Assistant professor / associate professor or professor of diversity in education
The internationally esteemed and highly successful Faculty of Educational Sciences at the University of Helsinki is Finland’s leading unit of research and teaching in Educational Sciences and Teacher Education. The Faculty of Educational Sciences conducts research related to human growth, development and learning.
Our research encompasses the different stages of the human life cycle, from early childhood to school age, adulthood, professional life and ageing. Our research is targeted systematically at different levels of society and the education system, as well as more broadly at professional life and culture. Our research focuses on growth, development, learning and teaching in diverse environments, contexts and subjects, as well as on educational policies and practices, and the structures of the education system. We investigate the significance of education in the lives of individuals, society and social justice, and we analyse how our understanding of humanity, knowledge and educational cultures can change. The perspectives of our research are individual, collective and societal. Our strengths include a broad-based theoretical approach, as well as methodological diversity and innovation.
Our research aims towards the realization of cultural and social possibilities for the wellbeing of an individual and a society in a changing world. We provide undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education that qualifies students for both the teaching profession and other positions requiring general education academic expertise. We also provide the pedagogical studies required to qualify as a teacher to students majoring in other faculties’ disciplines.
Faculty of Educational Sciences invites applications for the position of
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR / ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OR PROFESSOR OF DIVERSITY IN EDUCATION
The successful applicant may be appointed to a fixed-term assistant / associate professorship (tenure track) or a permanent professorship, depending on a person’s qualifications and career stage. Further information on the UH tenure track system on the webpage. The appointment is planned to begin on 1 January 2026.
Job description
The Faculty of Educational Sciences invites applications for a professorship focusing on diversity in education. Diversity is understood in a broad societal context, encompassing gender, sexuality, ethnicity, language, religion, disability, and social class. The position addresses diversity as a feature of educational environments, teaching and learning, and as a political and ethical concern tied to equity, inclusion, worldviews and social justice.
The successful candidate will conduct internationally recognised research and contribute to teaching across all levels of education. The role involves examining how educational systems, curricula, pedagogical practices and policies engage with societal diversity, with particular emphasis on intersectional approaches and global challenges such as ecological crises, technological change, and social inequality.
Applicants should demonstrate expertise in analysing how diversity is governed, negotiated, and experienced in educational contexts. Relevant areas include equal access, multilingualism, religious and worldview diversity, socioeconomic disparities, disability, and gender and sexuality. A critical understanding of power relations and their role in shaping educational practices is essential. Applicants should demonstrate advanced and versatile methodological expertise.
Key Responsibilities:
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Conduct high-quality research
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Teach and supervise students at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels.
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Develop curricula and lead research initiatives in educational sciences.
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Build national and international research collaborations and networks.
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Contribute to public discourse and Faculty administration.
This position offers a unique opportunity to influence inclusive educational practices and policies in Finland and internationally, and to strengthen democratic and equitable educational cultures.
The position is part of the recently funded Diversity in Society and Life (DIVSOL) https://www.helsinki.fi/en/diversity-society-and-life profiling-building area (PROFI 8) that brings together existing strands of research on diversity at the university and aims at offering novel insights into the timely questions of diversity. DIVSOL forms a vibrant research community dedicated to exploring and understanding diversity from a multitude of perspectives. DIVSOL focuses on identifying social and environmental inequalities, supporting inclusive social policies, opening new innovative methodological horizons, enhancing quality learning and education, promoting democratic literacy, and fostering novel conceptual understandings of diversity. DIVSOL has a strategic emphasis on artificial intelligence in scientific research, and development of innovative methods for research in the focus research areas.
Qualification requirements and selection criteria
An appointee to the tenure-track position of assistant or associate professor shall hold an applicable doctoral degree, have the ability to conduct independent scholarly work and have the teaching skills necessary for the position. Research with relevance to the profile area counts as a merit. In addition, the appointee must have the ability and motivation both to pursue an academic career as demonstrated by publications and other means, and to develop research on teaching and learning in the field. When assessing candidates’ qualifications, attention will be paid to not only research work and teaching qualifications, but also success in acquiring external research funding and experience in national and international research projects.
An appointee to a full professorship shall hold an applicable doctoral degree, have top-level scholarly qualifications, experience in the supervision of scientific research, and provide evidence of both success in acquiring external research funding and international cooperation in the field of research that the appointee represents. Applicants are expected to have the ability to provide top-level research-based teaching as well as supervise theses and dissertations. The position also requires the skills necessary to serve as an academic leader. When assessing candidates’ qualifications attention is paid to both scholarly and teaching qualifications.
