Postdoctoral Researcher in Legal History (Faculty of Law)

The Faculty of Law invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher position for a fixed term appointment for one (1) year from 1 February 2027 to 31 January 2028 or 1 year as agreed funded by the Research Council of Finland project MORALMEM. The postdoctoral researcher will develop their own research in relation to the academy research project MORALMEM, associated with Dr. Karolina Stenlund. 

The postdoctoral researcher will be responsible for:  

• developing single-authored peer-reviewed journal articles and co-authoring and/or editing academic work with the project PI and collaborators 

• undertaking research in law, history, and other relevant disciplines 

• organizing and participating in international conference panels 

• participating in the organization of workshops and seminars/conferences 

• public outreach activities 

• teaching/co-teaching and supervision of undergraduate students 

• contributing to the research community within the Faculty of Law 

Requirements for the position and assessment of qualifications 

According to the Regulations of the University of Helsinki, an appointee to the position of postdoctoral researcher shall hold a relevant doctoral degree and have the ability to conduct independent scholarly work as well as the teaching skills necessary for the position. PhD diploma is to be acquired by the first day of employment. The period following the completion of doctoral degree must not exceed five years, excluding family leave and equivalent periods of absence. The working language is English.

The appointee is expected to reside in Finland while employed by the University of Helsinki and participate actively in the research and teaching activities of the research project. Postdoctoral researchers have teaching and related duties of about 5-10%.

In evaluating applications, we will particularly consider: 

• ability to work and develop research ideas both independently and collaboratively 

• knowledge of and experience in archival work (such as zenodo) 

• knowledge of and experience in critical approaches to history, law, legal history, and memory studies 

• interest in and experience of public engagement 

• English and Swedish language skills 

What we offer 
The salary will be based on level 5 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 performance. The annual gross salary is approx. €48,000 - €50,000. There will be a six-month trial period for the position. 

In Finnish universities, the teaching and research staff (app. 65% of total staff) have a special system regarding the free time equivalent to holiday. They belong to the 1,612 annual working hour system, in which the annual amount of paid holiday is app. 5-6 weeks on average per year.

The university is an internationally renowned research university offering a wide range of staff benefits, including occupational health care and health insurance, flexible working hours, excellent campus sports facilities, and opportunities for professional development.

How to apply 

The application must be accompanied by the following documents in PDF format:

• A letter of motivation (max. 1 page) outlining your motivation for applying, relevant expertise, and how you would contribute to the research aims and collaborative activities of the project.
• A curriculum vitae (max 2 pages).
• A numbered list of publications, on which the applicant has marked in bold her or his two key publications to be considered during the review (please do not send copies of the publications themselves).
• A research plan not exceeding two pages including a statement outlining how the research fits the profile of the project (objectives, methodological and theoretical stance, deliverables).
  
  

Other attachments or certificates are not required at this point. 

Applications must be submitted through the University of Helsinki electronic recruitment system by clicking on the link below. Current employees of the University of Helsinki must submit their applications through SAP Fiori’s Suffeli recruitment portal. 

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. 

Deadline for applications is by 30 October 2026 (at 23:59 EEST). 

Further information about the position can be obtained from PI Karolina Stenlund (karolina.stenlund@helsinki.fi. Further information about the recruitment process can be obtained from recruitment(at)helsinki.fi

Read more about the Faculty of Law on our web pages. 

Here is a short information about the project MORALMEM 

The memory of the Holocaust remains a deeply contested and politically charged issue in contemporary Europe, shaping both EU legislation on genocide denial and responses to global conflicts such as the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. Despite the profound legal, societal, and political implications of Holocaust memory in Europe, there has been remarkably little research into the historical formation of this foundational collective memory and the key actor involved in shaping it. Increased institutionalized deployment of the Holocaust is to a significant degree driven by an international intergovernmental organization called International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) – the full history of the IHRA’s development, working method, and legal influence is however almost untold. With the overall goal of contributing to a more inclusive European collective memory, the principal aim of the project MORALMEM is to write a legal history of the IHRA based on previously unexplored archives. The project will critically evaluate how the organization’s development has contributed to the current political and legal framing of Holocaust memory in Europe. By methodologically combining historical archival analysis with legal and political inquiry and insights from the field of memory studies.  

The Faculty of Law at the University of Helsinki is the leading Finnish institute of legal education. Some of the degrees awarded by the Faculty are completed at its bilingual Vaasa Unit of Legal Studies. The Faculty’s mission is to train qualified, ethically responsible legal professionals for both the Finnish and international markets through research of an international standard and research-based teaching. The Faculty offers undergraduate degrees in Finnish, Swedish and English as well as a bilingual degree in Swedish and Finnish. The Faculty has a teaching and research staff of around 130 people and 2,400 undergraduate and postgraduate students.