Postdoctoral Researcher (2 Positions), Peatland Ecology

The University of Eastern Finland is inviting applications for two Postdoctoral Researcher positions in the field of Peatland Ecology to join the Centre of Excellence in Peatlands, Climate Change and Ecological Restoration (PeatResC) at the School of Forest Sciences on the Joensuu Campus. The positions will be filled for a fixed term as from 1 June 2026 (or as agreed) to 31 December 2028.

Please find more information below and submit your application no later than 29 April 2026.

Role and salary

We are looking for two highly motivated and research‑oriented Postdoctoral Researchers (Peatland Ecology) who in addition to independent working are eager to conduct research as part of an international research team. The research will be conducted within the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Peatlands, Climate Change and Ecological Restoration (PeatResC) (website) funded by the Research Council of Finland and led by Professor Eeva-Stiina Tuittila. The Postdoctoral Researchers will work in the School of Forest Sciences within the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology on the Joensuu campus.

Read more about the two available Postdoctoral Researcher positions below. Please indicate in the application form which position you are applying for as your primary choice.

Position 1: Peatland Carbon Sinks Under Climate Change, Land Use and Restoration

In this Postdoctoral Researcher position, you will address, together with us, the following topical questions: What happens to peatland carbon sinks under a changing climate and as a result of restoration? Could peatlands’ climate responses partly explain the rapid increase in atmospheric methane concentration? The work involves processing and analysing greenhouse gas exchange data measured using the eddy covariance technique across multiple research sites. Data are collected from several running and new EC stations maintained by the University of Eastern Finland and will be analysed in adjunct with data from our national and international partners, using machine learning approaches for flux partitioning.

Position 2: Large‑Scale Vegetation Change in Peatlands Under Climate Pressure and Responses to Ecological Restoration

In this Postdoctoral Researcher position, you will address, together with us, the following topical questions: How have vegetation and plant functional traits changed over time? How do extreme years (heatwaves, drought periods, unusually wet summers, spring floods) affect vegetation composition and plant functional properties? The work involves handling and analysing large vegetation datasets from Finland, other parts of Europe, and Canada. In addition, you will work with time‑series datasets from experimental studies to investigate how environmental variables such as temperature and water table regulate vegetation change.

The main duty of the Postdoctoral Researchers is the processing of research data and the writing of scientific articles based on it. Both Postdoctoral Researcher positions may include supervising interns and Bachelor’s and Master’s thesis students. The positions may also include teaching duties within the discipline, in line with the candidate’s area of expertise.

The Centre of Excellence in Peatlands, Climate Change and Ecological Restoration (2026–2033) is a collaborative research initiative between researchers from the University of Eastern Finland, the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the University of Helsinki, and Aalto University. The Centre of Excellence offers training (e.g., Summer Schools), meetings and seminars, and has an extensive network of international collaborators. During the employment, research visits within the Centre are possible. In Joensuu, we offer an active and enthusiastic research community as well as broad national and international networks. Information about the group’s research can be found on the Peat & Trees research group website (website).

The positions will be filled for a fixed term as from 1 June 2026 (or as agreed) to 31 December 2028. The positions will be filled for a fixed term due to them pertaining to a specific project task. A trial period is applied to all new members of staff.

The salary of the positions is determined in accordance with the salary system for Finnish universities. The salary comprises two components: a job-related salary element and a personal salary element. For a Postdoctoral Researcher, the job-related salary element is based on level 5 of the job requirement level chart for teaching and research staff. The personal salary element is 6–50% of the job-related salary element. At the beginning of the employment, the total salary will be approximately EUR 3,825 - 4,020 /month.

Our requirements and expectations

For both Postdoctoral Researcher positions, the requirements include

• good skills in spoken and written English
• scientific publications in a relevant research field.

