FINCA Postdoctoral Researcher Positions

The Finnish Centre for Astronomy with ESO (FINCA) is a national research institute in Finland, with its headquarters within the University of Turku (UTU) campus.  Turku is a historic city in the South-West of Finland on the Baltic Sea and the picturesque Aland archipelago.  FINCA takes care of Finnish co-operation with the European Southern Observatory (ESO), and practises and co-ordinates multi-wavelength astronomical research with all Finnish universities in the field, and participates in researcher training. FINCA is involved in ESO-related technological development work being a full member in the MICADO consortium building a first-light instrument on ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope, ELT.  FINCA is a partner also in ELT/MOSAIC, and has been an active partner in the SOXS instrument recently installed at ESO/NTT. All these involvements include guaranteed time. FINCA plays an active role in the support of the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT) on the Canary Islands, for which all Finland-based astronomers have direct access to, and FINCA researchers also utilize the Metsähovi Radio Observatory at Aalto University.

Applications are invited for postdoctoral researcher positions at FINCA, in particular to work on ESO-related research and activities.  Note that the incumbents can be based in any of the participating universities of FINCA around Finland, namely Aalto, Helsinki, Oulu, or Turku, while UTU will be the formal employer. The start of employment is flexible and negotiable, within the calendar year 2026. Appointments, of which there will be 2-3, are made for a period of three years.

FINCA’s postdoctoral researchers are free to pursue their own independent research in an area related to FINCA’s main research themes, and active areas in the participating universities: please explore links of the relevant departments at Aalto, Helsinki, Oulu, and Turku). Researchers are also expected to supervise undergraduate or (post)graduate students at their host university, and are encouraged to participate in teaching. Areas of research cover a large range in contemporary astronomy, from observational cosmology, active galaxies, and galaxy formation and evolution, through studies of the structure, kinematics, stellar populations and star formation of nearby galaxies, to astrophysical transients, supernovae and their host galaxies, compact binaries, stellar magnetic activity, interstellar medium and star formation, and Solar System and planetary studies. Aligning with FINCA’s mandate, research strengthening Finland’s utilisation of ESO facilities is prioritised, observational work in particular, but also including suitable theoretical work. Applicants with an interest in instrumentation development are especially encouraged to apply.

The positions require a PhD in astronomy or a closely related subject. Experience and background in observational astronomy is essential, and experience with large international facilities, and with ESO in particular, are an advantage. The applicant must have completed all requirements for their doctorate before the application deadline, but no more than five years before that date. Relevant personal circumstances, such as parental leaves, are taken into account in determining the five-year limit.