Wanted: Grant-Funded Researcher (Doctoral Candidate or PostDoc), 12 months

The Future Sustainable Food Systems research group is seeking for a doctoral candidate or postdoctoral researcher for a year fixed-term scholarship.

Grant-Funded Researcher (Doctoral Candidate or PostDoc), 12 months

Environmental sustainability assessment of incorporating cellular agriculture in sustainable farming systems 

The Future Sustainable Food Systems research group (University of Helsinki), led by HELSUS Assoc. Prof. Hanna Tuomisto, is seeking for a doctoral candidate or postdoctoral researcher for a year fixed-term scholarship. The research scholar will join a project funded by the Finnish Cultural Foundation: "Transforming agriculture with agroecological symbiosis combined with cellular agriculture - Environmental impacts and perceptions of farmers and consumers”

The project explores the possibilities of improving the environmental sustainability of food production through new technologies. This position focuses on the modelling of environmental benefits that can be achieved by moving to sustainable farming practices. The aim is to model environmental benefits and disadvantages that can be achieved by converting conventional farming to agroecological symbiosis that utilises agroecological farming practices, biogas production and cellular agriculture. Cellular agriculture means the use of cell-culturing technologies for the production of food and materials. The focus of the research is on cultured meat and proteins synthesised by microbes. The environmental impacts will be modelled by using life cycle assessment (LCA).

The grant-funded researcher have to hold a relevant master or doctoral degree (e.g. in environmental sciences, biology, agriculture, natural sciences, data science or engineering) and have good English language skills. Strong quantitative skills are essential.

The grant is approximately € 2000 / month for a doctoral candidate and € 2500 / month for a postdoctoral researcher. The applicants should read the documentation related to the pension and insurance as these will affect the net amount of the grant. The University will provide working space in Helsinki or Mikkeli. In addition to the Future Sustainable Food Systems -research group, the grant-funded researcher will be affiliated to Ruralia Institute.

The application consists of the following documents in a single pdf-file:

  • A cover letter explaining the applicant’s motivation for the research work and a short research plan (e.g. approach, research materials and methods) (up to 3 pages)
  • Curriculum vitae showing the applicant's education, completed qualifications, work experience, possible list of publications and contact information of 2 persons for references
  • Copies of Doctoral, Master's and Bachelor's degree certificates and official transcripts of the records, and their translations, if the originals are not in Finnish, Swedish or English
  • A proof of proficiency in Finnish, Swedish or English, if the applicant is not a native speaker or educated in any of them

Send the application to hanna.tuomisto@helsinki.fi by 8.2.2021

For more information, please contact: Associate Professor Hanna Tuomisto, hanna.tuomisto@helsinki.fi

Future Sustainable Food Systems –research group: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/researchgroups/future-sustainable-food-systems

Ruralia Institute: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/ruralia-institute

Grant recipient's statutory pension and work accident insurance: https://www.mela.fi/en/grant-and-scholarship-recipients/

Taxpayer Taxation: https://www.vero.fi/en/individuals/tax-cards-and-tax-returns/income/earned-income/grants/