Professor / Associate Professor or Assistant Professor / of Anthropology
The Faculty of Social Sciences invites applications for the position of
PROFESSOR / ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OR ASSISTANT PROFESSOR / OF ANTHROPOLOGY
The successful applicant may be appointed to a permanent professorship or a fixed-term associate/assistant professorship (tenure track system), depending on his/her qualifications and career stage. Further information on the UH tenure track system on the webpage.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Applicants should demonstrate a capacity to contribute to anthropological scholarship at the highest level. Social and Cultural Anthropology at UH has a strong research environment for political economy, ethics and morality, cognitive anthropology, environment and sustainability, location and borders, and linguistic anthropology. Thematic specialisation for this position is open, but we are particularly interested in candidates specialising in political and environmental questions.
Anthropology at UH is known for its diverse regional expertise and emphasis on ethnographic research. We are looking for candidates with strong regional expertise grounded in extensive ethnographic research. All regional specializations are welcome, consideration will be given to how a candidate’s expertise complements and enriches the regional profile of the current faculty, which can be found here.
The successful candidate will conduct internationally recognised research and contribute to teaching at all levels in the relevant degree programmes.
Key Responsibilities:
• Conduct high-quality research
• Teach and supervise students at the doctoral, master’s, and bachelor’s levels
• Contribute to curriculum development
• Develop research initiatives and apply for external funding
• Contribute to an active and vibrant research environment for Anthropology at UH
• Develop national and international research collaborations and networks
• Contribute to public engagement and societal impact
• Contribute to administration in the discipline of Social and Cultural Anthropology, degree programmes, and the Faculty of Social Sciences
QUALIFICATIONS
The successful candidate shall have a doctorate in social or cultural anthropology or a cognate discipline clearly grounded in the discipline of anthropology. The doctoral degree requirement must be met by the end of the application deadline.
An appointee to the position of assistant/associate professor in the tenure track system shall hold a doctoral degree and have the ability to conduct independent scholarly work as well as the teaching skills required for the position. In addition, the appointee shall have the capacity and potential to pursue an academic career at a high level, as demonstrated by publications and other means.
In assessing the applicants’ qualifications, attention shall be paid to scientific publications and research, teaching experience and qualifications, international experience and collaborations, and success in the acquisition of external research funding.
An appointee to the position of professor shall hold a doctoral degree and have high-level academic qualifications; experience in leading scientific research; the ability to provide research-based teaching and supervise dissertations and theses; as well as evidence of international cooperation in the research field they represent. The appointee shall also have academic leadership skills.
When considering the applicant’s qualifications, attention shall be given to scientific publications and other research results of scientific value, teaching experience and pedagogical training, the ability to produce teaching material, other teaching merits and, if necessary, a demonstration of teaching skills as well as the applicant’s participation in doctoral education. Account shall also be taken of the applicants’ activity in the international scientific community, success in obtaining external research funding, international research experience and international elected positions as well as leadership and interaction skills.
To successfully attend to the duties of the position, the appointee must have good English skills. If the appointee is not proficient in Finnish or Swedish, the appointee is expected to acquire moderate proficiency within a reasonable time after the appointment. Support for language studies will be offered.
The appointee is expected to reside in Finland while employed by the University of Helsinki. The Faculty of Social Sciences provides assistance in relocation.
The assessment of each applicant will be based on the following criteria:
• Scholarly publications
• Success in obtaining external research funding
• International research experience
• Activities in the academic community
• Teaching experience, supervision of dissertations and theses, and other pedagogical merits
• Leadership and interaction skills
• The applicant’s vision for developing the field and its research agenda
• How the candidate’s regional expertise complements and enriches the regional profile of the current faculty at Social and Cultural Anthropology, UH
• How the candidate’s thematic specialization fits the priorities described in the job description
• The statements of external evaluators
• The applicant's teaching demonstration
• The interview with the applicant
WHAT WE OFFER
We are an equal opportunity employer and offer an attractive and diverse workplace in an inspiring environment. Annual gross salary for a full professor varies between €74,000 and €94,000, and for an assistant/associate professor between €60,000 and €73,000, depending on the appointee’s qualifications and experience.
In addition, the University of Helsinki offers comprehensive benefits to its employees, including occupational health care, opportunities for professional development, support for applying for research project funding, as well as library, wellbeing, and fitness services. Further information is available on the webpage. The employment contract will include a probationary period of six months.
Finland is a member of the European Union, has high quality free schooling (also in English) and generous family benefits and healthcare. Finland was recently ranked as the best country in the world for expat families, and Helsinki in the world’s top ten most livable cities. Finland and the Helsinki region feature leading research and innovation facilities, clean environment, affordable accommodation, and excellent international, national, and local transport connections. For more information about working at the University of Helsinki and living in Finland, please see the websites.
HOW TO APPLY
Please submit your application, together with the required attachments, through the University of Helsinki Recruitment System via the link “Apply now”. Applicants who are currently employed by the University of Helsinki are requested to submit their application via the link “Employee login”. The closing date for the applications is 15 February, 2026.
Applicants are requested to enclose with their applications the following documents in English:
• A curriculum vitae
• A numbered list of publications in which the applicant has marked in bold font five key publications to be considered in the assessment
• A report (max. 3 pages) on the applicant’s research activities (including international scholarly work, activities in the academic community, and success in obtaining research funding)
• A vision statement (max. 2 pages) about how the applicant intends to develop the field and focus their research
• A report (max. 3 pages) on the applicant’s teaching experience and pedagogical merits
Detailed information on the CV and list of publications as well as the presentation of teaching skills can be obtained online.
After the closing of the application period, the Faculty may request the applicants to submit up to five publications of their choice to be reviewed by the external evaluators.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Further information on the position and the working environment may be obtained from Professor Anni Kajanus, anni.kajanus(at)helsinki.fi.
Further information on the recruitment process may be obtained from HR Specialist Minna Maunula, minna.maunula(at)helsinki.fi
The Faculty of Social Sciences is Finland’s leading research and education institute in the social sciences, and the country’s most diverse social sciences faculty in terms of the range of its disciplines and fields of research. The Faculty has a strong international research profile and international master’s programmes, and several of its disciplinary units have been rated among the top 50 in the world. The Faculty comprises approximately 500 researchers and teaching staff, and each year it awards some 350 bachelor’s degrees, 400 master’s degrees and more than 40 doctoral degrees.
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.
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