Additionally, the requirements for Position 1 are

• a doctoral degree in environmental sciences, physics, atmospheric sciences or a related field. The doctoral degree may not have been completed more than five years ago at the time of accepting the position (a net period of time, which does not include parental leaves, military service etc.)
• ability to independently process and analyse eddy covariance-derived carbon flux data
• experience with machine learning methods and handling large datasets.

Additionally, the requirements for Position 2 are

• a doctoral degree in forest sciences, biology, ecology or a related field. The doctoral degree may not have been completed more than five years ago at the time of accepting the position (a net period of time, which does not include parental leaves, military service etc.)
• experience in analysing large vegetation datasets and applying multivariate methods.

Please note that the applicant must fulfil the stated requirements by the end of the application period.

The following will be considered as advantages

Position 1:

• research experience in northern peatland ecosystems
• comprehensive understanding of peatland ecosystem ecology and factors governing ecosystem-atmosphere carbon fluxes
• ability to work independently, as well as to formulate and solve research problems
• strong communication and teamwork skills.

Position 2:

• knowledge of peatland plant species
• experience in measuring plant functional traits and understanding functional diversity
• familiarity with map-based analyses (e.g., using GIS software)
• experience in applying machine learning for the processing of large datasets
• versatile experience from multivariate analyses (i.e., ordination methods, joint-species-distribution models).

Your benefits

You will have access to the university’s staff benefits, including

• opportunity for flexible multi-location work
• excellent opportunities for professional development and continuous learning
• extensive occupational health care
• broad selection of staff training
• staff discount on lunch in our campus restaurants, as well as on a range of other services
• affordable sports services

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

You will have an opportunity to work in a meaningful 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 29 April 2026 by 23:59 (midnight) Finnish time (UTC+3).

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

• a CV (Template for CV, TENK website)
• a list of publications (Instructions, Research Council of Finland website)
• copies of your academic degree certificates / diplomas, and copies of certificates / diplomas relating to your language proficiency, if not indicated in the academic degree certificates/diplomas
• a motivation letter (max. 1-2 pages) in which you describe your interest in the position and research areas, your background, as well as your career aspirations
• other documents to demonstrate your merits for the position.

If your degree certificate is not in English, Finnish, or Swedish, you must provide official English translations of your degree certificate documents. All translations must be issued by the awarding educational institution or an authorized translator. Each page of the official translation must bear the translator's stamp and/or signature. Official translations must be accurate translations of the original documents. Translations made by the applicants themselves will not be accepted.

Questions?

For further information on the positions, please contact Professor Eeva-Stiina Tuittila, tel.: +358 29 4453535, e-mail eeva-stiina.tuittila@uef.fi, and Assistant Professor Anna Laine-Petäjäkangas, tel.: +358 29 4453477, e-mail: anna.laine-petajakangas@uef.fi.

For further information on the application procedure, please contact HR Specialist Iiris Korhonen, e-mail: iiris.korhonen@uef.fi, tel.: +358 29 445 8161 and HR Specialist Noora Hämäläinen, e-mail: noora.hamalainen@uef.fi, tel.: +358 29 445 8302.

The Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology operates on the Kuopio and Joensuu campuses of the University of Eastern Finland. The mission of the faculty is to carry out internationally recognised scientific research and to offer research-education in the fields of natural sciences, forestry and technology. The faculty invests in all of the strategic research areas of the university. The faculty’s environments for research and learning are international, modern and multidisciplinary. The faculty has approximately 2,650 Bachelor’s and Master’s degree students and some 440 postgraduate students. The number of staff amounts to 650.

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: 2 | Työllisyysaste: 100% | Paikkakunta: Joensuu | Maakunta: Pohjois-Karjala | Maa: Finland | Ilmoitusnumero: 507/01.01.03/2026 | Yhteys: Eeva-Stiina Tuittila +358294453535, Eeva-Stiina Tuittila +358294453535, Anna Laine-Petäjäkangas +358294453477, Anna Laine-Petäjäkangas +358294453477, | Julkaistu: 2026-04-01 | Haku päättyy: 2026-04-29