Fixed-term Doctoral Researcher positions in the Doctoral Programme in Law

The Doctoral Programme in Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Turku, invites applications for fixed-term doctoral researcher positions with an employment contract for maximum of two years. Employment starts on 1 August.2026 or as agreed.

Job description

The position of a doctoral researcher is for the duration of a maximum of two years (24 months). The position is set to begin on 1 August 2026 or, according to an agreement, at an alternate date. The positions are intended for full-time doctoral dissertation research. Duties other than those related to doctoral dissertation research, such as teaching duties, must be proportioned so as not to compromise the completion of the doctoral dissertation within the planned schedule. As a rule, up to 5 % (a maximum of about 80 hrs per academic year) of the annual working time of the doctoral researcher can consist of teaching.

When determining the length of the employment contract, the funding previously granted for a doctoral degree is considered, as well as the timetable and the stage of completion of the degree. Applicants who have received 48 months of full funding to work on their doctoral dissertations, including external funding, cannot be considered for employment as doctoral researchers. Moreover, a person already awarded with a doctoral degree may not be appointed to a position of doctoral researcher with an employment contract.

The position of doctoral researcher with employment contract requires working in Finland. A doctoral researcher works in the Faculty of Law. The place of employment is Turku. The University of Turku offers flexible possibilities for remote work.

Who we are looking for

A fixed-term doctoral researcher position with an employment contract can be applied for by  

  • persons who have an active right to study for a doctoral degree at the Faculty of Law, University of Turku, and who have not received full four years of (internal and/or external) funding for their doctoral research.
  • persons who do not yet have a study right for a doctoral degree but have completed a Master's Degree, other applicable higher education degree or a corresponding international degree and whose degree and research plan are in accordance with the research areas included in the Doctoral Programme. A right to pursue a doctoral degree is a prerequisite for an applicant to be chosen for a fixed-term doctoral researcher position under an employment contract. Therefore, the applicant for the salaried position who do not have the right to pursue a doctoral degree have to apply for it in the Spring 2026 call (please carefully consult Call for application at the webpage of the Doctoral Programmein Law / admission.

The essential criteria of evaluation for the fixed-term positions of a doctoral researcher are:

  • The scholarly originality, ambition, rigour, importance and feasibility of the research plan,
  • Applicant’s eligibility for postgraduate studies (academic performance, possible scientific merits, the progress of studies and research to the current date). 

The final selection is based on a comprehensive evaluation of applications, since the applicants may be at different stages of their doctoral dissertation process. The candidates who are considered most qualified may be interviewed.  

When determining the length of the employment contract, the stage of the doctoral research and prior funding granted for pursuing a doctoral degree is taken into account. The doctoral programme offers funding only to applicants who have not yet received internal or external funding for four years (48 months) of full-time work.

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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. 

The university offers good support and orientation for international hires. Please learn more about the Finnish culture and relocation to Finland:

The University of Turku is among the top of the world’s universities in most rankings and among the best universities in the world in certain fields. Our high-quality basic research, a multidisciplinary research profile and close cooperation in research infrastructures creates the basis for international top research. Read more about University of Turku in international university rankings.

The University of Turku has several high-quality research infrastructures required for cutting-edge research. Learn more about the roadmap of research infrastructures and how the research infrastructure and expert teams offer tailored solutions for businesses and organizations.

Salary and trial period

The salary is based on the salary system of the University's teaching and research staff. Salaries will consist of a task-specific salary component and a personal performance salary component. The task-specific salary component of a doctoral researcher varies between levels 2 to 4, depending on the stage of the doctoral degree. In addition, a personal performance salary component is paid. The salary of a doctoral researcher varies between € 2 500 and € 3 400 per month, depending on the progress of the doctoral research and the experience and skills of the person concerned. The probationary period of 6 months applies.

How to apply

Please submit your application through our online recruitment system. The closing date for applications is 16 March 2026 at 16.00 (Europe/Helsinki).

Applicants should enclose with their application:

Please notice: To be eligible for employment as a doctoral researcher, the applicant must have an active right to study for a doctoral degree in the Doctoral Programme in at the University of Turku. If you have not yet been granted a study right for a doctoral degree, you must apply for a right to study from Doctoral Programme in Law (DPLAW) separately. (see above)

Further information

For further information about the position, please contact:Director of the Doctoral Programme in Law, Associate Professor Daniela Alaattinoglu, daniela.alaattinoglu@utu.fi

With questions about the application process, please contact: Coordinator Kirsi Tuohela, kirsi.tuohela@utu.fi, tel. +358 503290514

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Fixed-term Doctoral Researcher positions in the Doctoral Programme in Law

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