Doctoral Researcher (Precision Cancer Medicine), 10 Positions

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The Doctoral Education Pilot in Precision Cancer Medicine (iCAN flagship) is looking for Doctoral Researchers. Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship for Discoveries and Improved Treatments (iCAN) has established a multifaceted platform enabling integration of rich molecular information on tumors with complex longitudinal patient health data. The aim of the flagship is to obtain a new level of understanding of cancer in the context of the host and to identify new targets and opportunities for improved treatments.

Job description

We are looking for 10 Doctoral Researchers in the field of precision cancer medicine.

Successful candidates will pursue a doctoral degree at Tampere University. The positions are full-time and for three years, during which doctoral studies are expected to be completed.

Requirements

To qualify for these positions, the candidates need to have a Master’s degree (or equivalent eligibility for doctoral studies) from an applicable field (e.g. bioinformatics, molecular biology, biotechnology, biomedicine, genetics, medicine) completed on 31 October 2024, at the latest (see doctoral study right requirement below). Demonstrated (during studies towards the Master’s degree or otherwise) competence and motivation to pursue postgraduate studies is required. Please be prepared to provide proof of your merits when requested.

This call is intended for new doctoral students. The successful candidates need to be accepted to study towards a doctoral degree in the Doctoral Programme in Medicine, Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering before the start of employment. Please visit the admissions webpage https://www.tuni.fi/en/study-with-us/doctoral-programme-medicine-biosciences-and-biomedical-engineering for more information on the eligibility requirements. Doctoral students who have already obtained the study right for a doctoral degree at Tampere University after 1 November 2023 are still eligible to apply for these positions.

The positions require working full-time in Tampere, Finland, for the time of the employment. The chosen candidates need to have the required permits for working in Finland before starting the employment (depending on the nationality of the candidate, e.g. residence permit in Finland). 

The positions require fluent written and spoken skills in English.

Tampere University is a unique, multidisciplinary and boldly forward-looking, evolving community. Our values are openness, diversity, responsibility, courage, critical thinking, erudition/ Bildung, and learner-centredness. It is important that the candidates embrace these values and promote them in their work.

Scientific themes and doctoral research projects

The research projects offered fall under three broad themes: 

1) Development and application of genomic and other high-throughput characterization methods as well as data analysis and AI approaches in precision cancer medicine

• Including e.g. the analysis of single cell, spatial, and long-read sequencing data, tumor evolution and microenvironment research as well as computational method and AI model development

2) Functional characterization of molecular drivers and cancer models in precision cancer medicine

• Including e.g. organoid models, tumor tissue explant models, and genome editing

3) Clinical translation, including methods for early detection, diagnosis and communicating hereditary origin

• Including e.g. innovative clinical trials, the develoment of sensitive and specific assays, and AI models

The research projects will be collaborative and the research will be performed within the research groups participating in the pilot, see https://www.tuni.fi/fi/tutkimus/ican. The specific details of the project will be formulated to reflect the interests of the selected candidates. Please indicate your research group preference (1-2) in your application.

The selection criteria and process

Candidates are selected based on the level of promise and merit, which will be evaluated on the basis of the professional and research merits and prior studies, as well as the statement of research interests. In addition, top candidates will be interviewed to evaluate their expertise, maturity of their scientific thinking, and motivation. Prospective career trajectories, i.e. combination of the candidate and the project in the development of expertise, will also be taken into account.

Weoffer

The position will be filled for a fixed-term period of three years. The starting date is 1 January 2025, but the work towards doctoral degree can also be initiated sooner as mutually agreed. A trial period of six (6) months applies to all our new employees.

The salary will be based on both the job requirements and the employee’s personal performance in accordance with the salary system of Finnish universities. According to the criteria applied to teaching and research staff, the position of a Doctoral Researcher is placed on level 2-4 of the job requirements scale. A typical starting salary for a Doctoral Researcher is approximately 2,600-2,900 EUR/month. The salary increases based on experience and the progress of doctoral studies.

We are inviting you to be a part of a vibrant, active and truly international research community. We value interdisciplinarity, as it allows you to expand your research network and exposes you to new perspectives and ideas to solve complex research problems and pursue novel research findings. We are strongly committed to the highest level of scientific research and the provision of high-quality doctoral education. 

As a member of staff at Tampere University, you will enjoy a range of competitive benefits, such as occupational health care services, flexible work schedule, versatile research infrastructure, modern teaching facilities and a safe and inviting campus area, a variety of affordable cafeterias/ campus restaurants on our campuses as well as a personal fund to spend on sports and cultural activities in your free time. Please read more about working at Tampere University. You can also find more information about us and working and living Tampere by watching our video: Tampere Higher Education Community - our academic playground.  

Finland is among the most stable, free and safest countries in the world, based on prominent ratings by various agencies. Finland is one of the world's best countries to work and live in. 

Tampere is the largest inland city of Finland, and the city is counted among the major academic hubs in the Nordic countries. Tampere region is the most rapidly growing urban area in Finland and home to a vibrant knowledge-intensive entrepreneurial community. The city is an industrial powerhouse that enjoys a rich cultural scene and a reputation as a centre of Finland’s information society. Tampere is also surrounded by vivid nature with forests and lakes, providing countless opportunities for easy-to-access outdoor adventures and refreshment throughout the year. 

We will offer you relocation service package from an external service provider to help you settle in Tampere.

Read more about Finland and Tampere: 

• Visit Finland
• This is Finland
• Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment: Welcome to Finland
• Visit Tampere
• Welcome to Tampere
• International House Tampere

Howtoapply

Please submit your application through our online recruitment system. The closing date for applications is 1 April, 2024 (23:59 EEST / UTC +3). Please write your application and all the accompanying documentation in English and attach them in PDF format.

In the application, please specify which research themes you are primarily interested in and whether you would also be interested in the other themes in this call. Please also indicate your research group preference (1-2) in your application.

Please attach only the following documents to your application: 

• A letter of motivation and description of your research interests within the research gheme(s) and your research group(s) preference (max. 2 page(s))
• Curriculum vitae according to the TENK template
• PDF copy of your MSc and BSc degree (or similar) certificates, including transcripts of all university records and their English translations (Finnish and Swedish certificates are also accepted). 

For further information, please contact:

Professor Matti Nykter, matti.nykter@tuni.fi, tel. +358 50 318 6869