University Lecturer in Social Data Science

The Faculty of Social Sciences invites applications for the position of

UNIVERSITY LECTURER IN SOCIAL DATA SCIENCE

for a permanent appointment starting 1st of September 2025.
 
The duties of the university lecturer will include providing teaching in accordance with the degree requirements, supervising and examining theses and dissertations, and conducting research.

The position relates to the application of computational and/or statistical methods in the social sciences. The application areas are to be interpreted broadly, understood primarily from the viewpoint of end-use across social science research, e.g., through matching approaches to data, methods, and ethics, rather than focusing on methodological development itself.

The university lecturer will be located in the Centre for Social Data Science (CSDS) and attached to two degree programmes: the Liberal Arts and Sciences bachelor’s programme (LAS) and the Contemporary Societies master’s programme (COS), specialising in Social Data Science. LAS, led by the Faculty of Arts, will start in 2026, joining five faculties at the University of Helsinki as the first broadly interdisciplinary international bachelor’s programme. For the Faculty of Social Sciences, LAS will have a close connection with COS.

The recruit will have the unique opportunity to take part in designing and teaching in a programme that is first of its kind at the University and in Finland. The recruit will also have a significant role in designing and teaching Social Data Science courses and seminars for both programmes. In addition, the recruit will partake in the activities of the CSDS.

QUALIFICATIONS

The appointee shall hold an applicable doctoral degree and the ability to provide high-quality teaching based on research and to supervise theses and dissertations. The degree requirement must be met by the end of the application deadline.

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, he or she is expected to acquire moderate proficiency within a reasonable time after the appointment. Support for language studies will be offered.  

When assessing the qualifications of each applicant, attention will be paid to:  

• Scholarly publications  
• Other scholarly activities
• Teaching experience, supervision of theses and dissertations and other pedagogical merits, pedagogical training, the development of teaching, the production of learning material
• The applicant's teaching demonstration
• The interview with the applicant.

Additional evaluation criteria for this position are:

• Skills in both quantitative and qualitative methods in social sciences
• Experience of working in highly interdisciplinary environments
• Experience in designing and implementing interdisciplinary teaching  
• Experience in supervising bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral students

WHAT WE OFFER    

 
The University of Helsinki is an equal opportunity employer and offers an attractive and diverse workplace with a variety of development opportunities and benefits. The annual gross salary range will be approx. €50,000 – €65,000, depending on the appointee’s qualifications and experience. Standard Finnish pension benefits and occupational health care are provided for university employees. Further information can be obtained online. 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 website.

The appointee is expected to reside in Finland while employed by the University of Helsinki. International staff are supported in relocating to Finland.

 
HOW TO APPLY   
 
The University of Helsinki welcomes applicants from a variety of genders, linguistic and cultural backgrounds, and minorities. Please read more about accessibility and inclusivity at our University.
   
Please submit your application, together with the required attachments, through the University of Helsinki Recruitment System via the link "Apply now" (“Hae nyt”). Use your current email address to register to the Recruitment System. Only 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 applications is 21st of March, 2025.
   
 Applicants are requested to enclose with their applications the following documents in English:
 

• A curriculum vitae
• A  numbered list of publications on which the applicant has marked in bold his or her five key publications to be considered during the review
• A report (max. 3 pages) on practical experience and qualifications relevant to the assessment of teaching skills
• A report (max. 3 pages) on the applicant’s scholarly activities (including activities in scientific communities, international scholarly cooperation, the acquisition of research funding and the applicant’s role in the acquisition of such funding)
• A free-form statement of a maximum of three (3) pages on why the applicant thinks they are a good match for the position, referring to the description and evaluation criteria outlined above

Detailed information on the CV and list of publications as well as the presentation of teaching skills can be obtained online.

Other attachments, such as letters of recommendation or certificates, are not required.

FURTHER INFORMATION
 
Further information about the position is available from Senior University Lecturer Maria Valaste (maria.valaste(at)helsinki.fi), and about the recruitment process, 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 has approximately 550 research and teaching staff, and each year it awards some 350 bachelor’s degrees, 400 master’s degrees and more than 40 doctoral degrees.

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