Fixed-term position for a postdoctoral researcher in a Nordic Centre of Excellence (NCoE) ‘Tundra’
University of Turku is offering a post doc researcher position until the end of 2015 within Work Package 8 ‘Abiotic processes, spatial information (GIS), synthesis and policy recommendations’ of NCoE Tundra ‘How to preserve the tundra in a warming climate’.
Working environment
University of Turku is an internationally acknowledged, multidisciplinary scientific university located in the lively student city of Turku on the SW coast of Finland. With over 21,000 students and 3,500 employees, it is one of the major universities in Finland. In the Division of Geography, Department of Geography and Geology, the position of post-doc researcher is tenable for ca. 2.5 years, starting as soon as possible, preferably in March 2013. The successful candidate will join the Work Package 8 ‘Abiotic processes, spatial information (GIS), synthesis and policy recommendations’ of NCoE Tundra ‘How to preserve the tundra in a warming climate’. He/she will be mentored by Prof. Jukka Käyhkö (Turku, Geography) and Prof. Lauri Oksanen (Alta/Turku, Ecology), and their Tundra colleagues. The NCoE is part of Nordic Top-Level Research Initiative (TFI) sub-programme ‘Effect Studies and Adaptation to Climate Change’, see http://www.toppforskningsinitiativet.org/en/programmer-1/program-1.
Background
The scope of the NCoE Tundra is to study the interaction between the ecological phenomenon of top down impacts in food webs and climate vegetation interactions and to integrate this perspective with the human-managed reindeer husbandry and the Sámi culture dependent on it under changing climate.
The research is carried out primarily in the Geography division of the Department of Geography and Geology at the University of Turku, including field excursions in Northern Fennoscandia. The post doc offers also excellent opportunities for researcher mobility in the Nordic countries.
Requirements
The successful candidate will be selected based on academic and research record, including publications, research interests, recommendations, and compatibility of background. The mobility requirement of the Programme necessitates that the candidate has to be resident/affiliated outside Finland at the time of recruitment. A successfully completed doctoral degree less than five years ago within the field of geography or equivalent is a prerequisite. Furthermore, interests and abilities within interdisciplinary research collaboration are emphasized. The post doc researcher is expected to synthesise social and ecological information and analyse these with sophisticated GIS methodology. We expect the successful applicant to have strong background in combining natural and societal topics, preferably with a northern dimension and involving indigenous people. Methodological skills in the field of geoinformatics (GIS) are an essential requirement, remote sensing skill is a bonus.
Salary and duties
The job-specific salary is determined in accordance with the job demands level of the university salary system (YPJ) for teaching and research personnel. The job demands level for the postdoctoral researcher is 5 or 6, with a job-specific salary of € 2820.64-3293.22 per month. In addition to this, a personal performance proportion will be paid, ranging between 0 and 46% of the job-specific salary. Where applicable, the postdoctoral researcher will participate in the supervision of theses as well as departmental duties (max. 5% of the working hrs) in his/her field of expertise.
How to apply
The position will be filled as soon as possible, preferably by 1 March, and will continue until the end of 2015, with a four-month trial period. The job application must be accompanied with (1) a CV and list of publications, (2) a motivation letter including a brief description of accomplished/participated research projects, (3) contact information of two referees, and (4) a copy of the PhD degree certificate. Send your application and appendices in one file showing your name. Please address your application to Prof Jukka Käyhkö no later than Friday 15 February 2013 by 15.45 to maageo@utu.fi. Applications will not be returned.
For further information about the position, contact Prof. Jukka Käyhkö, jukkay@utu.fi, tel. + 358 40 522 5212.