendar of interdisciplinary activities and events.They will also join the growing research lab investigating human-microbe and human-soil relations, led by Dr Krzywoszynska.
Located on the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia in Northern Finland with over 13,000 students and over 3,000 employees, the University of Oulu is one of the Nordic countries’ largest universities and a global leader in studies of Arctic environments and peoples. The research unit of History, Culture and Communications, where this post is based, combines cutting-edge expertise of cultural anthropology, archaeology, history, information studies, and the history of science and ideas.
About the job
You will work with Dr. Anna Krzywoszynska and Dr Erika Szymanski to deliver the MicroBio project. Finland plans to double the contribution of the bioeconomy to the national economy by 2035, and microbes are central to achieving this ambition. Microbes can provide new food products via ‘cellular agriculture’, replace mined and fossil fuel-based agricultural inputs, and sequester atmospheric carbon. As ‘working with microbes’ becomes part of agriculture and natural resource management, it is urgent to understand how microbial knowledges and practices will impact existing food networks, knowledge-cultures, and land use and management practices.
MicroBio project will produce initial data on these issues, and create a Nordic-US network for further research into the microbial bioeconomy. The research element of the project will:
In parallel, MicroBio will organise stakeholder and academic workshops. We will identify areas of expertise across social and natural sciences in the US and in Finland. We will create a new network of excellence and write a consortium project proposal to further research into the microbial economy transition.
As a postdoctoral researcher in the MicroBio project, you will support Dr Krzywoszynska and Dr Szymanski in delivering the project. Primary duties attached to the position will include:
What we offer
Who are you?
In order to succeed and enjoy the position, we expect from you:
We also appreciate:
Salary
The position is fixed-term for 18 months beginning on 1.5.2023 or as soon as possible thereafter and ending on 31.10.2024.
The salary will be competitive and based on the levels 5-6 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 practice, this means the starting gross salary will be approximately between EUR 3500-4000 per month (before taxes). A trial period of 6 months is applied to the position.
How to apply?
Interested? If yes, please apply by 18th March 2023 at 23:59 (EET) through our recruitment system. The application should be written in English and include the following:
Only applications containing all relevant appendices and submitted through the online recruitment system will be considered. The top candidates will be invited to an on-site or remote interview. All applicants will be notified at the various stages of the selection process, including once it has been completed.
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, such as people of different ages, genders, and lingual, cultural or minority groups.
Contact Information
If you have any further questions, please contact Dr Anna Krzywoszynska anna.krzywoszynska@oulu.fi.
Type of employment | Temporary position |
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Contract type | Full time |
Number of positions | 1 |
Full-time equivalent | 100% |
City | Oulu |
County | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa |
Country | Finland |
Reference number | 2023/98 |
Contact |
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Published | 15.Feb.2023 |
Last application date | 18.Mar.2023 |