Assistant/Associate Professor (Tenure Track) in Exercise Gerontology
Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences is seeking to recruit an Assistant/Associate Professor (Tenure Track) in Exercise Gerontology starting September 1, 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position will be filled for a fixed term of three to five years, depending on the stage of your career and according to the tenure track model at the university of Jyväskylä. At the conclusion of each fixed-term assignment, there will be an evaluation procedure to assess the employee's qualifications for promotion to the next level (associate/full professor). Read more about the Tenure track at the University of Jyväskylä in our website.
Exercise Gerontology studies the links between physical activity and ageing and aims to promote the health, functional capacity and physical activity of older people. Research projects in the field of exercise gerontology are used to increase knowledge about the links between physical activity and the ageing process. Particularly, the focus is on the assessment and promotion of functional capacity, biological and other factors underlying functional capacity, the implementation and effects of physical activity training for older people with various diseases, and the promotion of safe mobility and sport for older people. Exercise Gerontology is an essential part of the research and teaching profile of the discipline of gerontology and public health.
Who we are looking for
This Assistant/Associate Professor task includes research and teaching in the field of Exercise Gerontology and the development of those in collaboration with other teachers and researchers at the Faculty. Duties include undergraduate and postgraduate education, acquisition of competitive research funding, management of research projects as well as supervision of doctoral and graduate dissertations/theses. The tasks also include the development of social interaction in the field and participation in national and international cooperation.
The person selected for this position is expected to make a strong contribution to the development of the research infrastructures of the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences and to research and infrastructure cooperation with other faculties of the University of Jyväskylä. The candidate is required to obtain external competitive research funding, to supervise theses and to provide research-based teaching. The candidate is expected to strengthen educational cooperation with other disciplines at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences and other relevant universities, and to develop and strengthen cooperation with the Wellbeing Services County of Central Finland´s hospital Nova. The Assistant/Associate Professor of Exercise Gerontology will participate in the activities of the Gerontology Research Center. The candidate is expected to have a broad understanding and expertise of the links between physical activity, functional capacity, health and ageing, which will facilitate teaching and research at the faculty level.
A successful candidate is expected to have a doctoral degree in a relevant field, such as Health Sciences, Sport Sciences, Life Sciences, Behavioural Sciences or Technology, strong evidence of scientific research in the field, experience in international cooperation, and excellent ability to provide high-quality research-based teaching and thesis supervision. We also require evidence of acquiring quality-based competitive research funding and, at associate level, experience of doctoral theses supervision. At the assistant level, a person who obtained their doctoral defgree up to nine year ago (typically 3-9 years) is eligible.
The duties and qualification requirements of an Assistant/Associate Professor are stipulated by the University of Jyväskylä Regulations and language skills guidelines. Please see the general requirements for appointing an assistant professor or associate professor (tenure track) in our website. The qualification requirements should be met before the closing time of this call. A trial period of six months will be used in the beginning of the employment.
Benefits
At the University of Jyväskylä, you are a recognized member of our community with a unique opportunity to influence international research. You get to participate in our international and multidisciplinary community where the welfare of each individual is important. At the University of Jyväskylä, we offer a great and lively campus area with opportunities to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.
Finland has a high standard of living, with free schooling (also in English), affordable childcare, good family benefits, and healthcare. Jyväskylä is located in central Finland in the Finnish lakeland and has excellent opportunities for different nature, outdoor, and sports activities. The city of Jyväskylä is a major educational center and the city has a large student population. As such there is a vibrant cultural scene in the city. To find useful information about the University of Jyväskylä, the City of Jyväskylä and living in Finland, see the University's International Staff Guide.
After signing the employment contract, a personal career plan is made for you. The career plan specifies the objectives, intermediate milestones and evaluation criteria of the tenure track period. Your personal career plan helps you clarify your goals, and you will receive regular feedback on your work in the initial and follow-up discussions. We will also support your progress through mentoring, training and other support activities needed such as JYU's starting grant for new tenure track -professors. Career path progression is based on an overall assessment of a person's progress.
