Ajankohtaista

Four Doctoral student positions in Health and Biosciences Doctoral Programme – University of Oulu

17.1.2021

https://rekry.saima.fi/certiahome/open_job_view.html?did=5600&jc=1&id=000010394&lang=fi

The North changes the world – more sustainable, more intelligent, more humane. We, at the University of Oulu, work as part of the international science community to produce new scientific information and science-based solutions. We are committed to educate future pioneers to build a more sustainable, intelligent and humane world. Creating new, taking responsibility and succeeding together are values that build a strong foundation for all our actions. We offer a working environment where individuals can cultivate their skills, do meaningful work, and develop professionally. Our university’s several specialized research and service units enable extensive and diverse development and career opportunities for experts in various fields

Four (4) Doctoral student positions in Health and Biosciences Doctoral Programme available for application

University of Oulu is now hiring highly motivated candidates for doctoral student positions in the doctoral programmes of the University of Oulu Graduate School (UniOGS). Successful candidates must commit to researcher training within Health and Biosciences Doctoral Programme with full-time work and to completing their degree within four years.

DP-HBS gathers clinical medicine, biomedicine, biochemistry, molecular medicine, dentistry, health sciences, medical technology and biology under the umbrella of a multidisciplinary training programme. In the current call, there are four (4) full-time positions available in DP-HBS for 2021-2024.

Eligibility and Requirements

An eligible candidate has a Master’s degree or an equivalent degree in a field relevant to the applied field. The major subject of the doctoral student is expected to be in the Doctoral Degree Programme of Medicine, Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Health Sciences, Dentistry or Biology. The degree must have been completed before the selection with at least good grades. Applicants are expected to be at the very early stage of research, in practice starting their doctoral training with this position. If they already have doctoral study rights in University of Oulu or elsewhere, they need to explain why they should still be considered as starters and early-stage researchers. Any applicant who has received doctoral study rights 30.11.2019, or before, are ineligible to apply. Selected candidates must meet all the requirements to receive doctoral study rights as defined in: http://www.oulu.fi/uniogs/requirements_for_admission.

In student selection, priority will be given to such doctoral students whose supervisor is not receiving strategic funding related to doctoral training from the University of Oulu during the applicable term, i.e. 2021 onwards.

Prior to submitting, applicants are expected to find a prospective main supervisor in an eligible research unit. Applicants are advised to seek potential supervisors in the faculty web pages (https://www.oulu.fi/university/node/35079). The proposed main supervisor must clearly be identified in the application form (full name, title, position, faculty and research unit at the University of Oulu). A letter from the proposed supervisor willing to commit for supervision must be attached into the applicant’s set of documents (see below).

Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the commitment letter does not bind the proposed supervisor to any commitment, if the applicant is not selected into the doctoral student position applied here and for which the letter of support was provided.

Salary and key terms

The salary of selected doctoral students will be initially set on level 2, and later on levels 2 – 4 of the national salary scale for the teaching and research staff of Finnish universities. In addition, a supplementary remuneration is given for personal achievement and performance (max. 50 %). In practice, the salary is roughly 2200 – 2700 € per month for an early stage researcher, depending on the appointee’s qualifications and progress of the doctoral thesis.

Since this call is for starting doctoral researchers, the positions are filled at its earliest April 1, 2021 and ending December 31, 2024. A six-month trial period is applied in the positions.

How to apply

Submit your application through the online system by 31 January 2021. Please include the following attachments as five separate pdf files (please note that the online system has a maximum size limit for attachments):

  1. CV: Including a list of all peer-reviewed scientific publications with full reference details.
  2. Motivation letter: Describing prior knowledge, research interests and career plan (max 1 page).
  3. Certificates/Diplomas: Scanned electronic copies of diplomas and transcripts of the records of relevant previous degrees. If the original documents are not in Finnish, Swedish or English, each document must be accompanied by an official certified translation into Finnish or English.
  4. Research plan approved by the supervisor: Please follow the structure given in the guidelines of the Academy of Finland (https://www.aka.fi/en/research-funding/apply-for-funding/how-to-apply-for-funding/az-index-of-application-guidelines2/research-plan-structure/2020/porst-doctoral-clinical/) However, for the current purpose, the texts under the given section headings need not cover all bullet points in the guidelines, and the maximum length of the (draft) plan’s body of text must not exceed 3 pages with 10-12 point font size and with at least 1,5 cm margins. A fourth page can be used for the list of references only. Thus, the max total length of the plan including the references is 4 pages. Exceeding the page limit will either result in disqualification or removal of the extra pages from the document.
  5. Letter of provisional commitment from the supervisor (https://www.oulu.fi/uniogs/node/208876 pre-formulated form that must be used): In this document the eligible supervisor (either a professor or a docent level researcher who is employed by the University of Oulu) states his/her willingness to act as the supervisor for the applicant. Commitment letter must include the provisional supervisor’s assurance that the research unit director is aware of and committed to the financial obligations related to these positions. The University will cover only part of the costs related to this position and the unit will cover the rest. Typically, 20-35% of the salary and sidecosts remain to be covered by research unit. All other other costs are to be covered by research unit.

Applications received after the deadline, incomplete applications, and/or applications with attachments that exceed the specified limits, will not be considered.

Application and evaluation process

Evaluation and ranking of the applications will take place in multiple stages. First, ineligible or incomplete applications are rejected. Second, eligible and complete applications are evaluated and ranked by the evaluation panel. Third, applications with highest scores from the second round will be further evaluated and ranked by the corresponding Doctoral Training Committee. Finally, University of Oulu Graduate School deans will consolidate the evaluation results and make the final decision for the positions. All applicants will be informed of the selection by e-mail.

Further information

About eligibility and degree requirements, see the Graduate School website: https://www.oulu.fi/uniogs/ 

About the evaluation process: DP-HBS coordinator Mirja Peltola (firstname.lastname@oulu.fi).