Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student), Development of Nanovectors for Cancer Immunotherapy

The University of Eastern Finland is inviting applications for a Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student) position in the field of Development of Nanovectors for Cancer Immunotherapy at the Department of Technical Physics on the Kuopio campus. The position will be filled for a fixed term as from 1 October 2026 (or as agreed) to 31 August 2030.

Please find more information below and submit your application by 7 September 2026.

Role and salary

We are seeking a motivated Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student) to join the Cancer immunotherapy utilizing multifunctional vector technology, PET imaging and metabolic MRI research project, which is funded by the Research Council of Finland. The cross-disciplinary consortium project aims to develop a novel preclinical immunotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The project combines photothermal therapy and radiotherapy to induce immunogenic cell death and enhance the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors. In parallel, the consortium is advancing state-of-the-art PET and MRI methodologies for monitoring therapy-induced cell death in preclinical animal models.

The successful Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student) candidate will contribute to the development of multifunctional nanovectors that integrate the functionalities required for both therapeutic modalities. The development work includes also radiolabelling and characterization of inorganic nanovector systems.

As our new Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student), your responsibilities will include

• conducting research in accordance with the aims of the project
• developing inorganic nanovectors for combining photothermal therapy and radiotherapy
• performing physicochemical characterization of the nanovectors
• evaluating the functionality of the nanovectors in vitro and contributing to in vivo evaluation of the therapy
• coordinating practical activities with the other consortium partner
• reporting and creating high-quality scientific publications
• participating in the writing of funding applications.

The main duty of the Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student) is to conduct research for the doctoral dissertation and to complete postgraduate studies.

The position will be filled for a fixed term as from 1 October 2026 (or as agreed) to 31 August 2030. The position will be filled for a fixed term due to the Doctoral Researcher’s (PhD Student’s) own doctoral dissertation work and studies. A trial period is applied to all new members of the staff.

The salary of the position is determined in accordance with the salary system for Finnish universities. The salary comprises two components: a job-related salary element and a personal salary element. For a Doctoral Researcher (PhD Student), the job-related salary element is based on levels 2–4 of the job requirement level chart for teaching and research staff depending on the stage of the applicant’s doctoral research and postgraduate studies. The personal salary element is 6–50% of the job-related salary element. At the beginning of the employment, the total salary will be approximately EUR 2,710–2,845 /month.

Our requirements and expectations

We require you to

• be eligible for postgraduate studies; i.e., to hold a Master’s degree in materials science, physics, chemistry, biomedicine or a related field, awarded by a university or by a university of applied sciences, or to have completed an applicable study programme abroad which in the awarding country gives eligibility for corresponding postgraduate education
• meet the student admission criteria for the LUMETO doctoral programme (Doctoral Programme in Science, Forestry and Technology, website)
• have a good command of written and spoken English.

Students in the final stages of their Master’s degree may also apply, provided that they complete their degree and deliver a copy of their degree certificate to the faculty by 15 September 2026.

Applicants who do not yet have the right to pursue postgraduate studies at the University of Eastern Finland are not required to apply for study rights at the application stage. If the applicant is selected for the position and applies for postgraduate study rights, the selection will be conditional until the right to pursue postgraduate studies in the faculty’s doctoral programme has been granted. The application for postgraduate study rights is submitted through the Studyinfo (Opintopolku) service.

Other requirements

• good communication skills to facilitate collaboration within the consortium
• ability to work independently to formulate and solve research problems
• strong motivation for science and learning new things.

The following will be considered an advantage

• wide experience in the physiochemical characterization methods of nanomaterials
• previous experience in the development of radiolabeled nanovectors
• experience in working with cells
• knowledge of cancer biology.

Your benefits

You will have access to the university’s staff benefits, including

• the opportunity for flexible multi-location work
• extensive occupational health care
• a broad selection of staff training
• staff discount on lunch in our campus restaurants, as well as on a range of other services
• affordable sports services.

Please read more in the Work at UEF section on our website.

You will have an opportunity to work in meaningful as part of our international, creative, participatory and inclusive academic community.

Enjoy your life in Finland! Known for its cleanliness, welfare know-how, modern technology and superb education system, Finland is an exotic and safe country to work in. Please visit the Life in Finland section on our website to learn more.

How to apply?

Submit your application by using our electronic application form no later than 7 September 2026 by 23:59 (midnight) Finnish time (UTC+3).

Please note that you must include the following appendices in your application

• CV (Template for CV, TENK web page)
• a list of publications (Instructions, Research Council of Finland Web page)
• copies of your academic degree certificates / diplomas, and copies of certificates / diplomas relating to your language proficiency, if not indicated in the academic degree certificates/diplomas
• a transcript of records
• a motivation letter (max. 1 page) in which you describe your interest in the position and research project, your background, as well as your career aspirations and your motivation for engaging in doctoral-level research
• other documents to demonstrate your merits for the position.

If your degree certificate is not in English, Finnish, or Swedish, you must provide official English translations of your degree certificate documents. All translations must be issued by the awarding educational institution or an authorized translator. Each page of the official translation must bear the translator's stamp and/or signature. Official translations must be accurate translations of the original documents. Translations made by the applicants themselves will not be accepted.

Questions?

For further information on the position, please contact Professor Vesa-Pekka Lehto, email: [email protected], tel. +358 29 445 3355.

For further information on the application procedure, please contact HR Specialist Iiris Korhonen, e-mail: [email protected], tel. +358 29 445 8161 or HR Specialist Noora Hämäläinen, e-mail: [email protected], tel. +358 29 445 8302.

Haemme väitöskirjatutkijaa Itä-Suomen yliopistolle. Tehtävä sijoittuu luonnontieteiden, metsätieteiden ja tekniikan tiedekuntaan teknillisen fysiikan laitokselle Kuopion kampukselle. Tehtävä alkaa 1.10.2026 (tai sopimuksen mukaan) ja se täytetään 31.8.2030 saakka. Tehtävässä tehtäväkohtainen palkanosa on vaativuustasoluokittelussa tasoilla 2–4. Lisäksi maksetaan henkilökohtaiseen suoriutumiseen perustuvaa palkanosaa, joka on 6–50 % tehtäväkohtaisesta palkanosasta. Tehtävässä edellytetään hyvää englannin kielen taitoa.​

Lue tarkemmat tiedot tehtävästä ja hakuohjeet yllä olevasta englanninkielisestä ilmoituksesta. Jätäthän hakemuksesi englanniksi. Hakuaika tehtävään päättyy 7.9.2026.

The Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology operates on the Kuopio and Joensuu campuses of the University of Eastern Finland. The mission of the faculty is to carry out internationally recognised scientific research and to offer research-education in the fields of natural sciences, forestry and technology. The faculty invests in all of the strategic research areas of the university. The faculty’s environments for research and learning are international, modern and multidisciplinary. The faculty has approximately 2,650 Bachelor’s and Master’s degree students and some 440 postgraduate students. The number of staff amounts to 650.

The University of Eastern Finland (UEF) is the most multidisciplinary university in Finland. Our university employs approximately 3,200 employees, and our community includes approximately 17,000 degree students and 16,000 adult education students. Our campuses are located in Joensuu and Kuopio. We represent the world’s cutting edge of research in many fields and produce research-based knowledge, which is made openly available to benefit everyone. Learn more about our university at www.uef.fi/en. Read also about UEF as a working community and employer and the career stories of our employees.

1. Vesa-Pekka Lehto, [email protected]