James Blande

The University of Eastern Finland is offering two fully funded Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student) positions in the field of Chemical Ecology and Plant Eco-Physiology at the Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Kuopio campus. The research will be conducted within the Environmental Ecology Research Group and the Centre of Excellence in Anthropocenic Chemical Ecology of Forests (ACE-Forest), funded by the Research Council of Finland. The projects focus on plant interactions, ecology, and physiology, with Position 1 emphasizing plant-plant interactions in mature trees and Position 2 focusing on the impact of climate change and pollution on tritrophic interactions in boreal forests. Applicants must have a Master’s degree in Biology, Biochemistry, Ecology, Forestry, Environmental Science, Entomology, or Plant Sciences, and demonstrate a good command of English. Additional advantages include experience with analytical chemistry techniques (GC-MS, PTR-MS), statistical analysis (SPSS or R), fieldwork, and insect olfactometry, depending on the position. The positions are fixed-term from 1 April 2026 to 31 December 2028, with a starting salary of approximately EUR 2,650 – 2,785 per month and comprehensive staff benefits. To apply, candidates must submit an electronic application with supporting documents, including a CV, list of publications, degree certificates, transcripts, motivation letter, and proof of language proficiency. The deadline for applications is 2 March 2026, 23:59 Finnish time. For further information, contact Professor James Blande (Position 1) or Senior Researcher Delia Pinto (Position 2) at the University of Eastern Finland.