Doctoral Researcher (Phd Student) Position

We are inviting applications for a Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student) position at the UEF Business School, located on the Kuopio campus of the University of Eastern Finland. The position will begin in January 2027. Read more below and submit your application no later than 15 October 2026.

Position and salary

We are looking for a highly motivated, analytical, communicative and skilled Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student) to join the Management of Transformation in Market 4.0 project, which is funded by the Research Council of Finland.

The spread of ecosystems built around digital platforms is restructuring the business landscape and service market. In the future market, also referred to as Market 4.0, ecosystems are predicted to be in a dominant position, and various forms of cooperation and joint operation will be a prerequisite for the success of individual organizations. In such a setting, any firm may compete with larger and well-established ones by joining forces through various forms of collaboration and data sharing. However, operating as part of ecosystems will also bind organizations and influence their capacity to change. Subsequently, implementing changes requires alignment at a corresponding level within ecosystems, which governs the management of organizational change. However, alignment is not easy, because ecosystems do not operate under centralized, hierarchical control.

The Management of Transformation in Market 4.0 project addresses research gaps around the above-described themes. The focus of the academic research planned under the project is expected to build on different management, marketing and/or IB theories, discussing the dynamics of change both between and within platforms and ecosystems. Many of the project’s empirical cases have been planned to focus on the retailing sector. However, the empirical setting may also differ.

We welcome candidates with a background and interest in platforms and ecosystems or related settings. We also expect the applicant to have a Master’s degree in Management studies, International business, or Marketing.

The key tasks of the Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student) include:

• Collecting case study data from industry experts and decision-makers
• Collecting data from secondary sources
• Analysing the collected data
• Analysing relevant literature and theorizing the empirical findings
• Publishing research results in top-tier journals
• Collaborating and networking within a broad multidisciplinary consortium
• Active participation as a member of the IBS research group.

The Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student) position is full-time and will be filled starting from January 2027 for a fixed term of three years. A trial period will be applied to new members of the university staff. The position is filled for a fixed term due to the requirements of the Doctoral School.

The salary of the position is based on the salary system for the teaching and research staff of Finnish universities. The salary consists of a job-related salary element and a personal salary element. In this position, the job-related salary element is based on levels 2–4 of the job requirement level chart (EUR 2,331.67-2,907.24), and the personal salary element is 6–50% of the job-related salary element. In the position of a Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student), the salary is determined based on the stage of doctoral research and doctoral studies, as well as on personal performance.

Our requirements

You must be eligible for doctoral education, i.e., hold a suitable higher university degree or have suitable foreign education qualifying for equivalent university studies in the country concerned, and have excellent English language skills (written and spoken).

The position can be filled by someone who is either planning to pursue or is currently pursuing their first doctoral degree. After the hiring process, the selected Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student) must separately apply for the right to pursue postgraduate studies in the Doctoral Programme of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies at the University of Eastern Finland. The person to be appointed must have a valid right to pursue postgraduate studies at the UEF Business School before starting the employment relationship.

When filling the position, consideration will be given to

• The applicant’s research ideas
• Earlier study and academic performance and research merits
• Experience with different research methods
• Experience in the field of research
• Interest to continue in academia after completing the PhD is considered a merit.

We offer you

• An interesting position in an international, creative, participatory and engaging university community
• The opportunity for flexible multi-location work
• The opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration as part of a research team
• Staff benefits of the University of Eastern Finland, including comprehensive occupational health care, extensive provision of staff training, affordable lunch in our campus restaurants and Sykettä sports services

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

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 15 October 2026 by 24:00 (midnight) Finnish time (UTC+3).

Please note that the application is required to have the following appendices:

• A CV (Template for CV,TENK website).
• A list of publications (Instructions, Research Council of Finland, website).
• A motivation letter of 1–2 pages, including research ideas connected to the position.
• A copy of the degree certificate / diploma and a transcript of academic records proving the applicant’s eligibility to pursue postgraduate studies. The documents must be in Finnish or English. For translated documents, only a Diploma Supplement issued by the higher education institution in question and/or other official translations issued by the awarding higher education institution or an authorized translator are accepted.
• Copies of certificates of language proficiency, if not indicated in the academic degree certificates / diplomas.

The application and attachments must be submitted in English (the degree certificate can be in Finnish as instructed above).

Questions?

For more information on the position, please contact Senior Researcher Lauri Paavola (lauri.paavola@uef.fi).

For further information relating to the application procedure, please contact HR Specialist Airi Leppänen (airi.leppanen@uef.fi).

Information

At the UEF Business School, we educate business experts with diverse talent who are able to contribute positively to future business needs. We offer an innovative learning environment, which encourages life-long learning. Our research provides solutions to current business and management challenges. We focus on collaboration with small and medium-sized enterprises in Eastern Finland, nationally, and internationally. The UEF Business School is part of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies.

Väitöskirjatutkija

Haemme väitöskirjatutkijaa Itä-Suomen yliopiston Kuopion kampuksen Kauppatieteiden laitokselle (Suomen Akatemian rahoittamaan Muutoksen johtaminen Markkinassa 4.0 -hankkeeseen). Tehtävä sijoittuu yhteiskuntatieteiden ja kauppatieteiden tiedekuntaan ja se täytetään kolmen vuoden määräajalle 1.1.2027 alkaen. Tässä tehtävässä tehtäväkohtainen palkanosa on vaativuustasoluokittelussa tasolla 2–4 (2331,67 € - 2907,24 €). Lisäksi maksetaan henkilökohtaiseen suoriutumiseen perustuvaa palkanosaa, joka on 6–50 % tehtäväkohtaisesta palkanosasta. Tehtävässä edellytetään erinomaista englannin kielen taitoa.

Lue tarkemmat tiedot tehtävästä ja hakuohjeet yllä olevasta englanninkielisestä ilmoituksesta. Jätäthän hakemuksesi englanniksi. Hakuaika tehtävään päättyy 15.10.2026 klo 24.00.

Kauppatieteiden laitoksella koulutamme monipuolisia liiketoiminnan asiantuntijoita tulevaisuuden elinkeinoelämän tarpeisiin. Tarjoamme innovatiivisen ja elinikäiseen oppimiseen kannustavan oppimisympäristön. Tutkimuksemme tuottaa ratkaisuja liiketoiminnan ja johtamisen ajankohtaisiin haasteisiin. Keskitymme yhteistyöhön pk-yritysten kanssa erityisesti Itä-Suomen alueella, mutta myös kansallisesti ja kansainvälisesti. Kauppatieteiden laitos on osa yhteiskuntatieteiden ja kauppatieteiden tiedekuntaa.

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 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: Kuopio | Maakunta: Pohjois-Savo | Maa: Finland | Ilmoitusnumero: 1177/01.01.03/2026 | Julkaistu: 2026-09-17 | Haku päättyy: 2026-10-15