Project Manager in EU-funded MSCA Doctoral Network on urban migration and time in Europe, Faculty of Humanities

We are looking to hire a highly-motivated

Project Manager

to join the University of Oulu’s Faculty of Humanities, Unit of History, Culture and Communications.

The full-time (100%) four-year Project Manager position will work primarily within the Horizon Europe-funded Marie Curie Doctoral Network “MITIME: Entanglements of Migration and Time in Post-industrial Urban Europe” (2026-2030). The MITIME project is a consortium of high-profile universities, research institutions and societal partners companies located in Belgium, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and Türkiye. MITIME is led by the University of Oulu (scientific coordination team: Prof Roger Norum, Dr Élise Lépy and Dr Bruno Lefort) and has received a total of 4.4 million euros in funding from the European Commission. As the Project Manager, you will have responsibility as a core member of the lead coordinating team for managing and overseeing the MITIME doctoral programme. Part of your role will also be to provide project management support to other relevant research projects at the University of Oulu.

The faculty and research group

This Project Manager position is based within Cultural Anthropology in the Research Unit of History, Culture and Communications, which combines high-calibre expertise of mobility studies, human-environment interactions, cultural studies, political ecology, and transdisciplinary environmental social sciences.

Located on the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia in Northern Finland with over 14,000 students and 4,000 employees, the University of Oulu is one of the Nordic countries’ largest universities and a global leader in sustainability studies, digitalisation and 6G, health and well-being, and Arctic environments and peoples.

The MITIME project: Entanglements of Migration and Time in Post-industrial Urban Europe

MITIME is a Marie Curie Doctoral Network (MCSA-DN), a pioneering, four-year interdisciplinary training programme in critical issues surrounding migration, integration and societal change currently faced by European cities. It uses the lens of temporality to challenge conventional, linear understandings of human mobility. MITIME is led by the University of Oulu in partnership with six other leading European institutions: Ruhr University Bochum (Germany), University of Liège (Belgium), University College Cork (Ireland), Koç University (Turkey), University of Deusto (Spain), and Erasmus University Rotterdam (Netherlands). The programme will train 15 doctoral candidates in cutting-edge, cross-sectoral and transversal skills for generating interdisciplinary insights into one of Europe's most critical socio-political issues. Working with nine Associated Partners from outside the academic realm, MITIME also draws from the collaborative interdisciplinary expertise of the European University of Post-Industrial Cities consortium (UNIC, www.unic.eu). The overarching aim of MITIME is to ensure the next generation of migration experts is empowered with the relevant skills and capacities required for a changing Europe. More detailed information about the project and its partners can be found here. 

Job description

As the MITIME Project Manager, you will play a pivotal role in leading the project management, working alongside the scientific coordinators, MITIME partners and research services staff. The main responsibility is to carry out tasks related to coordinating the project as a whole, reporting to the European Commission, and working with the scientific coordinators in the management, supervision and implementation of the project, and working with consortium partners and doctoral candidates. These responsibilities include a wide set of tasks related to the organisational, administrative, financial and legal management of the project, enabling coordination of exchanges and communication within the consortium and with external parties. Furthermore, you will also be integral to supporting work package leaders in delivering the project’s training programmes (e.g. courses, workshops, secondments) for the doctoral candidates. You will benefit from the MITIME consortium’s extensive network of migration scholars, and you will have a unique opportunity to engage with different associated partners across Europe, and will be able to collaborate with multiple research groups. You will be supervised by the project’s scientific coordinators and will support and cooperate with the six other MITIME partners. Your primary responsibilities will include:

• Managing the operational, administrative, and financial aspects of the MITIME project to ensure successful achievement of project tasks, timelines, deliverables, and milestones;
• Organizing the training and secondment of 15 doctoral researchers across 7 distinct European universities;
• Supporting coordination and work package leadership team in planning, producing, collecting and reviewing all project scientific deliverables and outcomes (e.g. scientific reports), and ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and policy, to ensure their timely delivery to the European Commission;
• Coordinating internal communication and management procedures, including organizing project management tools and keeping records of consortium meetings and events; ensuring effective communication among team members, doctoral candidates and associated stakeholders;
• Coordinating and documenting external communication and dissemination (social media and website updates, press releases, etc.) based on the input from project partners;
• Organizing research and training events (including locations and travel) in cooperation with responsible consortium partners.
• Assisting with project management tasks on other relevant university research projects.

