• Job Description

  Req#: 2825

  The Finnish Museum of Natural History invites applications for a four-year fixed-term position of

  Curator in entomology, starting 1.4.2024 or as agreed.

  
  About the position

  We are looking for an insect systematist, who will conduct high quality collection-based research. We especially encourage applicants working on small insect orders, such as Trichoptera, Hemiptera or Collembola, to apply.

  The work is focused on independent research, but the duties of the Curator will include managing, amassing, and developing the scientific collections together with other Entomology team personnel. The Curator will also teach in university courses (max. 5% of working time), likely in the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences. The Curator is expected to be active in obtaining external funding, building a research group and act as a supervisor for the members and students of his / her / their research group. The curator will participate in the museum’s international collaboration and community engagement.

  Qualifications
  The Curator shall hold a doctoral degree and have evidence of scientific research work as well as the teaching skills necessary for the position. The position requires the ability to lead a research group and acquire external research funding. Scholarly work outside Finland and evidence of international cooperation shall be given particular consideration. The degree requirement must be met by the end of the application deadline.

  Experience in working with key scientific methods, scientific collections, experience in societal interaction, as well as ability to gather new material for collections, for instance via field work, are considered assets. Teamwork, soft skills and supervision skills are considered essential. We welcome applicants with a distinct profile, complementing the existing expertise of the Entomology Team.

  The official languages of the University of Helsinki are Finnish and Swedish but foreign citizens, non-native Finnish citizens or citizens who have not been educated in Finnish or Swedish may be exempted from this requirement without a separate application. To successfully attend to the duties of the position, the applicant must have good skills in English, but it is desirable if the appointee is able to communicate well also in Finnish.

  Entomology Team

  The Curator will be part of the Entomology Team in the Zoology Unit. The team is responsible for the insect collections of about 10 million specimens, including both dry and wet collections, and fossil collection. The team participates in the development and maintenance of the Finnish Biodiversity Information Facility and in digitization of the collections. The team has 12 employees, and staff working on externally funded projects.

  What do we offer?

  An interesting research position, possibility to grow as a researcher, and inspiring and supportive working environment. The salary will be based on levels 6-7 of the job requirement scheme for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. The starting gross monthly salary will be approximately 4000–4 700 euros, depending on the appointee’s career stage and scholarly qualifications. In addition to the funding possibilities offered by the national and international funding sources, the museum also has occasionally funding available for networking and small starter grants for research. The position will include a trial period of six months.

  The University of Helsinki invests in the welfare of its employees by offering flexible working hours, preventative occupational health services and general medical care, sports facilities, and opportunities for professional development. For further information please check staff benefits and read more about why the University of Helsinki is an excellent career choice. The Finnish Museum of Natural History is an equal opportunity workplace committed to advance wellbeing and diversity and promote gender equality in science and education. We welcome applicants from a variety of gender identities, and linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

  The appointee is expected to reside in Finland while employed by the University of Helsinki. The University assists employees from abroad with their transition to work and life in Finland. Finland is a very family-friendly country with generous parental leaves, very affordable state-subsidized daycare that is available for all children, as well as world-renowned free primary education and public healthcare. Finland has also been nominated as the happiest country in the world four times in a row.

  How to apply
  Applicants are requested to submit, in English, a single PDF file containing:

  • Application letter, including an outline of research plans (max. 1 page)
  • CV, following the template for researcher’s curriculum vitae (template for researcher's curriculum vitae) including experience on collection work (max. 4 pages).
  • List of publications. Highlight 5 most important publications relevant for this position (no page limit).

  The application, together with the required attachments, must be submitted through the University of Helsinki electronic recruitment system by clicking on the link “Apply now” below. Employees of the University of Helsinki submit their applications through the SAP Fiori portal https://msap.sap.helsinki.fi

  Deadline for applications is 23 January 2024 (23:59 EET).

  Further information

  Further information about the position may be obtained from Head of collections (Entomology team) Heidi.viljanen@helsinki.fi. With questions about the recruitment system and process please contact HR specialist Laura Jensen-Eriksen hr-erla@helsinki.fi.

  About us

  The Finnish Museum of Natural History is an institute of the University of Helsinki and the national museum in the field of natural history in Finland. The duties of the Museum are to amass, maintain and display its collections, and to conduct related research, particularly in biodiversity, systematics and evolution. The collections serve research, teaching, and public education and form part of the international network of natural history repositories. Museum has five units: Botany, Zoology (including molecular laboratory), Natural Sciences, Biodiversity Informatics and Public Engagement. Annually, about 350 000 people visit our public attractions. The institute has a staff of c. 160, and we are part university’s 8000 people work community. The Zoology Unit has about 60 employees working in three teams.

• About the company

  The University of Helsinki is a public research university located in Helsinki, Finland since 1829, but founded in the city of Turku in 1640 as the Royal Academy of Åbo, at that time part of the Swedish Empire.

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