Postdoctoral Position in Agricultural Sciences

Project: Water-Food Futures – “Navigating the Route to Sustainable Water-Food Futures”
Location: Viikki Campus, Helsinki, Finland
Working Language: English
Application Deadline: 15 January 2026, 23:59 EET

1. Postdoctoral Researcher (17-month contract)

Start Date: 1 April 2026 (negotiable)
Key Responsibilities:

• Study soil-plant interactions under different cropping systems

• Collaborate with bioeconomic modelling group

• Design, conduct, and publish research

• Supervise students, contribute to teaching, and assist in grant applications

• Engage with research partners and scientific community

Qualifications & Skills:

• PhD in crop physiology or related field (must have degree before employment starts)

• Experience in plant-soil water dynamics, crop physiological methods, and chemical analyses

• Analytical skills, proficiency in R (or equivalent)

• Strong English communication, ability to work independently and in teams

Salary: ~€3,700–3,900/month + personal salary component (Finnish university level 5)
Other: Six-month trial period, residency in Finland required

2. Doctoral Researcher (48-month contract)

Start Date: 1 March 2026 (negotiable)
Key Responsibilities:

• Study soil-plant interactions under different cropping systems

• Collaborate with bioeconomic modelling group

• Conduct and publish research

• Contribute to teaching and student supervision

• Engage in grant preparation and scientific communication

Qualifications & Skills:

• MSc in crop physiology or related field

• Experience in plant-soil water dynamics, crop physiological methods, chemical analyses

• Analytical skills, proficiency in R (or equivalent)

• Fluent in English, teamwork and independent research capability

Salary: €2,700/month personal grant (funded by Maa- ja Vesitekniikan Tuki ry)

Common Attributes & Benefits for Both Positions

• Join a supportive, collaborative research group

• Work on crop physiology, soil science, crop management, and cropping systems

• Opportunities for career development, student supervision, teaching experience, and independent project development

• International and multidisciplinary team environment

• Affiliation with University of Helsinki, a top-ranked multidisciplinary research university

• Support for international staff through International House Helsinki

• Inclusive and equitable work culture

Application Requirements (both positions):

1. Cover letter explaining motivation

2. CV (max 3 pages) including education, work experience, publications, references

3. Copies of degree certificates and transcripts (translations if not in Finnish, Swedish, or English)

Apply through: University of Helsinki Recruitment System

Contacts:

• Prof. Pirjo Mäkelä – pirjo.makela@helsinki.fi

• Prof. Kari Hyytiäinen – kari.hyytiainen@helsinki.fi

• HR Specialist Mirkka Juntunen – mirkka.juntunen@helsinki.fi

In your application, please refer to Professorpositions.com