The Faculty of Arts at the University of Helsinki invites applications for a professorship in English language for a fixed-term contract (1 March 2024 – 31 December 2026).

The professorship is based in the Department of Languages. The University of Helsinki is internationally known for active research in the field of English. The members of the English unit teach and carry out research on the special characteristics of modern English, as well as the historical evolution of the English language from its early stages to its current status as a lingua franca, as well as the literature of English-speaking regions from the 16th century to the present. The spectrum of research topics is wide, and the Unit is home to several ongoing research projects.

The duties of a professor include: carrying out and supervising scholarly research on English linguistics, providing teaching based on their research, following developments in research, engaging with the public on the subject and cooperating with international colleagues in the field. The professor is also expected to undertake various administrative tasks within the university community.

Requirements for the position and assessment of qualifications

According to the Regulations of the University of Helsinki, an appointee to a professorship must hold an applicable doctoral degree and have top-level scholarly qualifications, experience in the supervision of scholarly research, the abilities to provide top-level teaching based on research and to supervise theses, and documentation of international cooperation in the appointee’s research field. Furthermore, the position of professor calls for academic leadership skills.

Pursuant to the Government Decree on Universities (770/2009), appointees to teaching and research positions at the University must be proficient in the language in which they provide instruction, i.e., Finnish or Swedish. To successfully attend to the duties of the position, the appointee must also have excellent English skills. If the appointee does not speak Finnish, it is expected that the appointee will acquire sufficient knowledge of Finnish within a reasonable period of time. Support for language studies is offered.

Further information about language skills and their demonstration can be found on our website.

When assessing applicants’ qualifications, attention will be paid to both scholarly and teaching merits. Scholarly qualifications include scholarly publications and other research results of scholarly value, success in obtaining external research funding, scholarly work outside Finland and international elected positions. Teaching qualifications include teaching experience and pedagogical training, the ability to produce learning materials, other teaching merits and, if necessary, a teaching demonstration, as well as participation in doctoral education. Furthermore, account will be taken of the applicant’s leadership and interaction skills, as well as activity in the research community.

What we offer

The salary for the position will be based on levels 8–10 of the job requirement scheme for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, the appointee will be paid a salary component based on personal performance. The gross annual salary is €64,000–€96,000. There will be a six-month trial period for the position.

The University of Helsinki offers comprehensive services to its employees, including occupational health care, sports facilities, and opportunities for professional development. Further information about staff benefits is available on our website.

How to apply

The application must be accompanied by the following documents in PDF format:

• A curriculum vitae
• A list of publications, with the 10 most significant publications clearly marked
• A report (max. 3 pages) describing the applicant’s research activities, such as activities in the scholarly community, success in obtaining research funding and international research
• A plan (max. 2 pages) on the development of the field and the direction of the applicant’s research
• A report (max. 2 pages) on the applicant’s teaching qualifications

Further information about academic portfolios is available on our website. All of the above attachments must be in English. Other attachments, including letters of recommendation or certificates, are not required at this point.

Applicants are kindly asked to prepare to select up to 10 publications from their list of publications and submit them for assessment through the electronic application system after the application period.

The deadline for applications is October,16 (at 23.59 EET).

Applications must be submitted through the University of Helsinki electronic recruitment system by clicking on the link below. Current employees of the University of Helsinki must submit their applications through SAP Fiori’s Suffeli recruitment portal. The University of Helsinki welcomes applicants of all genders, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds.

Further information about the position can be obtained from professor Sanna Kaisa Tanskanen (sanna-kaisa.tanskanen@helsinki.fi). Further information about the recruitment process can be obtained from HR Specialist Jenni Syväoja (hr-humtdk@helsinki.fi).

You can read more about working at the university on our website.

The Faculty of Arts at the University of Helsinki is the oldest and the largest humanities teaching and research unit in Finland in terms of its disciplinary structure and range of subjects. It is also a major international research, education and cultural community.

The Faculty of Arts studies and teaches languages and literature spoken in Europe and the rest of the world, in total almost 40 languages. It also develops general theories of linguistics, translation and literary studies.