About the opportunity
The Faculty of Science and the Finnish Institute for Molecular Medicine (FIMM), HiLIFE at the University of Helsinki invite applications for a joint (50%:50%) position as a Research Fellow (University Researcher) in AI for Population Health and Genomics. The position is a fixed-term appointment for up to four years, connected to the Sustainable Wellbeing Across Lifespan (SWAN) research initiative. The successful candidate will develop an independent research agenda focusing on methodological innovation and modern AI applications for large-scale biomedical data, working closely with the Ganna Lab at FIMM and the Probabilistic Machine Learning Lab in the Department of Computer Science, with ties to ELLIS Institute Finland.
Salary and benefits
- Monthly gross salary between €4,800 and €6,000, depending on previous experience and qualifications
- Standard Finnish pension benefits and occupational health care
- Access to globally unique data assets, including Finnish longitudinal health records (over 5 billion events) and FinnGen genomic data from over 500,000 participants
- Access to high-performance computing infrastructure, including CSC and the LUMI supercomputer
- Access to university sports facilities, professional development, and language courses
- Relocation support for international staff provided by the International Staff Services office
Who can apply?
- Doctoral degree in artificial intelligence, machine learning, computational statistics, or a related field
- Postdoctoral research experience (typically 2 to 4 years post-PhD)
- Evidence of independent research contributions, potential to lead a research group, research funding acquisition experience, and public engagement
- Proven publication record in top-tier AI/ML venues (such as NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR) and/or prominent biomedical journals (such as Nature Genetics, Nature Medicine, Nature Machine Intelligence)
- Personal research interests aligned with population health, human genetics, and current research groups at the University of Helsinki
- Requirement to reside in Finland during the appointment
Required documents
- Curriculum vitae (in English)
- List of publications (in English)
- Accompanying 2–5-page document covering qualifications for the Research Fellow level and a description of planned research (in English)
- Contact details for two referees (requested only if shortlisted for an interview)
When to apply
- Application closing date: November 16, 2026, at 23:59 Europe/Helsinki time
How to apply
- Access the University of Helsinki Recruitment System via the 'Apply now' button on the official job posting
- Register using a current email address (current University of Helsinki employees must log in via 'Employee login')
- Complete the application form and upload the CV, publication list, and 2–5-page research plan and qualifications document in English
- Submit the application before the closing deadline of November 16, 2026 (23:59 local time in Helsinki)
Additional information
- The appointment is for a maximum fixed-term duration of 4 years, with a starting date as soon as possible
- The position is split 50%:50% between the Faculty of Science and FIMM
- Teaching contributions will comprise up to 5–10% of total annual working time
- A standard probationary period of six months applies to the employment contract
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 to mid-level researchers with 2–4 years of postdoctoral experience who bridge core machine learning methodology with human genetics or healthcare applications
- Researchers eager to leverage massive population-scale datasets, including nationwide electronic health registries and the FinnGen cohort
- Machine learning specialists seeking integration with Europe-wide AI networks like ELLIS and access to world-class supercomputing infrastructure such as LUMI
What should you think carefully about?
- The role requires physical residency in Finland and an on-site presence split between two academic units (Faculty of Science and FIMM)
- The position is strictly fixed-term for a maximum of 4 years rather than a permanent or tenure-track appointment
- A probationary period of six months is mandatory under standard Finnish university contracts
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This appointment provides an ideal platform for an independent postdoctoral researcher to transition into a principal investigator role. Backed by competitive European supercomputing facilities and unmatched nationwide health registries, the fellow can establish an internationally recognized research profile in AI-driven biomedicine while maintaining dual immersion in both foundational computer science and clinical genomics.
Our take
Experienced postdocs in AI and computational biology seeking an independent research fellow role backed by massive population biobanks and top-tier computing infrastructure should strongly consider applying. Those seeking permanent employment or remote international arrangements should look elsewhere.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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