Scholarly qualifications include scientific publications and other research results of scientific value, success in obtaining external research funding, international research experience as well as scientific commissions, positions of trust and international relations. Teaching qualifications include teaching experience and pedagogical training, the ability to produce learning materials, other teaching merits and, if necessary, a teaching demonstration, as well as participation in doctoral education. Furthermore, consideration will be given to applicants’ leadership and interaction skills, as well as their active participation in the research community and public engagement. Additionally, the appointment committee shall examine the applicants’ views on development of research and teaching in the position field. As for short-listed applicants, the evaluation shall also include external expert assessments and an interview by the appointment committee.
The assessment is always conducted as an overall assessment. The assessment will be conducted in accordance with the applicant’s career stage. The University of Helsinki has signed the DORA Declaration (https://sfdora.orgps://sfdora.org) and applies its principles when assessing the scientific merit of applicants.
To successfully attend to the duties of the position, the appointee must be fluent in English. If the appointee is not proficient in Finnish or Swedish, they are expected to acquire moderate proficiency in Finnish and/or Swedish within a reasonable time after the appointment. Support for language studies is offered. Read more about the language requirements: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/faculty-educational-sciences/faculty/work-us.
The chosen applicant is expected to reside in Finland while employed by the University of Helsinki. The Faculty of Educational Sciences provides assistance in relocation.
What we offer
The Faculty of Educational Sciences https://www.helsinki.fi/en/faculty-of-educational-sciences is a dynamic, inspiring and international working and studying environment that has invested in state-of-the-art research and teaching infrastructure. We encourage our staff to make bold and creative decisions while exercising high standards of ethical conduct in research, teaching and community relations.
The salary will be based on level 7 (assistant / associate professor) or levels 8-10 (professor) of the job requirement scheme 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 work performance. The annual gross salary of assistant/associate professor varies between 55,000 and 69,000 Euros and of full professor between 66,000 and 99,000 Euros depending on the appointee’s qualifications and previous experience. The employment contract will include a probationary period of six months.
The faculty’s administrative and technical staff, as well as expert colleagues will support the successful appointee in their role.
The University of Helsinki provides its staff with occupational health and fitness services, professional development opportunities, as well as a first-class research and teaching environment and the conditions necessary for international cooperation. Read more about work at our university https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers/why-university-helsinki
For international applicants we offer relocation services and support in settling-in, training and other events especially designed for our international staff members, a special UniBuddy-program and specialized support for spouses (HEI LIFE Spouse Network).
How to apply
The application, together with the required attachments, must be submitted through the University of Helsinki recruitment system by clicking on the link below. Internal applicants (i.e., current employees of the University of Helsinki) must submit their applications through the SAP Fiori portal.
Please note that all application documents need to be in English language and submitted as one single pdf file. The file needs to be named as follows: lastname_professor_divsol. Make sure to attach the pdf to the position you’re applying for in the recruitment system. Kinldy see instructions for the attached documents https://www.helsinki.fi/en/faculty-educational-sciences/faculty/work-us
The application needs to include all of the following documents:
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A motivation / cover letter (max 1 page)
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University portfolio according to the university instructions
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A full, numbered list of publications (in which ten publications most relevant to the position are indicated in bold font) (see instructions above)
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A plan for advancing research and teaching in the field and a vision for the development of the applicant’s research and the research field in general (maximum of 2 pages)
Additionally we request applicants to fill out a separate report on their teaching qualifications via:
Applicants are kindly asked to be prepared, after the closing of the application period and if requested by the faculty, to submit up to 10 publications of their choice to be reviewed by the external evaluators. The top candidates will be asked to attend an interview and give a demonstration of teaching skills.
Please note that the required doctoral degree and teacher qualification need to be obtained before the end of the application period.
The University of Helsinki is committed to promoting equality and preventing discrimination in all its operations. We welcome applicants from a variety of backgrounds.
The application deadline is 1.12.2025.
Further information
Further information on the position can obtained from the dean, professor Johanna Mäkelä (johanna.m.makela(at)helsinki.fi) or the vice dean, professor Auli Toom (auli.toom(at)Helsinki.fi).
Further information on the recruitment process can be obtained from HR Specialist Laura Saarinen (hr-kasvatustieteellinen(at)helsinki.fi).
For technical support for using the recruitment system: rekrytointi (at) helsinki.fi
Further information on careers at the University of Helsinki is available on our website.
Working at the University of Helsinki: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers
Support for international staff: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers/information-arriving-international-staff
Why Finland
Finland is a member of the EU, has high quality and inexpensive childcare, free schooling and tertiary training (also in English), excellent family benefits and healthcare, and is ranked as one of the top countries in the world for expat families. Finland also repeatedly tops the World Happiness Report.
Why Finland is a great place to live and work: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers/why-university-helsinki/why-finland