A vacancy of Doctoral Student position is available at the University of Helsinki Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (VERIFIN) is part of the Chemistry Department. The appointment is for three years, starting in January-February 2021, with a six-month trial period, under the mentorship of Professor Paula Vanninen, in the WARTOX project (Chemical Warfare Agents in the Baltic Sea: biodegradation, metabolism, and toxicity) funded by the Academy of Finland.

Position Summary

The selected doctoral student will work at the University of Helsinki in a multidisciplinary team, planning, developing, and testing methodology for the analysis of environmental and biological samples related to the research of sea-dumped chemical munitions. The biotransformation products are identified by using sophisticated structure elucidation methods in sediments and aquatic organisms. Fish cell line assays will be used to study cytotoxicity and cellular metabolism.

Requirements

• Master’s degree, preferably in analytical or synthetic chemistry.
• Previous experience in chromatography, mass spectrometry, and/or sample preparation of environmental and/or biological matrices will be an advantage.
• Previous experience in laboratory work is necessary.
• The successful candidate will have a good command of spoken and written English.
• A capability to multitask and meet research schedules.

Salary and benefits

The Doctoral Student at the University of Helsinki will have the following benefits

• The salary will be in accordance with the University salary system (for teaching and research personnel, level 2).
• In addition, the appointee will be paid a salary component based on personal performance.
• The starting salary will be approximately 2300-2600 €/month.
• 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 assists employees from abroad with their transition to work and life in Finland.

Application Materials

The application should include a motivation letter (max. 1 page) and a complete CV with:

• Education/Degrees obtained (preferably accompanied by a copy of the latest diploma).
• Prior work/research experience and list of publications.
• Other relevant information to demonstrate the qualifications of the applicant.
• Recommendation letter(s) or contact information of one or more references

The University of Helsinki is a university in Helsinki, Finland. It is the oldest and largest university in Finland with the widest range of disciplines available. The university is bilingual, with teaching by law provided both in Finnish and Swedish. Since Swedish, albeit an official language of Finland, is a minority language, Finnish is by far the dominating language at the university. Teaching in English is extensive throughout the university at Master, Licentiate, and Doctoral levels, making it a de facto third language of instruction.