Assistant Professor of Language

Faculty: Faculty of Educational Sciences
Position: Assistant Professor / Associate Professor / Professor of Language Education
Appointment Start Date: 1 January 2027

Job Overview

The duties of the position include leading research in the field, developing research networks, engaging in international activities, and providing teaching, particularly in subject teacher training, the Study Track for Class Teachers and doctoral education.

The field of the position is concerned with the study and teaching of foreign languages traditionally taught in schools, the questions arising from an increasingly multilingual school environment and its cultures of practice, and research on these themes.

The appointee will oversee studies in language didactics, doctoral education in the field, and broadly related research. They will supervise theses and lead and develop research through both Finnish and international networks. Collaboration with the University’s teacher training schools and subject faculties forms a central part of the role, which also carries administrative responsibilities and an expectation of public engagement.

Qualification Requirements and Appointment Criteria

Assistant and Associate Professor

Associate and assistant professors within the tenure track system must hold an applicable doctoral degree and be capable of conducting independent scholarly work, alongside the requisite teaching skills. Research relevant to the professorship’s field is considered an asset. In addition, the appointee must be capable and willing to promote their academic career through publications and other means, and develop teaching, learning and research in the field. The assessment of applicant qualifications considers not only research and teaching merits, but also success in securing external research funding and experience in domestic and international research projects.

Full Professor

Full professors must hold an applicable doctoral degree and possess advanced academic qualifications, experience in leading scholarly research, and evidence of success in securing external research funding and international collaboration in their research field. Applicants must be able to deliver teaching based on top-level research and supervise theses. The position also requires academic leadership skills. The assessment of applicant qualifications considers both scholarly and teaching-related qualifications.

Additional Qualification

Pedagogical studies for teachers (60 cr) or comparable studies outside Finland will be considered an advantage.

Assessment Criteria

Scholarly qualifications encompass:

• Relevant publications and other academically valuable research results
• Success in securing external research funding
• International research experience
• Academic responsibilities and elected positions
• International relations

Teaching qualifications encompass:

• Teaching experience and pedagogical training
• Ability to produce learning material
• Other teaching merits
• Demonstration of teaching skills (if necessary)
• Participation in training doctoral researchers

Also considered are applicants’ leadership and interaction skills and their active contribution to the academic community and public engagement. In addition, the appointment committee will review applicants’ views on the development of research and teaching in the field. The assessment of shortlisted applicants will consider statements by external experts and interviews by the appointment committee.

The applications will be assessed comprehensively, with due regard to career stage. The University of Helsinki has signed the DORA Declaration and applies its principles to the assessment of applicants’ academic merits.

Language Requirements

According to the Government Decree on Universities, assistant, associate and full professors must be proficient in the language of instruction, in this case, Finnish.

To successfully attend to the duties of the position, appointees must also have good English skills, as teaching can also be provided in English.

In addition, they must have at least satisfactory skills in Swedish. A person not educated in Finland in Finnish or Swedish may be exempted from the Swedish requirement. The University provides support for language learning.

Relocation

The chosen applicant is expected to reside in Finland while employed by the University of Helsinki. The Faculty of Educational Sciences provides assistance in relocation.

What We Offer

The Faculty of Educational Sciences is a dynamic, inspiring and international working and studying environment that has invested in state-of-the-art research and teaching infrastructure. We encourage our staff to make bold and creative decisions while exercising high standards of ethical conduct in research, teaching and community relations.

Salary

The salary will be based on:

• Level 7 (assistant / associate professor)
• Levels 8–10 (professor)

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 work performance.

Annual Gross Salary:

• Assistant/Associate Professor: €56,000–€70,000
• Full Professor: €67,000–€100,000

depending on the appointee’s qualifications and previous experience.

The employment contract will include a probationary period of six months.

Additional Benefits

The faculty’s administrative and technical staff, as well as expert colleagues will support the successful appointee in their role. The University of Helsinki provides its staff with:

• Occupational health and fitness services
• Professional development opportunities
• A first-class research and teaching environment
• Conditions necessary for international cooperation

Support for International Applicants

• Relocation services
• Settling-in support
• Training and networking events
• UniBuddy programme
• HEI LIFE Spouse Network

Application Instructions

The application, together with the required attachments, must be submitted through the University of Helsinki recruitment system.

Current University employees must submit their applications through the SAP Fiori portal.

All application documents must be in English and submitted as a single PDF file, named:

llastname_professor_languageed

Required Documents

1. A motivation letter or written application
2. A researcher’s curriculum vitae in accordance with University guidelines (max. 10 pages)
3. A numbered list of publications (with ten most relevant publications indicated in bold)
4. A plan for advancing research and teaching in the field and a vision for the development of the applicant’s research and the research field in general (maximum 2 pages)
5. A report on the applicant’s research activities (1–3 pages, including activity in academic communities, acquisition of research funding and international research)

Additionally, applicants are requested to complete a separate report on their teaching qualifications via e-form.

Applicants may be requested to submit up to 10 publications for external evaluation.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for:

• An interview
• A demonstration of teaching skills

Application Deadline

11 August 2026 (23:59 EEST)

Please note that the degree requirement must be met by the end of the application deadline.

Further Information

Further information on the position can be obtained (3–22 June and 5–10 August) from:

• Professor Markku Jahnukainen

For enquiries about the recruitment process and technical support for the University’s electronic recruitment system:

• HR Specialist Hector Nystedt

Why Finland

Finland is a member of the European Union, has high quality and inexpensive childcare and free schooling (also in English), excellent family benefits and healthcare. Finland was recently ranked as the best country in the world for expat families, and Helsinki is in the world’s top ten most livable cities.

Finland and the Helsinki region feature:

• Leading research and innovation facilities
• Clean environment
• Affordable accommodation
• Excellent international, national and local transport connections

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

A diverse and equitable study and work culture is important to us. That is why we do our best to promote an inclusive university community. We encourage all qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply for our positions.

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About the Faculty of Educational Sciences

The internationally esteemed and highly successful Faculty of Educational Sciences at the University of Helsinki is Finland’s leading unit of research and teaching in Educational Sciences and Teacher Education.

The Faculty conducts research related to human growth, development and learning.

Research encompasses the different stages of the human life cycle, from early childhood to school age, adulthood, professional life and ageing.

Research focuses on:

• Growth, development, learning and teaching
• Educational policies and practices
• Structures of the education system
• Social justice and the significance of education
• Educational cultures and changing conceptions of humanity and knowledge

The Faculty’s strengths include:

• Broad-based theoretical approaches
• Methodological diversity
• Innovation

The Faculty provides:

• Undergraduate education
• Postgraduate education
• Continuing education
• Pedagogical studies required for teacher qualification