The Department of History, Culture and Arts Studies at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Turku, invites applications for a fixed-term, part-time position of Postdoctoral Researcher for the period 1 January – 31 December 2027

The Postdoctoral Researcher will work as part of the Research Council of Finland funded project PERSECUTIO: Causalities of Polemics and Persecution in Late Medieval Europe. The project is led by Academy Research Fellow Reima Välimäki.

The project examines the causes of the persecution of heretics and Jews in late medieval Europe, particularly in the area of the Holy Roman Empire. The aim is to explain the mechanisms behind the emergence, development and spread of persecutions. The project examines the relationship between polemical accusations and polemical texts and the emergence of persecutions, comparing it with other explanatory factors such as the social networks of the actors involved. The project is based on the modelling of medieval sources and the analysis of the modelled data both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Job description

The Postdoctoral Researcher will conduct research in accordance with the project's research plan, both independently and in collaboration with the research group. The position is part-time (50% working time).

The duties include:

• developing, together with the project leader, variables and methods for the quantitative analysis of the data modelled in the project
• participating in the analysis of the modelled data
• participating in scholarly publishing activities
• participating in the preparation of workshops and other events organised by the project
• participating in collaboration with the project's partners, in particular the DISSINET research group at Masaryk University
• participating in the societal impact and communication activities of the project
• possibly participating in teaching and/or supervision of students.

Who we are looking for

Requirements / Qualifications / You should have

In accordance with the eligibility requirements for Postdoctoral Researchers at the University of Turku, we require a completed doctoral degree in a relevant field (e.g. history, statistics, social sciences). We require experience in quantitative analysis of historical or comparable humanities data and strong programming skills.  The applicant we are looking for may be, for example, a statistician with experience in the analysis of historical data, or a specialist in digital history with extensive experience in quantitative research. The position requires good written and spoken command of English.

We value collegiality and promote equality, diversity, and inclusivity. We encourage all qualified applicants with different backgrounds to apply for our open positions.

Desirable expertise

• experience with JSON-based or graph databases
• the ability to conduct scholarly research both independently and in collaboration with others
• experience in collaboration in interdisciplinary research projects
• familiarity with the research topics of the project
• an active publication record.

Benefits

We offer you responsible and interesting tasks and the opportunity to develop your professional skills in a versatile operating environment. You get a professional and inspiring team to support your work. We take care of your well-being at work and the functionality of your everyday life, e.g. with the help of flexible working hours and our well-being services.

• Possibilities to develop your expertise – We encourage our personnel to develop their professional expertise by offering versatile training and competence development possibilities which employees can take advantage of during their working hours. Also, the course offering of Open University is free of charge for our personnel.
• Your well-being is important to us! – In addition to comprehensive occupational health care, our own well-being services monitor, support and develop the well-being of our personnel. You are entitled to use the CampusSport’s services at a personnel price.
• We support your work-life balance – Flexible working hours and extensive remote work options help you balance work and leisure time. 
• An inspiring and supportive work community – We encourage each other and value working together!

Please read more about University of Turku as an employer from our Come work with us! pages.

The European Commission has awarded the University of Turku the right to use the HR Excellence in Research quality label. The label is a token of the University's commitment to continuous development of the position and working conditions of researchers according to the guidelines set forth in the European Charter for Researchers. 

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Salary and trial period

The salary is determined in accordance with the university salary system for teaching and research personnel. The job requirement level of the position is 5.  In addition, a salary component based on personal work performance is paid. In addition, a performance-based component is paid, typically 11–17% of the task-specific salary at the start of employment. Based on previous experience and qualifications, the starting salary is 50 percent of 3,736–3,939 euros per month.

The position has a trial period of six months.

How to apply

Please submit your application through our online recruitment system. The closing date for applications is 15.10.2026 at 16.00 (Europe/Helsinki).

Applicants are required to attach the following documents to their application:

• A motivation letter describing the applicant’s motivation and relevant expertise for the position
• A curriculum vitae (CV)
• A list of publications, indicating the publications most relevant to the project
• The names and telephone numbers of two referees
• Degree certificates

Instructions for preparing the CV and publication list can be found at: Filling the posts of teachers and researchers at the Faculty of Humanities | University of Turku

Applicants may submit the documents in English if they wish. Proficiency in Finnish is not required for the position.

Further information

For further information about the position, please contact: Academy Research Fellow Reima Välimäki, reima.valimaki@utu.fi.

With questions about the application process, please contact: HR Specialist Katariina Teräs, katariina.teras@utu.fi.