Postdoctoral Researcher in Microbiology and/or Bioinformatics

Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher position for a contract starting in March 2026 and ending in December 2027 (22 months). The position is open at the Department of Microbiology located in Viikki campus in Helsinki, Finland.

Position description

The successful candidate will work within the research project “From Clay to Code: Investigating Microbial Evolution in Response to Human Influence” funded by the Helsinki Institute of Life Sciences (HiLIFE). The project aims to establish a scientific foundation for investigating viable ancient bacteria recovered from archaeological ceramics to determine the evolutionary trajectories and adaptation mechanisms of the isolated bacteria under anthropogenic influences.

Advances in ancient DNA techniques have substantially increased our understanding of past human populations, other animals as well as on ecology and evolution of microbial diseases. However, dormant forms of microbes that can persist for extremely long periods of time in the right conditions, may also act as windows to the past. In this work we will compare ancient and modern bacteria with various methods. By integrating the findings with archaeological knowledge, the goal is to elucidate bacterial genetic evolution that was shaped by human influence and make predictions to the future. The work provides the possibility to develop skills in microbiology, data analysis, bioinformatics and molecular dating methods in an international and multidisciplinary setting and gain a competitive academic CV.

The Postdoctoral Researcher is expected to:

The work may also include teaching duties (10-20 % of annual working time).

Requirements and eligibility criteria 

The appointee shall hold a doctoral degree in microbiology or bioinformatics (or a related field) and have the ability to conduct independent scholarly work. The degree requirement (doctoral degree) must be met by the beginning of the employment.

Other requirements are a good computational background (basic knowledge of R, Python or Bash programming languages) as well as experience in analysing sequencing data with cluster computing environments. Experience with molecular dating methods and nanopore sequencing is considered an advantage. Excellent communication skills in English, both verbal and written, are expected.

Salary and benefits

The salary is defined in accordance with the University’s salary system for teaching and research personnel.

The Postdoctoral Researcher’s salary is 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 shall be paid a salary component based on personal work performance. The starting salary of the Postdoctoral Researcher will c. 3600 euros/month, depending on the qualifications and experience of the candidate.

The University of Helsinki offers comprehensive services to its employees, including occupational health care, well-equipped sports facilities, and vast opportunities for professional development.

Finland is a member of the EU, has high-quality free schooling (also in English), generous family benefits and healthcare, and was recently ranked as the happiest country in the world. Finland and the Helsinki region possess top expertise in sciences in terms of a vibrant talent pool, leading research, strong support services, and functioning collaboration networks. For more information about working at the University of Helsinki and living in Finland, please see https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers .

A diverse and equitable study and work culture is essential 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. Click this link to read about accessibility and inclusivity at our university.

How to apply

Please submit your application, which includes the following documents in English.

• A motivation letter describing why you are interested in this position and how you are qualified (max. 1 page)
• A curriculum vitae including a list of publications
• Names and contact information of two referees, who are willing to provide reference letters upon request (optional).

External applicants, please submit your application through the University of Helsinki’s recruitment system via the Apply Now button.

Applicants who have a helsinki.fi username, and a valid employment/grant/visitor contract at the University of Helsinki are requested to submit their application via the Employee login button.

We are eager to fill this position as soon as possible and therefore encourage early applications. However, the absolute deadline for submitting applications is February 2, 2026 (at 23:59 UTC +3).

More information?

For project and position questions, please contact

• University lecturer, Antti Karkman, antti.karkman@helsinki.fi
• University researcher, Johanna Muurinen, johanna.muurinen@helsinki.fi

For more information on the research group’s publications and the project, see

If you need support with the recruitment system, please contact HR Services (hr-mm(at)helsinki.fi).

WHY FINLAND AND HELSINKI

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.

Click this link to read about accessibility and inclusivity at our University.

JOIN US TO BUILD A BETTER WORLD – TOGETHER!

#HelsinkiUniCareers