What we offer?

• A supportive and transparent environment in which your work is valued and your contribution is recognized.
• The support of an experienced and enthusiastic team where you can share your expertise and grow in the field of environmental research and project management.
• A world-class research environment in a multinational, high-ranking group working to solve globally significant scientific and environmental challenges.
• Wellness benefit ePassi covering sport, culture and well-being. Read more about other staff benefits.
• Personal and career development options of a large organisation.
• Work that matters and a workplace that promotes both flexibility and work-life balance! Read more about working with us.
• Finland is the happiest and one of the most livable countries in the world, with a high quality of life, personal safety, excellent education system, and competitive economy. Read more about living in Oulu!

Who are you?

We expect from you the following professional qualifications and skills:

• Master’s or doctoral degree with good qualifications. The degree must have been completed before the start of employment;
• Experience in project management or administration, including some financial management experience;
• Good knowledge and command of technological tools, such as social media, web platforms and project management applications (e.g. Microsoft Teams);
• Excellent standard of written and spoken English, along with strong writing and presentation skills;
• Experience of/familiarity with the higher education sector, including postgraduate studies and/or doctoral training and education programmes.

Desired personal attributes:

• Excellent organisational, analytical and time management skills;
• Enthusiasm, dynamism and capacity for teamwork;
• Proactive, flexible and problem-solving attitude;
• Ability to work in an independent manner in a dynamic environment, and to manage multiple duties and work efficiently;
• Strong cross-cultural communication skills;
• Ability to identify and quickly resolve operational problems and critical issues that might arise during the project;
• Capacity to undertake some travel, as required, for project events.

The following background components will be considered an advantage (but are not required):

• Demonstrated knowledge of multi-partner research consortia, European Framework Programmes (e.g. Horizon Europe, ERC, MSCA-DN) or international scientific research projects;
• Familiarity with University of Oulu and/or UNIC international networks;
• Some knowledge of Finnish language.

Salary

The position is full time (100%) and fixed term, beginning from 1.3.2026 (or as agreed as soon as possible thereafter) until 28.2.2030.

The competitive gross monthly salary will be based on the levels 8-9 of the demand level chart for other staff of Finnish universities. In addition, a salary component will be paid based on personal work performance (maximum of 50 % of the job-specific component). Starting gross salary will be approximately 3300-4000 € per month (before taxes). A trial period of 6 months is applied to this position.

The general place of work will be at the University of Oulu, Finland. The work may also include some travel in Europe. Occasionally, an extended work schedule may be necessary due to travel, meeting attendance, and other time-sensitive project activities.

How to apply?

Interested? If yes, please apply by Sunday 1 February 2026 (11:59 pm EET/Finnish Time) through our recruitment system.

The application should be written in English and should include the following appendices:

1. Motivation letter (max. 2 pages) summarizing your professional background and expertise; describing how your previous experience has equipped you to work in this position; explaining why you are particularly suitable for this position; and detailing your career plans and interests.
2. Curriculum vitae with a detailed presentation of your professional activities.
3. Transcripts (grades) of most recent degree.
4. Contact information of two previous employer references who may be asked to give a personal statement about you (note that these will only be requested if you are shortlisted for this position).

The eligible applicants fitting best in the profile expected for the position will be invited to an on-site or remote interview between January and February 2026. All applicants will be notified during the selection process.

We readily welcome applicants from all backgrounds, such as people of different ages, genders and linguistic, cultural or minority groups.

Contact Information

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the leaders of the MITIME scientific coordination team Roger Norum (roger.norum@oulu.fi), Élise Lépy (elise.lepy@oulu.fi), or Bruno Lefort (bruno.lefort@oulu.fi).