Researcher in Social Sciences

University of Helsinki

Institution: University of Helsinki

Unit: Swedish School of Social Sciences

Employment Type: Fixed-term (3.5 years)

Start Date: 1 October 2026

Application Deadline: 10 August 2026 (23:59 Helsinki time)

Position ID: 5080

Position Overview

The Swedish School of Social Sciences at the University of Helsinki invites applications for the position of:

Doctoral Researcher in the Social Sciences

The appointment is for a fixed-term period of 3.5 years, beginning 1 October 2026.

The position is part of the MAPS: Mapping Fragmented Labour in the Platformised Service Sector through Migrant Epistemologies project, funded by the Research Council of Finland and led by Dr. Olivia Maury.

Research Project

MAPS: Mapping Fragmented Labour in the Platformised Service Sector through Migrant Epistemologies

The MAPS project aims to understand the growing influence of digital platforms in transforming service labour through the perspective of migration.

The project addresses the transformation of work characterised by:

  • Fragmented temporary employment.

  • Multiple job holding.

  • Taskification of work into short-term gigs.

  • Increasingly blurred boundaries between paid and unpaid labour.

By focusing on migrants' experiences, the project challenges nationally bounded understandings of work and assumptions about permanent employment, offering new perspectives on how platformisation reshapes labour in the service sector.

The research is based on ethnographic fieldwork among migrant workers and within the platform ecosystem in Finland. It examines:

  • How labour evolves in data-driven environments.

  • How hierarchical power structures influence labour agency.

  • How platformisation creates new forms of exploitation and extraction.

About the Position

The successful applicant will undertake a doctoral research project within the broader MAPS project.

While the proposed research should align with the project's main themes, applicants are encouraged to develop approaches that reflect their own expertise and scholarly interests.

The primary responsibilities include:

  • Conducting independent doctoral research at the intersection of:

    • Critical migration studies.

    • Sociology of work.

    • Platform labour studies in Finland.

  • Contributing to the development of innovative ethnographic research methods for studying platformised service labour.

  • Investigating both:

    • Migrant workers' lived experiences.

    • The finance-technology nexus of platform companies.

  • Completing an article-based PhD based on the project's empirical material.

  • Participating in:

    • Project communication.

    • Organisation of project events.

    • Other project-related duties.

  • Teaching duties of up to 5% of annual working time.

Qualifications

Applicants should:

  • Hold a Master's degree in a field relevant to the research topic, such as:

    • Sociology.

    • Human Geography.

    • Cultural Studies.

    • Social and Cultural Anthropology.

    • Other related disciplines.

  • Demonstrate the ability, motivation, and independence required for doctoral studies through previous academic achievements or other relevant experience.

  • Have secured the right to pursue a doctoral degree at the University of Helsinki by the beginning of the appointment, or obtain this right within the six-month probationary period.

Preferred Expertise

Expertise in one or more of the following areas is considered an advantage:

  • Tech-finance, platformisation and digitalisation.

  • Critical migration studies and decolonial theory.

  • Migration and labour from the perspective of legal theory or law.

Selection Criteria

Applicants will be evaluated based on:

  • Application documents.

  • Interview performance.

The successful candidate should demonstrate:

  • Excellent analytical skills.

  • Excellent academic writing skills in English.

  • Strong motivation to conduct independent research on the platformisation of service labour in Finland.

The appointed researcher is expected to reside in Finland during the employment period.

Employment Conditions

The position includes:

  • Standard Finnish pension benefits.

  • Occupational health care.

  • A probationary period of six months.

Application Instructions

Applications must be submitted through the University of Helsinki Recruitment System using the Apply Now button.

Applicants should register using their current email address.

Current University of Helsinki employees may apply through the Employee Login option.

Required Application Documents

Please submit the following documents as PDF files:

  1. Motivation Letter (maximum 1 page) describing:

    • Your interest in the project.

    • Your academic background.

    • Your suitability for the position.

  2. Research Plan (maximum 2 pages, including bibliography).

  3. Curriculum Vitae (CV).

Detailed guidance regarding the CV format is available on the University's website.

Recruitment Schedule

  • Application Deadline: 10 August 2026 (23:59 Helsinki time)

  • Interviews: During August 2026

  • Employment Start Date: 1 October 2026

Further Information

For questions regarding the position, please contact:

Dr. Olivia Maury

E-mail: olivia.maury@helsinki.fi

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The University of Helsinki is committed to promoting a diverse, equitable and inclusive study and work environment.

Qualified applicants from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Information about accessibility and inclusivity at the University is available through the University's website.

Applicants are also welcome to share this vacancy within their professional networks and mailing lists.

Position Information

  • Position: Doctoral Researcher in the Social Sciences

  • Institution: University of Helsinki

  • Unit: Swedish School of Social Sciences

  • Sub-unit: Swedish School of Social Sciences

  • Employment Type: Fixed-term (3.5 years)

  • Start Date: 1 October 2026

  • Application Deadline: 10 August 2026 (23:59 Europe/Helsinki time)

  • Position ID: 5080

Working for the World

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