Three post-doc positions in salmonid fish ecological and evolutionary genomics and conservation

The University of Helsinki is an international scientific community of 40,000 students and researchers. It is one of the leading multidisciplinary research universities and ranks among the top 100 international universities in the world, and 8th in the world in Ecology.

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The Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences is Finland’s largest and most high-profile and extensive hub of research and teaching in the field. The Faculty educates experts to meet the needs of universities, research institutes, government, schools and the business sector.

The positions

Up to three post-doctoral positions are available at the University of Helsinki, Finland working in the research groups of Prof. Craig Primmer and Dr. Tutku Aykanat (http://www.helsinki.fi/evolution-conservation-and-genomics ) as a part of several related research consortia funded by the Research Council of Finland, the Kone Foundation and the ERC, with a focus on using the well studied Teno Atlantic salmon system as a model for adaptive management to assess biological and societal effects of recent anthropogenic changes on the Atlantic salmon metapopulation, alongside a detailed genetic and ecological evaluation of Pink salmon invasion in the river basin and the greater region.

Successful applicants will likely have a strong background in research related to at least one of the themes listed below, but the specific combination of expertise is flexible, with the overall composition of the team being most important.

Effects of management and ecosystem-related changes on salmon life-history phenotype and genotypes
Evolutionary genomic approaches for assessing the effects of recent fishing management changes and invasive Pink salmon abundance on life-history phenotypes and genotypes.Relevant consortium publications: Erkinaro et al. 2019; Czorlich et al. 2018, 2022

Assessing sex-specific natural selection effects at key life-history loci due to anthropogenic and environmental factors
Use of long- term data on Teno salmon reproductive fitness to assess potential sex-specific effects of recent fishing management changes and invasive Pink salmon abundance selection on Atlantic salmon life-history traitsRelevant consortium publications: Czorlich et al. 2018; Mobley et al. 2019, 2020, 2024

Pink salmon genetics: determining the genetic basis of successful invasion
Use of long-term scale material to identify genomic regions and structural variation potentially associated with higher invasion success.Relevant consortium publications: Erkinaro et al. 2026

Instructions for applying

Appointees to the positions shall hold a doctoral degree and have the ability to conduct independent scholarly work. Suitable applicants will likely have a strong background in at least some of the themes and approaches listed above, although the species/system with which they have experience is less important. The ability to work as a part of a larger multidisciplinary research team addressing related questions is also important.

Informal inquiries can be directed to Professor Craig Primmer (craig.primmer(at)helsinki.fi) and Dr. Tutku Aykanat (tutku.aykanat(at)helsinki.fi).

Formal applications should include as a single pdf file:
-    a CV including a list of publications and with names and contact details of at least two referees-    an approx. 1 page letter of motivation that includes specification of the theme (or themes) you are most interested in

To apply, please submit your application using the University of Helsinki electronic recruitment system by clicking on the Apply now button. If you need technical support with the recruitment system, please contact recruitment(at)helsinki.fi.

The deadline for applications is 23:59 EEST on 7.8.2026 and remote interviews of short-listed candidates are planned for 17-21.8.2026. The positions are available from 1.9.2026 but start dates up to mid 2027 will be considered (although an earlier start is preferred). Positions are available for up to three years, with continuations dependent on obtaining additional funding.

Salary

Due to different sources of funding, either a salary or a tax-free stipend may be paid. Salaries will be based on level 5 of the demands level chart for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, the appointee will be paid a salary component based on personal performance with the overall starting salary amounting to c. 3700-4300 EUR per month, depending on the previous relevant research experience of the candidate. The tax-free stipend, paid by Kone Foundation directly to the candidate, amounts to €3200 monthly (including compulsory pension and insurance payments), and can be topped up with 10% salary (see above). A grant-funded researcher contract is made with a candidate, who receives tax-free stipend instead of salary.

Why Finland?

Finland is a member of the EU, has high quality free schooling (also in English), very affordable childcare, generous family benefits and healthcare, and has been ranked as the world’s happiest country six years running and the best country in the world for expat families and the City of Helsinki is in the world’s top ten most livable cities. The University of Helsinki is a top 100 ranked university in most ranking lists, is ranked 8th in the world in Ecology (Shanghai subject ranking) and is currently investing heavily in life science research (see https://www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-institute-of-life-science).

The research team currently consists of 4 post docs, 4 PhD students and 4 research assistants with 9 different nationalities. The salmonid fish research field has traditionally lacked gender and cultural diversity, but the group is committed to helping to influence a change and we therefore strongly encourage applications from researchers with diverse backgrounds. Successful applicants are expected to adhere to the university and research group’s codes of conduct.

Relevant publications:

Barson et al. (2015) Sex-dependent dominance at a single locus maintains variation in age at maturity in salmon. Nature 528:405–408. 
Czorlich, Y., Aykanat, T., Erkinaro, J., Orell, P., & Primmer, C. R. (2018). Rapid sex-specific evolution of age at maturity is shaped by genetic architecture in Atlantic salmon. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 2(11), 1800–1807. doi: 10.1038/s41559-018-0681-5 Czorlich, Y., Aykanat, T., Erkinaro, J., Orell, P., & Primmer, C. R. (2022). Rapid evolution in salmon life history induced by direct and indirect effects of fishing. Science, 376(6591), 420–423. doi: 10.1126/science.abg5980
Erkinaro, J., Czorlich, Y., Orell, P., Kuusela, J., Falkegård, M., Länsman, M., Pulkkinen, H., Primmer, C. R., & Niemelä, E. (2019). Life history variation across four decades in a diverse population complex of Atlantic salmon in a large subarctic river. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 76(1), 42–55. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2017-0343
Erkinaro, J., Orell, P., Fossoy, F., Kytokorpi, M., Gjelland, K., Johansen, N., . . . Falkegard, M. (2026). Rapid increase in abundance and distribution of invasive pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) within a diverse, large Barents Sea catchment. Journal of Fish Biology. doi:10.1111/jfb.70348
Mobley, K. B., Granroth-Wilding, H., Ellmen, M., Vähä, J.-P., Aykanat, T., Johnston, S. E., … Primmer, C. R. (2019). Home ground advantage: Local Atlantic salmon have higher reproductive fitness than dispersers in the wild. Science Advances, 5(2), eaav1112. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aav1112
Mobley, K. B., Granroth‐Wilding, H., Ellmén, M., Orell, P., Erkinaro, J., & Primmer, C. R. (2020). Time spent in distinct life history stages has sex‐specific effects on reproductive fitness in wild Atlantic salmon. Molecular Ecology, 29(6), 1173–1184. doi: 10.1111/mec.15390
Mobley, K. B., Barton, H. J., Ellmén, M., Ruokolainen, A., Guttorm, O., Pieski, H., Orell, P., Erkinaro, J., & Primmer, C. R. (2024). Sex-specific overdominance at the maturation vgll3 gene for reproductive fitness in wild Atlantic salmon. Molecular Ecology, 33(14), e17435. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.17435