Doctoral researcher positions in Exact Sciences (EXACTUS) University of Turku in Finland

University of Turku is inviting applications for fixed-term doctoral researcher positions in the Doctoral Programme in Exact Sciences (EXACTUS). The programme spans applied mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, learning analytics, materials science, mathematics, physics, statistics and theoretical physics, offering a broad interdisciplinary environment for research-led doctoral training.

These positions are employment contracts for full-time doctoral research and study in Turku, Finland. The appointment starts on 1 January 2027 or by agreement during 2027, and can also support continuation of an existing doctoral researcher contract. Standard duration is up to four years, depending on previous funding, research progress and degree stage; up to one-year positions are also available for applicants in the final stages of doctoral work who aim to submit for pre-examination during 2027.

The doctoral researchers are supervised mainly from the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Chemistry, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, the Finnish Centre for Astronomy with ESO, the Turku PET Centre, or the Turku Research Institute for Learning Analytics. The university emphasizes regular supervision, strong research infrastructures, and a multidisciplinary research profile within the University of Turku Graduate School (UTUGS).

Eligibility is restricted to applicants with an active study right in the EXACTUS Doctoral Programme, or those who apply for the right to study by the deadline. Applicants must be planning to pursue or already pursuing their first doctoral degree, must not already hold a doctoral degree, and must not have previously received four years of full-time doctoral funding. The university also requires compliance with its language skill rules and doctoral programme/faculty requirements.

The application package includes a CV with publications list, a research plan, degree certificate and transcript, and a one-page motivation letter. The research plan should describe the topic, motivation, methods, timetable, the applicant’s role, publication plan, and current doctoral progress; if applying for a subproject, an additional section is required. Applications are assessed on academic merits, the feasibility and quality of the research plan, motivation, completion prospects, and any external funding. Salary is set by the University of Turku pay system and is approximately €2,400 to €3,300 per month depending on stage and experience.

Deadline for applications is 8 September 2026 at 23:59 Finland time. Applicants should submit all documents through the online recruitment system and, if needed, complete any doctoral study-right application through Studyinfo by the same date.