About the opportunity
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network INFLUENCE (‘Legacies, Interdependencies, Power: Russian Influences in the European Periphery’), funded under Horizon Europe, unites five European universities to investigate Russian influence across political science, international relations, area studies, and political economy. Based at the Aleksanteri Institute within the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Helsinki, this individual doctoral project, titled ‘Teaching Authoritarianism: Russia’s Role in Promoting Illiberal Governance,’ investigates the diffusion and adaptation of Russian-inspired illiberal governance models across European political contexts. The appointed doctoral candidate will benefit from international joint supervision, comprehensive methodology and transferable skills training, and mandatory secondments lasting at least six months across academic and non-academic consortium partners.
Salary and benefits
- 36-month full-time Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions employment contract
- Monthly gross living allowance of €3,639.85 before taxes
- Monthly mobility allowance of €546.15 before taxes
- Conditional monthly family allowance of €507.69 before taxes (if applicable)
- Standard Finnish occupational health care and statutory pension benefits
- Relocation guidance and arrival support via University of Helsinki
- Comprehensive doctoral training, joint international supervision, and at least 6 months of external research secondments
Who can apply?
- Must hold a relevant Master's degree or equivalent qualification formally entitling the applicant to embark on a doctorate at the time of application
- Must not have been awarded a doctoral degree
- Open to candidates of any nationality, subject to the MSCA mobility rule
- MSCA Mobility Rule: applicants must not have resided or conducted their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Finland for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately preceding October 1, 2027
- Excellent proficiency in the English language
- Willingness to travel for academic and non-academic partner secondments, network training events, and conferences
- Must gain doctoral study rights and acceptance into a University of Helsinki doctoral program by the conclusion of the 6-month probationary period
Required documents
- Cover letter
- Prospective research proposal outlining interest and approach to the specific doctoral project
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Master's degree certificates and official academic transcripts
When to apply
- Call opened: October 12, 2026
- Application deadline: December 15, 2026, at 23:59 Europe/Helsinki time
- Shortlisting of candidates: February 2027
- Interviews with shortlisted candidates: February to March 2027
- Final results communicated: by April 30, 2027
- Contract and employment start date: October 1, 2027
How to apply
- Prepare all required application documents (cover letter, research proposal, CV, certificates, transcripts) in PDF format
- Access the official University of Helsinki Recruitment System through the vacancy posting
- Complete the online application form and upload all required PDF attachments
- Submit the completed application prior to December 15, 2026, at 23:59 Europe/Helsinki time
Additional information
- The position is based at the Aleksanteri Institute, Faculty of Humanities, University of Helsinki (Job ID: 5250)
- A standard six-month probationary employment period applies
- The doctoral research plan and program admission application will be finalized in collaboration with the supervisor during the initial months of employment
- INFLUENCE network university partners include Vilnius University, University of Glasgow, University of Helsinki, University of Sarajevo, and University of Warsaw
- Knowledge of Russian or languages of the Baltic States and Western Balkans is beneficial for project work
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- Early-career political scientists, sociologists, or area studies graduates holding an eligible Master's degree who focus on autocratisation, illiberalism, and European-Russian relations
- Researchers possessing language proficiencies in Russian or regional languages of Eastern and Southeastern Europe that facilitate qualitative and empirical fieldwork
- Scholars eager to undertake extensive international mobility, cross-sectoral policy secondments, and joint inter-university supervision
What should you think carefully about?
- Strict EU MSCA mobility requirements strictly bar candidates who have lived, worked, or studied in Finland for more than 12 months between October 2024 and October 2027
- The role requires relocating to Helsinki, followed by mandatory external research stays abroad totaling at least six months
- Appointees must independently qualify for and secure formal admission to a University of Helsinki doctoral program within their initial six-month probationary period
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This fellowship serves as an ideal launchpad for an aspiring academic or policy expert aiming to build high-level expertise in democratic backsliding, Russian foreign policy, and comparative governance. Beyond completing a PhD dissertation under an internationally funded framework, the doctoral candidate gains direct policy engagement through non-academic secondments and deep immersion across five prominent European research centers.
Our take
This opportunity is exceptionally suited to internationally mobile Master's graduates aiming for a well-funded, policy-relevant doctoral degree in European political dynamics, but it is unsuitable for individuals who already hold a PhD or those who cannot fulfill the strict cross-border mobility criteria.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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