Assistant Professor / Associate Professor, Tenure Track, Physical Geography

The University of Eastern Finland is inviting applications for an Assistant Professor/ Associate Professor in Physical Geography, position in Joensuu. The position is a Tenure Track position to be filled for a four-year term from January 1, 2027 (or as agreed). Please find more information below and submit your application no later than 6 May 2026.

Role and salary

As our new Assistant/Associate Professor in Physical Geography, you will be working in the Department of Geographical and Historical Studies of UEF at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies. The position is located in Joensuu, Finland.

As our new Assistant Professor/ Associate Professor, your main responsibilities will include:

• carrying out and promoting high-quality research and teaching in physical geography
• providing teaching and supervision at all levels of education
• participating in project activities, in the acquisition of national and international research funding, and in international research networks and
• participating in other activities of the department

The position will be filled for a four-year term starting from January 1, 2027 (or as agreed). The position is filled for a fixed term due to it being a fixed-term research and teaching position (Tenure Track). A probationary period is applied to all new members of the UEF staff.

External expert review will be used in the filling of the position. After the experts have submitted their statements, the Appointments Committee preparing the recruitment will interview the applicant.

The salary of the position is determined in accordance with the salary system of the Finnish universities. The salary comprises two components: a job requirement component and a personal performance component. The Assistant/Associate Professor position is based on level 6-7 of the job requirement level chart for teaching and research staff (EUR 3,925.64-4,525.66/month). The personal performance component can be a minimum of 6 % and a maximum of 50 % of the job requirement component.

The Assistant Professor/Associate Professor in Physical Geography is a Tenure Track position. This means that at the end of your term, your merits and achievements will be evaluated to determine whether you can be promoted to the next level of the Tenure Track without public notice of vacancy. The criteria, objectives and results to be achieved during the term will be agreed with you in detail when signing the contract of employment.

Our requirements and expectations

Requirements

• a suitable doctoral degree,
• strong research merits, including methodological expertise,
• experience in the acquisition of research funding and in leading research projects,
• good teaching skills,
• demonstrated achievements in international research collaboration he ability to teach and supervise in English.

As an advantage will be considered

• national and international research networks,
• experience in the supervision of postgraduate studies,
• pedagogical studies in teacher training,
• active involvement in the scientific community and
  societal impact and activities.

The evaluation of teaching skills follows the instructions of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies, according to which the good teaching skills required for the post are primarily sought to be verified on the basis of the merits described in the teaching portfolio. Applicants must submit a teaching portfolio compiled in accordance with the instructions in addition to other application documents. If the good teaching skills required by the post cannot be verified on the basis of the teaching portfolio, the person proposed to be invited to the post may be invited to give a trial lecture. In connection to the evaluation of teaching skills and if otherwise considered necessary, the Appointments Committee may interview the applicant.

Your benefits

Please read more in the Work at UEF section on our website.

You will have an opportunity to work in an interesting/meaningful/diverse role as part of our international, creative, participatory and inclusive academic community.

Enjoy your life in Finland! Known for its cleanliness, welfare know-how, modern technology and superb education system, Finland is an exotic and safe country to work in. Please visit the Life in Finland section on our website to learn more.

How to apply?

Submit your application by using our electronic application form no later than 6 May 2026 by 24:00 (midnight) Finnish time (UTC+3).

Please note that you must include the following appendices in your application:

1) a resume or a curriculum vitae compiled in accordance with the template for researcher’s curriculum vitae of the Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity (Template for a CV, TENK website)

2) a portfolio of teaching merits, (Guidelines for Creating a Teaching Portfolio, PDF)

3) a complete list of publications compiled in accordance with the publication classification of the Ministry of Education and Culture (Instructions, the Research Council of Finland website)

4) key publications (no more than 10) with which the applicant wishes to demonstrate his or her qualification and merits for the position

5) a list of the selected publications (no more than 10)

6) a plan (no more than 3 pages) of the applicant’s views on how to develop the field with regard to research, education and societal interaction

7) copies of your academic degree certificates / diplomas

8) copies of certificates / diplomas relating to your language proficiency, if not indicated in the academic degree certificates / diplomas

The application with appendices (excluding publications) should be submitted in English.

Questions?

Further information

Pieter Dhondt, Head of Department (+358 29 445 5028 / pieter.dhondt@uef.fi), and in matters related to the application procedure Marko Junkkarinen, Executive Head of Administration (+358 29 445 8426 / marko.junkkarinen@uef.fi), or Tuula Ranne, Senior HR Specialist (+358 29 445 5245 / tuula.ranne@uef.fi).

The Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies operates on two campuses of the University of Eastern Finland – in Joensuu and Kuopio. The faculty trains experts in the fields of history, geography, economics and business administration, law, social sciences, and social and health management. The faculty's research is closely linked to the research areas identified in the university's strategy. The faculty has 4,480 Bachelor’s and Master’s degree students and approximately 500 postgraduate students actively pursuing their studies. The faculty has 550 staff members.

The Department of Geographical and Historical Studies carries out research addressing the use of natural resources, environmental changes, well-being and cultural interactions in border and peripheral areas, and their geographical, social and historical dynamics of development. The high level of education provided by the Department of Geographical and Historical Studies is based on the above-mentioned research, serving as a foundation for the development of the students’ analytical and critical skills. The department’s research activities offer its staff a means to actively participate in social debate.

The University of Eastern Finland (UEF) is the most multidisciplinary university in Finland. Our university employs approximately 3,200 employees, and our community includes approximately 17,000 degree students and 16,000 adult education students. Our campuses are located in Joensuu and Kuopio. We represent the world’s cutting edge of research in many fields and produce research-based knowledge, which is made openly available to benefit everyone. Learn more about our university at www.uef.fi/en. Read also about UEF as a working community and employer and the career stories of our employees.

Työsopimuksen voimassaolo: määräaikainen työsopimus | Työsuhteen luonne: kokoaikainen | Paikkojen lukumäärä: 1 | Työllisyysaste: 100 | Paikkakunta: Joensuu | Maakunta: Pohjois-Karjala | Maa: Finland | Ilmoitusnumero: 1532/01.01.02/2025 | Julkaistu: 2026-04-09 | Haku päättyy: 2026-05-06