Project Researcher within the Centre for Sustainable Ocean Science, 1.9.2024-28.2.2027

Åbo Akademi söker en projektforskare till spetsenheten Centre for Sustainable Ocean Science. Anställningen är för tiden 1.9.2024-28.2.2027. Den tidsbundna anställningen är på heltid.

Se annonsen i sin helhet på engelska nedan.

***

Åbo Akademi University (ÅAU) is an internationally acknowledged research university with an extensive responsibility for providing education in Swedish in Finland. With its strong Nordic ties, Åbo Akademi University has an acclaimed and recognized position within research and education both nationally and internationally. The Centre for Sustainable Ocean Science (SOS) is an ÅAU Centre of Excellence funded by the Åbo Akademi University Foundation during 2024 – 2028. SOS provides transdisciplinary knowledge on wicked problems linked to marine biodiversity and its role in the societal transition to sustainability.

Åbo Akademi University and SOS invites applications for a fixed-term project researcher position at the Faculty of Science and Engineering for 30 months, starting on September 1st, 2024, or according to agreement. The location of work is Turku, Finland.

Ocean science is needed to understand the pressures on and changes to marine biodiversity, which is central to the green transition and society’s shift towards a more sustainable future. SOS delivers the science that can strengthen the consensus on policymaking options, identify solutions, and guide actions for environmental sustainability, equipping us to address the planetary biodiversity crisis. In the Archipelago Sea and Åland Island area, SOS studies when and how human actions interact with marine biodiversity in creating wicked problems and aims at creating solutions for these challenges. SOS approaches marine wicked problems through reflexive learning in an inter-/transdisciplinary framework, utilizing the Living Lab methodology. The work is structured around six work packages (WPs). WPs 1–3 include specific case studies of wicked problems, while WPs 4–6 draw on these, support this work, and synthesize the findings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE POSITION
The interdisciplinary position as a Project Researcher is within WP3, Land-Sea Interaction. This work package develops science-based solutions for successful co-existence of marine activities and coastal nature. This is done by studying relevant cases, including impacts from coastal homes/cottages (e.g., piers, leisure boating, small-scale dredging), offshore wind farm development, and habitability in the archipelago. 

The objectives of this research project are to 1) assess and characterize multiple stressors (abiotic and anthropogenic) at the land-sea intersection, from local to regional and global scales, 2) identify (from literature research and own experimental assessments in the research group) their interactive impacts on marine biodiversity, 3) and develop stress mitigation strategies for sustainable use of the land-sea continuum in the Archipelago Sea. These investigations can tackle local (e.g., light pollution or fishing and boating activities) and global (e.g., warming and marine heatwave events) trends, while mitigation strategies for the area will be developed in collaboration with the SOS group as well as within the framework, and expertise, of the profiling area The Sea at Åbo Akademi University. 

You will be a member of a collaborative research team within the subject of Environmental and Marine Biology, promoting novel cross-disciplinary approaches. 

QUALIFICATIONS AND EVALUATION
We seek a project researcher with a doctoral degree obtained within the fields of (or related to) environmental and/or marine ecology. The work requires strong expertise in experimental research and designing innovative experiments, performing literature research, and integrating the retrieved knowledge into actionable strategies. Hands-on experience in fieldwork and data analyses is advantageous.

You are a team player, and your strengths include taking personal responsibility and commitment to reach targets. Strong oral and written knowledge of English is required for the position.

When assessing the applicant’s qualifications for the position, the following criteria will be taken into consideration:

• Scientific merits (80 %), including scientific publications in the field, relevance of the scientific background and future research interests, and experience from participation in research projects.
• Interactive skills (20 %), including tasks relating to society, administrative experience, and good collaboration skills.

The successful applicant will be appointed following a general assessment of their competence in relation to the necessary qualities to successfully carry out the tasks for the position. The applicant can be invited to an interview.

SALARY AND EMPLOYMENT
The project researcher’s salary is based on levels 5–6 of the job demand levels for teaching and research staff. In addition, an individual salary component based on personal work performance is added to the salary. Please see the salary chart for teaching and research personnel.

The employment is full-time. Researchers have a total working time of 1,612 hours per year. A trial period of six months applies to all new employees. The person appointed will have access to occupational health care services in Finland.

APPLICATION
The application should be submitted electronically in the University recruitment system (leave an application below, www.abo.fi/rekrytering) no later than June 24th, 2024, at 12:00 (EEST, Finnish time zone). Please see guidelines on the electronic application. 

The application should include the following enclosures in English:

• A motivation letter (max 1-2 pages).
• A curriculum vitae (CV) in compliance with the TENK model (The Finnish National Board on Research Integrity): https://tenk.fi/en/advice-and-materials/template-researchers-curriculum-vitae. The CV should include a complete list of publications.
• Description of previous research as well as current and future research interests (max 3 pages).
• Doctoral degree certificate(s) and relevant diplomas with transcripts of records.
• Contact details of two referees.

The application period has been extended as of 19.6.2024.

CONTACT INFORMATION
For more information regarding the position, please contact Professor Christian Pansch-Hattich, email: christian.pansch-hattich[a]abo.fi. For questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact HR specialist Sabina Ringvall, email: sabina.ringvall[a]abo.fi.

We welcome applicants of all backgrounds within the scientific field in question to apply for the position. Åbo Akademi University works for equal gender distribution and diversity in all staff categories.