Tenure track or full professor in consumption culture as social practices

An integral part of the Faculty of Social Sciences since 2015, the Centre for Consumer Society Research (CCSR) is a unique research institution within Finland and Europe. It investigates from a social scientific perspective the challenges consumer society faces, the tensions and contradictions of the data economy, and the development of consumer citizenship.

The Faculty of Social Sciences invites applications for the position of
 
TENURE TRACK OR FULL PROFESSOR IN CONSUMPTION CULTURE AS SOCIAL PRACTICES
 

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.
 

QUALIFICATIONS

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 ability and motivation to pursue an academic career, as demonstrated by publications and other means.
 

When assessing the applicants’ qualifications, attention shall be paid not only to research work and teaching qualifications, but also to success in the acquisition of external research funding as well as international scholarly work and other international experience
 

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 scientific community, success in obtaining external research funding, international research experience and international elected positions as well as leadership and interaction skills.
 

We are looking for applicants dedicated to the critical and comprehensive study of consumption beyond mere transactions, exploring the multifaceted ways in which engaging with goods and services shape and are shaped by social practices. Research at CCSR builds on a variety of social scientific perspectives in analysing the socio-cultural processes embedded in consumption patterns, including but not limited to anthropology,  consumer economics, cultural studies, economic history, political science and sociology.

The appointee is expected to contribute to theoretical and conceptual advancements in understanding consumer society, for instance with regard to the socio-economic implications of consumer culture, questions of sustainability, new forms of democratic participation, and the evolution of consumption practices through the affordances and effects of social and technological change. In keeping with the Centre’s national tasks, we value research and public engagement that benefits policymaking, innovation, and the promotion of consumer literacy. While a successful candidate is expected to have a record of publications addressed to international scholarly audiences, we appreciate the ability to publish in either national language (Finnish or Swedish).

The job description entails 40% teaching and supervision. The CCSR is responsible for a study track (“Consumption in Society”) in the Master’s programme in Social Science and a module (“Consumer-Citizens and Sustainability Transitions”) in the Master’s programme in Environmental Change and Global Sustainability, as well as for several other courses at different degree levels. The applicant will contribute to teaching several mandatory courses that the CCSR has committed to provide as well as to a renewal of the CCSR’s teaching curriculum.

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 chosen applicant 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
•    Research leadership
•    International research experience
•    Activities in the academic community
•    Teaching experience, supervision of theses, and other pedagogical merits
•    Leadership and interaction skills
•    The applicant’s vision for developing the field and its research agenda
•    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 €72,000 and €92,000, and for an assistant/associate professor between €60,000 and €71,000, 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 SAP Fiori portal. The closing date for the applications is May 3, 2024.
 

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) about the applicant’s research activities (including activities in scientific communities, the acquisition of research funding, and international scholarly work)
•    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 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.
 

Applicants are kindly asked to be prepared, after the closing of the application period and if requested by the Faculty, 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 the Director of CCSR Niilo Kauppi, niilo.kauppi(at)helsinki.fi.
Further information on the recruitment process may be obtained from HR Specialist Minna Maunula, minna.maunula(at)helsinki.fi.

Technical support for the recruitment system: rekrytointi(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 an international master’s programme, 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.

An integral part of the Faculty of Social Sciences since 2015, the Centre for Consumer Society Research (CCSR) is a unique research institution within Finland and Europe. It investigates from a social scientific perspective the challenges consumer society faces, the tensions and contradictions of the data economy, and the development of consumer citizenship. While the Centre is endowed with funding from the Finnish Ministry of Education to fulfil its core tasks, it has also been very successful in securing competitive external funding from, among others, the Finnish Strategic Research Council, Horizon Europe, and Business Finland. Our highly motivated team of more than 40 researchers from various social scientific disciplines is curiosity-driven, problem-oriented, and cross-disciplinary. This enables us to provide timely, critical, research-based knowledge on the values, technologies and practices that shape the economy and consumer society.

The CCSR has a national duty to carry out three core tasks:

·       Conduct thorough, interdisciplinary research on important issues related to
        consumer society, especially those that affect consumers' everyday lives.
·       Provide research-based higher education in this field.
·       Increase the societal research impact by engaging in public debates and contributing
        to policy discussions.