Job Description

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine invites applications for the position of a

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER (zoonotic viruses)

The appointment is initially for two years, with possibility of extension, with the starting date as soon as possible after the recruitment decision is made. Please note that the work cannot start remotely. The position is filled with a 6-month probationary period.

The appointment is in the upstarting research group on zoonotic viruses led by professor Johanna Lindahl, which means that the position will include work both at the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (in Helsinki, Finland). The postdoctoral researcher will also visit international projects, mainly at the Taita Research Station in Kenya. The research group works on zoonotic viruses, including those transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks, rodents and birds.

The appointee will perform research in the project. The appointee may also supervise students and participate in other discipline-specific teaching. Teaching tasks can account for 10- 20 % of the annual working time depending on interests and expertise.

We offer

• A new research group with potential for varying projects and topics
• Access to BSL-3 level laboratories
• Extensive national and international collaboration network with experts on epidemiology, microbiology, veterinary and medical research

We expect

• PhD degree in a relevant field – The degree requirement must be met by the beginning of the employment.
• Experience in One Health, microbiology, molecular epidemiology and bioinformatics
• Fluent communication skills in English
• Curiosity, genuine interest in science, initiative
• Ability to work in a close team and with an extensive collaboration network, and effectively organize own work and the work of the technical staff
• Ability to contribute to hypothesis generation, experimental design, data analysis and manuscript writing

We also appreciate experience in:

• R scripting (or equivalent)
• Multi-omics data analysis
• Immunology
• Field work
• Experience of work in BSL3 facilities
• systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses

Why us

The Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, as well as the Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, provides a world-class environment for research and teaching in One Health, offering excellent opportunities to further develop your expertise and strengthen your research programme in close collaboration with a vibrant academic community. The research environment is supported by the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, the University of Helsinki’s shared core facilities, and diverse research laboratories equipped with up-to-date infrastructure for molecular medicine.

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine hosts a One Health Doctoral Programme and will launch an international One Health Master’s Programme in 2027, further strengthening its interdisciplinary research and education profile.

The University of Helsinki offers comprehensive services and benefits to its employees, including preventive occupational health care, general medical care, sports facilities, and a wide range of opportunities for professional development. The University also offers guidance to international employees and their families in relocating to and settling in Finland. We are committed to supporting work–life balance.

The salary is based on the job requirement scheme for teaching and research staff according to the salary system of the Finnish universities (job-specific and personal salary component). The monthly gross salary in a full time postdoctoral researcher position is usually about 3 700–4 100 € depending on applicant’s qualifications and experience.

Interested in the position?

Please submit your application and the required attachments as a single pdf file in English (in section CV) through the University of Helsinki recruitment portal (link Apply now or Employee login in the job announcement).

The application should include:

• a motivation letter (max 1 page) with research interests / plans
• a detailed CV (with the date of thesis defense and date of PhD graduation, title of the thesis, previous academic/work positions, current position, academic distinctions and list of peer-reviewed publications), motivation letter (1 page), three reference contacts, and other possible documents attesting to your competence for the position.
• copy/copies of the diploma(s) of previous degree(s)

Application deadline is on the 31 of July 2026 at 23:59 (Europe/Helsinki time).

You may find a general template for the researcher’s curriculum vitae and a classification for publications helpful when drafting your application: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers/open-positions/instructions-applicants-teaching-and-research-positions

Further information (please notice that July is a typical vacation month in Finland)

• Position and research project: Professor Johanna Lindahl Johanna.Lindahl(at)helsinki.fi, +358505795474
• Recruitment system and applying: HR Specialist Heidi Kauppinen, recruitment(at)helsinki.fi
• Working at the University of Helsinki: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers
• Faculty of Veterinary Medicine: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/faculty-veterinary-medicine
• HOH Helsinki One Health: https://www2.helsinki.fi/en/one-health

• Viikki Campus: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/visit-us/campuses/viikki-campus
• Working at the University of Helsinki: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers
• 10 reasons to work in Helsinki: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers/why-university-helsinki/why-helsinki
• Support for international staff: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers/information-arriving-international-staff

Related to the operational environment

• Faculty of Medicine (Meilahti Campus): https://www.helsinki.fi/en/faculty-medicine
• Veterinary Teaching Hospital: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/veterinary-teaching-hospital
• HOH Helsinki One Health: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/networks/helsinki-one-health
• HiLIFE Research Infrastructures: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/hilife-helsinki-institute-life-science/services/life-science-research-infrastructures

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Helsinki is the only institution of higher education in Finland to train veterinarians. It consists of 750 undergraduate and postgraduate students and employs approximately 150 academic staff. From 2026 onwards, approximately 90 students will be admitted annually to the basic degree programme in veterinary medicine. The degree programmes are accredited in accordance with the European System of Evaluation of Veterinary Training (ESEVT). The Faculty has four departments: Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Production Animal Medicine, and Veterinary Biosciences, as well as the Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

The Faculty operates on two locations, at Viikki Campus in Helsinki and in Mäntsälä, which is approximately one hour north of Helsinki. The majority of the Faculty is based at Viikki Campus, along with the Faculties of Agriculture and Forestry, Biological and Environmental Sciences, and Pharmacy, together with several independent life science research units. The Department of Production Animal Medicine and the Production Animal Hospital are located in Mäntsälä.

A diverse and equitable study and work culture is important to us. That is why we do our best to promote an inclusive university community. We encourage all qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply for our positions.

Click this link to read about accessibility and inclusivity at our University.

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