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Doctoral Researcher in Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy

The University of Helsinki is an international scientific community and, on average, ranks among the top 40 European universities. The Faculty of Pharmacy is located at Viikki Campus in Helsinki and provides good access to local and national research infrastructures including biobanks. It has about 200 employees, out of which 15 professors, and about 800 undergraduate and 160 postgraduate students with well-organized doctoral school programs.


The Faculty of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, invites applications for the position of a
 

DOCTORAL RESEARCHER (PHARMACEUTICAL MICROBIOLOGY)
 

The initial appointment is for 2 years, with possible extension depending on the candidate’s interests and research funding. The preferred starting date is as soon as possible after the recruitment decision is made, tentatively in June 2025, but latest in August 2025 (negotiable). The position will be filled with a probationary period.
 

The appointment is in the Research Council of Finland research project “Targeting metabolic adaptation to combat difficult-to-treat urinary tract infections caused by E. coli biofilms” led by prof. Päivi Tammela, at the Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences. The aim of the project is to reveal conditions essential for the operation of uropathogenic E. coli’s (UPEC) adjustable metabolic machinery and to identify potential cues to guide novel therapeutic interventions. The successful candidate will contribute to the fundamental understanding of how metabolic adaptation of UPEC affects its virulence properties and to the development of new, state-of-the-art tools for microbiological research and antibacterial drug discovery. The work mostly comprises of using various microbiological methods (e.g. antibacterial susceptibility testing, biofilm assays), designing, developing and validating new assays, and utilizing various laboratory instruments for automation and detection for the purposes of pharmaceutical microbiology research. 

We are looking for an applicant with 
 

  • a MSc degree in pharmacy, microbiology, biotechnology, chemical biology or equivalent
  • strong skills in microbiology, particularly focused on antibacterial susceptibility and biofilm assays, including experience in bioassay development and validation
  • previous experience on one or more of the following fields is considered a significant merit: (mammalian) cell culturing techniques, in vivo models, high throughput screening, or bioinformatics 
  • excellent written and verbal communication skills (in English)
  • strong problem-solving skills and unprejudiced approach 
  • ability to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary research team 


The duties of the Doctoral Researcher include conducting research in the project framework with the aim of achieving doctoral degree in accordance with the degree requirements of the University of Helsinki. The appointee will also participate in supervision of undergraduate students and other discipline-specific teaching in pharmaceutical biology. The teaching duties will cover ca. 5 % of the total working hours. 


Salary and benefits


The starting gross salary of a Doctoral Researcher is typically about 2 400 – 2 500 € per month, but raises gradually toward even 3 200 € per month, as the PhD work progresses (i.e., after initiation of publishing and after reaching the midpoint of the experimental work required for the doctoral degree, judged by the supervisor who estimates the proximity of the public defense).


The University of Helsinki invests in the welfare of its employees by offering preventative occupational health services and general medical care. Read more about why the University of Helsinki is an excellent career choice: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers (including also information for arriving international staff).
 

Application to the position
 

Please submit your application through the University of Helsinki Recruitment System via the button/link “Apply now” or “Employee Login: Apply now”.
 

Please attach the required documents as a single pdf file under “My documents: curriculum vitae”.


The single pdf application should include: 

  • a motivation letter, including brief overview of past experience in microbiological research (max 1 page) 
  • a complete CV with full contact details, education/previous degrees obtained, prior work/research experience, and list of possible publications and theses with links to their online versions (if available)
  • copy/copies of the diploma(s) of previous degree(s)
  • recommendation letter(s) and contact information of one or more previous supervisors, employers, or other references
     

The closing date for applications is 25 March 2025 (23:59 EET).


The University of Helsinki welcomes applicants from a variety of genders, linguistic and cultural backgrounds, and minorities.
 

Right to pursue a doctoral degree
 

The appointee must obtain the right to pursue a doctoral degree at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki and approval by a suitable doctoral programme by the end of the 6 month probationary period of the employment, if not already having the study right. Alternatively, the Doctoral Researcher may be hired as a Research Assistant until admission to a doctoral programme (if it does not seem possible to obtain the study right to doctoral degree within 6 months because of application periods); the salary will be similar to a Doctoral Researcher position. Suitable doctoral programme is Drug Research (DPDR). The research plan and other application material will be prepared together with the PhD supervisor(s) in the beginning of the employment period. 
 

Further information
 


Tentatively information related to applying study right

 

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Open position

Due Date:  25.3.2025
Unit:  Faculty of Pharmacy
Sub-unit:  Faculty of Pharmacy
ID:  3900

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