The University of Helsinki – among the best in the world

The University of Helsinki is one of the best multidisciplinary research universities in the world. In addition to its 11 faculties, the University of Helsinki includes several independent institutes, some of which are jointly operated with other universities. The University of Helsinki is an international academic community of 40,000 students and staff members. It operates on four campuses in Helsinki and at 15 other locations.

The Food Materials Science research group, led by Assistant Professor Kirsi Mikkonen, is affiliated with the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry. The growing group focuses in characterizing and valorizing bioproduction side streams for food and packaging materials. The Food Materials Science research group is seeking for

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER / DOCTORAL STUDENT IN FOOD MATERIALS SCIENCE

for a fixed-term 1.5–4 year contract from September 2019 (depending on the level of the position and starting date) to work in a project entitled “Visualizing the interfacial layer of submicron emulsions for tailored morphology (ENVISION)”. The project focuses on characterizing the morphology of hydrocolloids as emulsion stabilizers, to be used as delivery systems for bioactive lipids.

We are looking for a highly motivated and skilled postdoctoral researcher and doctoral student with an PhD/MSc degree in food sciences, chemical engineering, physical chemistry, or other related fields. The postdoctoral researcher and doctoral student are expected to contribute to research on hydrocolloid emulsifiers, student supervision, and education on food sciences. The appointed researcher will work in collaboration with the other members of the Food Materials Science research group and will be supervised by the team leader Assist. Prof. Kirsi Mikkonen.

A successful candidate should be able to:
• Identify, design, conduct, and report research on emulsions from physical, technological, and morphological perspectives.
• Contribute to proposal writing to apply further research funding.
• Contribute to master/doctoral student supervision and teaching of food science.
• Engage with scientific community, research partners and the wider public at all levels, internationally and domestically through scientific publications as well as for example through social media (blogs, etc.).

The candidate is expected to have:

Education, experience and technical skills
• A degree (a master degree for the doctoral student position, and a doctoral degree for the postdoctoral researcher position) and experience in food/chemical sciences, hydrocolloid characterization, and bio-based materials.
• Knowledge of microscopy and physicochemical methods to characterize emulsions is an advantage.
• Fluency in English and excellent writing skills.

Personal attributes and competencies
• Excellent analytical and innovative research planning skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, experienced in working within multicultural and multidisciplinary teams.
• High motivation for academic research, having initiative and capable of working independently as well as in team environments.
• Values continuous improvement based on constructive evaluation, self-reflection and learning.

A person appointed as a doctoral student is required to apply for the right for doctoral studies from the University of Helsinki within six months after starting the post.

The salary of the postdoctoral researcher will be based on level 5 of the demands level chart for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities, and the starting salary of the doctoral student will be based on level 2. In addition, the appointee will be paid a salary component based on personal performance. The starting salary of the postdoctoral researcher will be ca. 3200–3500 euros/month and that of the doctoral student will be ca. 2200–2300 euros/month, depending on the appointees’ qualifications and experience. The University of Helsinki offers comprehensive services to its employees, including occupational health care and health insurance, sports facilities, and opportunities for professional development. The International Staff Services office (https://www.helsinki.fi/en/university/working-at-the-university) assists employees from abroad with their transition to work and life in Finland. A six-month trial period will be applied.

The attachment required for the application include (preferable in a single pdf-file):

1) A cover letter explaining the applicant’s motivation for the research work and a short research plan (e.g. approach, research materials and methods) (up to 3 pages) 2) Curriculum vitae showing the applicant's education, completed qualifications, work experience, possible list of publications and contact information of 2 persons for references (up to 3 pages) 3) Copies of Doctoral, Master's, and Bachelor's degree certificates and official transcripts of the records, and their translations, if the originals are not in Finnish, Swedish or English.

Please submit your application through the University of Helsinki Recruitment System via the link Apply for the position. Applicants who are employees of the University of Helsinki are requested to submit their application via the SAP HR portal, saphr.it.helsinki.fi.
The closing date for applications is 31 July 2019 at 23:59.

Further information about the positions may be obtained from Assistant Professor Kirsi Mikkonen (kirsi.s.mikkonen(at)helsinki.fi).

In case you need support with the recruitment system, please contact recruitment(at)helsinki.fi.