Juha Aalto

University of Helsinki is advertising a PhD / Doctoral Researcher position in disease ecology, spatial ecology, and eco-epidemiology within the multidisciplinary CLIMFOCI project. The project asks why tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) occurs only in very localized hotspots in boreal environments. The successful candidate will work with empirical datasets on ticks, hosts, and microclimate , and will develop advanced spatial and hierarchical models to understand and predict TBEV risk areas under climate change . This opportunity is a strong fit for applicants with a background in ecology, biology, epidemiology, environmental science, or statistics . Quantitative modelling skills are especially valued, and interest in field work, disease ecology, and climate–biodiversity interactions is emphasized. The position is based at the University of Helsinki, Finland , and is advertised as a 3-year funded PhD . The start date is September 2026 (flexible). The application deadline is 2026-05-20 . Applications should be submitted via the University of Helsinki job portal using the provided link. Questions about the position can be directed to Dr. Teemu Smura at [email protected] .