Postdoctoral Researcher or Project Researcher in Research on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

The Finnish Institute for Educational Research is currently seeking to recruit

A Postdoctoral Researcher or Project Researcher in Research on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education 
starting December 2, 2024 (or as agreed) until August 31, 2026 

The Postdoctoral Researcher/Project Researcher will work in the project  StudyAgent Conceptualising and promoting student agency in university studies  funded by the Research Council of Finland. The research project investigates university students’ agency as a multidimensional construct and analyses the associations of agency with student factors (such as the progress of studies and study success) and pedagogical practices supporting agency in higher education contexts. The StudyAgent project contains a follow-up of changes in student agency across study years among Finnish higher education students of different fields. Data analytics methods developed during the first stages of the project will be used to study student agency. The focus in the present position is on working with quantitative data collected in cross-national research collaboration in Finland, Spain, Belgium, and the USA. 

The duties include research and publication activities comprising data collection with validated scales, statistical analyses, co-writing scientific articles to be published in peer-reviewed journals, participation in scientific conferences, and dissemination. The work will be done in close collaboration with other researchers involved in the project. 

Qualifications we are looking for

Postdoctoral Researcher is required to have a doctoral degree in a relevant field, such as education, psychology, social sciences, or a related discipline, a strong ability for independent scientific work, and good writing and interaction skills in English. The applicant is expected to have skills for conducting statistical analyses, such as structural equation modelling, analyses in longitudinal data, latent profile analyses and comparative analyses in cross-country data, and have the willingness to develop one’s skill in using these methodologies. The applicant is also expected to be willing to develop one’s understanding of the construct of a student agency and apply methodologies (e.g., student agency analytics) to develop tools for the assessment of agency in learning situations. 

Project Researcher is required to have a master's degree in a relevant field, such as education, psychology, social sciences, or a related discipline, and good writing and interaction skills in English. The applicant is expected to have skills for conducting basic statistical analyses, and at least one of the following more advanced statistical methods: structural equation modelling, analyses in longitudinal data, latent profile analyses or comparative analyses in cross-country data, and have the willingness to develop one’s skill in using these methodologies. The applicant is also expected to be willing to develop one’s understanding of the construct of a student agency and apply methodologies (e.g., student agency analytics) to develop tools for the assessment of agency in learning situations.
The duties, qualification requirements, and language skills are stipulated by the University's qualification regulations and language skills guidelines. 
 

What does the University of Jyväskylä offer as an employer? 
At the University of Jyväskylä, you are a recognized member of our community with a unique opportunity to influence international research. You get to participate in our international and multidisciplinary community where the wellbeing of each individual is important. At the University of Jyväskylä, we offer a great and lively campus area with opportunities to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle. To find useful information about the University of Jyväskylä, the City of Jyväskylä and living in Finland, see the University's International Staff Guide. 

The salary for a Postdoctoral Researcher will be approximately 3600-4100 EUR/month (gross income) depending on the candidate's qualifications and experience.

The salary for a Project Researcher will be approximately 3200-3500 EUR/month (gross income) depending on the candidate's qualifications and experience.

A trial period of six months will be used at the beginning of employment. 
 

How to apply  
Please attach the following documents to the online application in English as PDF files:  

1. CV, including personal ORCID ID (a template from The Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity is preferred) 

2. A motivation/cover letter highlighting your match to the project’s topic and experience in using statistical research methods (free form, 1-2 pages)  

3. A numbered list of scientific publications and other publications showing the applicant’s ability and merits using the guidelines of the Research Council of Finland 

4. Degree certificate (highest degree, a PDF copy/picture)

5. Names and contact information of 1-3 referees (other attachment) 

 
For further information, please contact the project leader, Doc. Dr. Päivikki Jääskelä, paivikki.jaaskela@jyu.fi