Doctoral researcher in the Study of Religions
Åbo Akademi ledigförklarar en avlönad doktorandbefattning i religionsvetenskap med placering vid institutionen för humanvetenskap i Åbo, Finland. Anställningen är upp till fyra år för tiden 1.9.2025-31.8.2029. Den tidsbundna anställningen är på heltid.
Vänligen se annonsen i sin helhet på engelska nedan.
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Åbo Akademi University invites applications for a fixed-term salaried position as Doctoral Researcher in the Study of Religions. The position is placed at the Department of Human Sciences in Turku, Finland. This position is full time for a period of a maximum of four years, between 1.9.2025-31.8.2029.
ABOUT THE RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT AND THE PROJECT
The Study of Religions at Åbo Akademi University constitutes a dynamic and internationally recognized research environment with a particular focus on contemporary religious change and pioneering mixed-methods research. Strong areas of research include the sociology of religion; the psychology of religion; the discursive study of religion; religion, gender, and sexual minorities; religion and media; Indian and South-Eastern Asian religions; and religion and social exclusion. Beside the research activities of individual researchers, the Study of Religions has established a strong tradition of working in larger research teams around a shared research agenda. This shared agenda is currently pursued in the internal Åbo Akademi University Centre of Excellence in Research project “Religion and Social Exclusion: A Cross-Cultural Approach and New Methodology” (RelEx, 2024–28, sites.abo.fi/relex/).
Between 1.9.2025-31.8.2029, the Study of Religions will also host the research project “Meaningful Margins: Christianity and Alternative Spiritual Meditation and Healing Practices at the Interface between Margins and Mainstreams”, funded by the Research Council of Finland. The project is a consortium (partnership) between Åbo Akademi University and the University of Turku and brings together researchers from both universities. The project investigates the present-day relationship between Christianity and various alternative healing- and meditation practices in Finland on a firm empirical basis. See the complete research plan here.
QUALIFICATIONS AND MERITS
We are looking for a motivated doctoral researcher with a master’s degree in the study of religions or in a related field to pursue their own doctoral research in direct relation to the Meaningful Margins-project.
The required qualifications and merits for the position are outlined below and will be evaluated together with the application.
Basic eligibility criteria:
- Master’s Degree (or equivalent).
Meriting qualifications
- Strong collaborative and organizational skills.
- Strong communication skills, including strong written and spoken communication skills in English.
Desirable qualifications
- Previous experience of empirical and/or ethnographic fieldwork.
- Other academic achievements in addition to the master’s degree.
- Good Finnish language skills (appr. Europass B2 or higher) since the project conducts empirical research in Finland and collects and analyzes large amounts of data in the Finnish language.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT
The doctoral researcher’s primary task is to work on their own thesis. Doctoral researchers are expected to contribute to the activities of the department or subject and actively take part in the research environment on campus in Turku. Teaching tasks and supervision can comprise a maximum of 5% of the work time.
The principle of total working time (1612 hours per year) is applied to employed doctoral researchers. The supervision and study plan for doctoral researchers will be evaluated annually.
The salary for a doctoral position will be based on levels 2-4 of the job demand level for teaching and researching personnel in the salary system. In addition, there is a salary component based on personal work performance, according to the general collective agreement for universities. For a first year-doctoral researcher, the salary will be ca 2600 €.
The selected candidates will be employed for a maximum period of up to four years. The length of the employment is determined from the candidate’s possible ongoing and/or partly completed research studies.
A trial period applies to new employees.
Please note, that there is a separate application process for the admission to a doctoral programme at ÅAU. An applicant for the employed position, who is not yet accepted as a doctoral researcher at the department, needs to apply and fulfil the requirements for doctoral studies according to the principles for admission to the doctoral programmes at the department. The application for admission to the doctoral programme will be initiated when the decision on appointment is made.
APPLICATION
The application is submitted through the electronic application form below no later than 7.8.2025, at 3 p.m. (Finnish time). See Instructions on electronic applications and their appendices for technical assistance.
The following appendices are attached to the application in Swedish or English:
- A free-form application letter (max. one A4 page)
- Copies of diplomas including transcript of records (BA, MA, MSc, other)
- A research plan (according to the instructions below)
- A list of max. three references and their contact details
- A CV, composed according to the template by The Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity including a list of possible publications
- Master’s thesis (PDF)
A concise research plan (max. five A4 pages, excl. references) is to be written in English and is central in the evaluation of the applicants. The research plan must connect directly to the Meaningful Margins-project and will be evaluated on this basis. It should include the following elements: research question(s)/problem(s) and research gap, data/sources, method(s), possible theory, and implementation. The research plan should account for how the proposed doctoral research contributes to the Meaningful Margins-project and how a doctoral researcher position would complement the applicant’s knowledge and previous experience. The position also includes a two-month research visit to Sweden.
FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information, contact Professor Marcus Moberg, marcus.moberg@abo.fi or regarding the recruitment process HR specialist Jenni Kronqvist, jenni.kronqvist@abo.fi.
Kindly note that July is a vacation month which may cause delays in answers.
Åbo Akademi University works actively for even gender distribution and increased diversity in all staff groups.
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Åbo Akademi University (ÅAU) is an internationally acknowledged research university with an extensive responsibility for providing education in Swedish in Finland.
We offer programs in humanities, pedagogics, theology, social sciences, business, law, natural sciences, and technology. Our research focuses on Minority Research, Technologies for a Sustainable Future, Solutions for Health, and The Sea. Doctoral studies at ÅAU are systematic and of high standards.
Guided by academic freedom and ethical responsibility, we value diversity, inclusion, equality, health, and sustainability. With over 100 years of history, ÅAU operates in Turku and Vaasa, serving 5,900 students and doctoral researchers and employing 1,200 staff members. Join us to work for a better world!
Come work with us: https://www.abo.fi/about-abo-akademi-university/come-work-with-us/
Do research with us:https://www.abo.fi/research-at-aau/
Application period starts: 2025-06-30 11:00 Application period ends: 2025-08-07 15:00