If you are moving from abroad, we will support your move to Jyväskylä and Finland. With its location among the forests and lakes of Central Finland, Jyväskylä offers a safe environment to live and work. Finnish society offers many benefits to families with children, and as a researcher living in Jyväskylä you will be able to balance work and personal life.
Salaries are based on job demands and employees’ performance following the Finnish University Salary System. A holiday bonus is paid to all employees. The starting gross salary will be between 4100—4700 EUR/month at the assistant level and between 4700–5500 EUR/month at the associate level depending on the qualifications and experience of the candidate.
How to apply?
Please make sure that your ORCID-profile (https://orcid.org) works: your publications are listed and public (Set visibility: Everyone). You cannot apply to this job without an ORCID profile.
Please attach the following documents to the online application in English and in PDF format:
- A Curriculum vitae, composed according to good scientific practice and considering the template for researcher´s curriculum vitae by The Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity.
- A short and free-form motivation/cover letter (max 2 pages), including your research interests, career goals and previous experience and merits in relation to the qualifications for this position.
- A numbered list of all scientific publications and other publications showing the applicant's ability and merits for the position using the guidelines of the Research Council of Finland.
- A maximum of five publications, which must be numbered according to the list of publications (as one PDF file) or a PDF file with public links to the 5 chosen publications.
- Research plan: a short written description (max 4 pages) of the applicant's research merits, leadership in research, and experience in acquiring research funding, as well as a research plan related to the position and a vision of how the applicant's current and future work will support the research and international collaboration at the University of Jyväskylä.
- A teaching portfolio prepared according to the guidelines, i.e., a written description of pedagogical training and teaching merits (Instructions on the JYU Work with us website).
- A description of societal interaction (max 2 pages).
Kindly submit your application using the online application form by 21st April 2025. Applications sent via email are not considered.
For further information about the position, please contact Professor, Vice Dean Taina Rantanen: taina.rantanen@jyu.fi, tel. +358408053590 (from 27th March onwards) and information about the recruitment process: HR Partner Kia Nabb: kia.e.nabb@jyu.fi, tel. +358408055123.
We offer good working conditions for researchers and promote the principles of HR Excellence in Research, HRS4R. The Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R) is based on the values of the European Charter for Researchers & The Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (Charter & Code). JYU is committed to fairness, consistency and transparency in selection decisions, and undertakes the recommendations for the responsible evaluation of a researcher in Finland. JYU has signed the DORA Declaration. By signing the agreement, JYU is committed to complying with the CoARA principles.
Our application process is transparent, professional and international. We communicate openly with the applicants throughout the recruitment process. All appointment decisions are based on careful consideration within the faculty as well as reviews by external experts. We value equality and diversity in our work community and encourage qualified applicants, regardless of background, to apply for this position.
A personal security clearance may be conducted on the selected candidate with their consent (Security Clearance Act 726/2014). More information about the security clearance process and the rights of the subject can be found here.
Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences
At the University of Jyväskylä, everyone can find their place in the human-centred environment of 2,600 experts and 14,700 students. Our goal is to create wisdom and wellbeing for us all. It is essential that each member of the community thrives and has opportunities to develop and grow. We cherish openness of thinking as well as the balance between research and education. Our naturally beautiful campus is located at the heart of the city of Jyväskylä. JYU is the third largest employer in Central Finland.
Education and research in sport sciences in Finland are concentrated at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences of the University of Jyväskylä. There are two main lines of study at the Faculty: Sport Sciences and Health Sciences. Links between physical activity and health as well as promotion of exercise and health are viewed from a multidisciplinary perspective with the improvement of health, functional ability, and wellbeing across the human lifespan as the key aim.
Information for the applicant
The application form cannot be saved as draft. However, after submitting you can return to edit your application via the link you receive by email. The application can be edited until the application deadline.
You have 6 hours to complete your application before the timeout.
