Doctoral Researcher (Environmental Chemicals and Endometriosis) Tampere University in Finland

Tampere University is offering a full-time Doctoral Researcher position in Environmental Chemicals and Endometriosis at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology (MET), located on the Kauppi Campus in Tampere, Finland. The position is hosted by the Mechanistic and Applied Toxicology (MAT) research group led by Dr Alexandra Schaffert, whose work focuses on next-generation, animal-testing-free approaches to chemical safety, molecular biology, proteomics, computational methods, endocrine disruption, and women’s reproductive health.

The doctoral project is part of EIRIS, an interdisciplinary research effort investigating how endocrine-disrupting chemicals may contribute to endometriosis. The project aims to build a mechanistic map of how everyday environmental chemical exposures could promote this common but historically under-researched disease. The topic sits at the intersection of environmental health, women’s health, mechanistic toxicology, and systems biology.

The researcher will contribute to both experimental and data-driven work, including systematic evidence collection and curation, construction of an openly available knowledge base, human endometrial cell model work, controlled chemical exposure experiments, LC-MS/MS proteomic and secretomic sample generation, in vitro assays, and biological interpretation of omics, pathway, clustering, and network-analysis results. The role also includes presenting at conferences, attending trainings, participating in publications, and undertaking short research visits to partner laboratories in Finland and abroad.

The university emphasizes that prior toxicology knowledge is welcome but not required; training will be provided. The strongest candidates will have a solid life-science background, curiosity, careful working habits, and enthusiasm for combining wet-lab and computational approaches to answer an important biomedical question. The position includes dedicated supervision and mentoring within a supportive multidisciplinary environment, along with participation in teaching or other faculty tasks supporting doctoral studies.

Eligibility highlights: applicants must hold a relevant Master’s degree before the start date and be pursuing or eligible for admission to the Doctoral Programme in Medicine, Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering. Relevant backgrounds include molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, biomedical sciences, toxicology, computational biology, systems biology, bioinformatics, or closely related fields. English fluency is required.

Funding and employment: this is a 4-year fixed-term doctoral researcher appointment. Salary follows the Finnish University Salary System; the typical starting salary is about 2770-2900 EUR per month, with increases based on experience and doctoral progress. The position is full-time and includes a 6-month trial period.

Application deadline: 17 August 2026 at 23:59 EEST. Applications must be submitted online in English and uploaded as PDF files only, including a CV, a one-page motivational letter, degree certificates and transcripts, and optional supporting documents such as a Master’s thesis, publications, or referees.