CURATOR OF FUNGAL COLLECTIONS
The Finnish Museum of Natural History Luomus, part of the University of Helsinki, is seeking a
CURATOR OF FUNGAL COLLECTIONS
for a permanent employment relationship starting on 1 March 2027, or as agreed. The position is located in the Mycology and Bryology Team of the Botany and Mycology Unit, and the Curator will participate in the activities of Luomus research programmes.
The Mycology and Bryology Team is responsible for curating the world’s largest cryptogam collection, comprising approximately 1.7 million specimens. The team updates the collections database of the herbarium collections, participates in the development and maintenance of the Finnish Biodiversity Information Facility (FinBIF), and conducts scientific research in fungal and bryophyte taxonomy, systematics, conservation biology, and biogeography. Team members also participate in teaching university courses. The team consists of 26 people in total, eight of whom are permanent staff members; half of these hold academic positions.
About the Position
We are particularly seeking an expert in non-lichenized fungi who conducts collection-based research, for example on speciation and its mechanisms, functional, developmental and morphological innovations, species relationships, taxonomy, evolutionary transitions, fungal diversity, biogeographical changes, or nomenclature. The successful applicant will be familiar with key scientific methods and capable of conducting independent research.
The Curator will have primary responsibility for curating the collections of non-lichenized fungi. The Curator will also teach university courses, accounting for no more than 5% of working time, and supervise master’s theses and doctoral dissertations. The Curator’s teaching is intended to contribute, where applicable, to teaching in the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences and the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry.
The Curator is expected to be active in acquiring external research funding, establishing a research group, and supervising members of their own research group. The Curator will also participate in the international cooperation of the Finnish Museum of Natural History and in stakeholder collaboration within the field.
Qualification Requirements
The field of the person we are seeking is fungal systematics, fungal taxonomy, biogeography, evolution, or conservation biology. The person selected for the position is required to have:
- a doctoral degree; the degree requirements must be fulfilled by the end of the application period
- evidence of active publication activity in recent years
- a proven track record of securing external funding and the ability to attract further funding
- the ability to lead a research group
- the ability to provide high-quality teaching based on collection research and to supervise theses
- documented international collaboration in their field of research
- excellent knowledge of fungal species
- excellent organizational and collaboration skills
- a willingness to contribute to the development of the unit and of the Finnish Museum of Natural History as a whole
Because the Curator’s main duties are the curation and development of fungal collections, high-quality research, and university-level teaching, successful performance of the duties requires good proficiency in Finnish and English. If you do not yet speak Finnish, we expect you to achieve good language proficiency within five years after being selected for the position.
Experience in working with scientific collections and developing collection and research infrastructure is considered an advantage, as is demonstrated experience in public outreach.
The official languages of the University of Helsinki are Finnish and Swedish.
What We Offer
We offer meaningful work with some of the world’s most valuable fungal collections in an international working environment. We support your wellbeing at work through flexible working hours, comprehensive occupational health services, and affordable sports services. The University also offers language studies to support the development of Finnish language skills.
The position is permanent and includes a six-month probationary period. The Curator’s salary is based on level 6 of the requirement level framework of the salary system for teaching and research staff at Finnish universities. In addition, a salary component based on personal performance is paid. The initial gross salary will be approximately EUR 4,300–4,600 per month, depending on the career stage and scientific merits of the selected candidate.
The work includes both on-site and remote work, but due to the nature of the position, on-site work is emphasized. The workplace is located in the Herbarium in Kaisaniemi, Helsinki. The Curator is included in the total working hours system, corresponding to 1,612 hours per academic year. The annual leave-equivalent free period is approximately 5–7 weeks during the academic year.
In addition to research and infrastructure funding opportunities offered by national and international funding sources, Luomus has occasionally had funding available for networking and small research start-up grants. The University of Helsinki provides its employees with comprehensive services, including preventive occupational health care and general practitioner services, sports facilities, and opportunities for professional development.
A diverse and equitable study and work culture is important to us. That is why we do our best to promote an inclusive university community. We encourage all qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply for our positions. Click this link to read about accessibility and inclusivity at our University.
The person selected for the position is required to reside in Finland during the employment relationship. The University assists employees arriving from abroad in settling in Finland and starting their work. Further information about the University of Helsinki as an employer is available at: Careers at the University of Helsinki
How to Apply
Applicants are asked to submit their application as a single PDF file, named in the format surname_firstname_curator, containing the following documents in English:
- A curriculum vitae prepared according to the TENK model, and a numbered list of publications and other works with which the applicant wishes to demonstrate their qualifications and merits.
- A report of no more than three pages on the applicant’s previous experience in collection work, research activities, and external funding acquired, as well as a brief plan outlining how the applicant intends to develop these areas in the future.
- A report of no more than three pages on experience and merits relevant to the assessment of other skills required for the position, such as curation, supervision, and teaching.
- Degree certificates.
- The names of two referees and a description of your relationship to them.
The application, including attachments, must be submitted through the University of Helsinki’s electronic recruitment system by clicking the “Apply for the position” link. Employees of the University of Helsinki must submit their application through the SAP Fiori portal: https://msap.sap.helsinki.fi
Please submit your application by 30 November 2026 at 23:59.
Further Information
Further information about the position is available from the Director of the Botany and Mycology Unit, Marko Hyvärinen: marko.hyvarinen[at]helsinki.fi
For questions related to the recruitment system and recruitment process, please contact Human Resources Services, Laura Jensen-Eriksen:
recruitment[at]helsinki.fi
LUOMUS
The Finnish Museum of Natural History (https://www.helsinki.fi/en/luomus) is an independent institute of the University of Helsinki and Finland’s national museum in the field of natural history. The mission of the museum is to accumulate, maintain, and exhibit its collections, and to conduct related research in biology, geology, and the natural sciences, including isotope and age-determination research. The collections serve research, teaching, and public education, and form part of the international network of natural history collection resources.
The institute has five units: Botany and Mycology, Zoology, Geosciences, Biodiversity Informatics, and Public Engagement. It has approximately 160 permanent employees and manages natural history collections comprising approximately 13.6 million specimens, as well as datasets containing approximately 60 million observations.
The Botany and Mycology Unit consists of three teams: the Mycology and Bryology Team, the Vascular Plant Team, and the Garden Team.