Doctoral Researcher, ELBOW

The Faculty of Arts invites applications for a

Doctoral Researcher

to fixed-term employment from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2026. The position is in the Department of Philosophy, History and Art Studies.

The Doctoral Researcher will be employed for 48 months to complete PhD studies in the Doctoral Programme in History and Cultural Heritage . The position is associated with the European Research Council-funded research project Medical Electricity, Embodied Experiences, and Knowledge Construction in Europe and the Atlantic World, c.1740–1840 (ELBOW). Lead by Dr Soile Ylivuori, ELBOW uses medical electricity as a case study to investigate how patients’ embodied and experiential knowledge influenced the construction of scientific knowledge. For more details on the project, see the project website .

The Doctoral Researcher will be a member of a four-person project team. The candidate will be charting and comparing eighteenth-century electro-medical practices and treatments given in Paris and Berlin, and potentially also in London and New England. As part of their PhD research, the Doctoral Researcher will also help build and contribute to an open access database of who received electro-medical treatments, when, where, and how. Typically, the research will involve examining both archival and printed sources on medical electricity in French, German, and English.

SELECTION CRITERIA

The Doctoral Researcher should have an MA in history, history of science, or a related field. Other requirements include good collaboration skills, basic computing skills, as well as proven ability and motivation to do independent research and to pursue postgraduate studies and a doctoral degree according to a study plan and research proposal. Excellent command of the English language is required, as well as an ability to read handwritten historical sources in French and German. Previous knowledge of history of experiences, science, or medicine will be considered an asset, as will previous experience of working with databases.

The appointee should either already have the right to pursue a doctoral degree at the University of Helsinki by the start of the appointment, or apply for the right and obtain it within the probationary period of six months of their appointment. If the candidate does not already have the right to pursue a doctoral degree at the University of Helsinki, it must be applied for separately (www.helsinki.fi/en/research/doctoral-education/the-application-process-in-a-nutshell ). The requirements for pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Helsinki can be found at https://www.helsinki.fi/en/research/doctoral-education/eligibility-and-educational-documents .

The University of Helsinki welcomes applicants from a variety of gender identities, linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

WHAT WE OFFER

The University of Helsinki offers the appointee a first-class research and teaching environment as well as the preconditions necessary for international cooperation (https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers/why-university-helsinki ).

The position is full-time and funded for 48 months. The salary will be based on levels 2-3 of the demands level table 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 starting salary will be ca. 2400-2600 euros/month, depending on the appointee’s qualifications and experience. The employment contract will include a probationary period of six months. 

The University of Helsinki provides its staff with occupational health and sports services as well as professional development opportunities (https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers/why-university-helsinki/staff-benefits ). The appointee is expected to reside in Finland while employed by the University of Helsinki. International staff is supported in relocating to Finland (https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers/welcome ).

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

The application must be submitted through the University of Helsinki electronic recruitment system by clicking on the link below. Employees of the University of Helsinki must submit their applications through the SAP Fiori portal: https://msap.sap.helsinki.fi .

Applicants are requested to enclose with their applications the following documents in English as a single PDF file titled “lastname_firstname_ELBOW”:

A curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages) including publications

An application letter describing the applicant’s research interests and motivation toward the position, including a statement of how the project’s topic ties in with the applicant’s research experience (max. 1500 words)

One or two representative pieces of the applicant’s writing (if possible, including their MA thesis)

Two letters of recommendation from people who are familiar with the applicant’s academic profile, preferably their MA supervisor(s)

The deadline for applications is 15 November 2022. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview, which will take place December.

The successful candidate would be expected to start on 1 January 2022 (or as soon thereafter as possible).

FURTHER INFORMATION

For any questions and further information, please contact project leader Dr Soile Ylivuori (soile.ylivuori@helsinki.fi ).

The University of Helsinki Faculty of Arts (https://www.helsinki.fi/en/faculty-of-arts ) is Finland’s oldest and largest unit of teaching and research in the arts in terms of the organisation and selection of its disciplines. The Faculty is also a significant international community of research, education and culture.