Doctoral Researcher, Visitor monitoring and management in protected and recreational areas: new challenges, novel solutions for the Anthropocene – VIMAS

The Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies, Business School

The Business School of the University of Eastern Finland is pleased to announce a Doctoral Researcher position in the Tourism Business research group. The researcher position is part of the doctoral network “Visitor monitoring and management in protected and recreational areas: new challenges, novel solutions for the Anthropocene – VIMAS”, which is funded through the EU Horizon Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action. The employment at the UEF Business School will (is expected to) begin on 1 May 2024, or as soon as possible thereafter. Read more and submit your application no later than 24 January 2024.

About the position

VIMAS (Visitor monitoring and management in protected and recreational areas: new challenges, novel solutions for the Anthropocene) is a new EU HORIZON-MSCA Doctoral Network. VIMAS will 1) develop new, effective monitoring combining digital and traditional methods, 2) explore how better monitoring contributes to increasing social and economic benefits and reducing unwanted environmental impacts, and 3) develop new, multidimensional governance-relevant indicators, based on collaborative and participatory principles. 

VIMAS aims to provide high-level training to a new generation of high-achieving early-stage researchers to provide them with the scientific and transferable skills necessary for a thriving career in diverse disciplines. This goal will be achieved by a unique combination of ‘hands-on’ research training, non-academic placements, and courses and workshops on scientific and transferable skills facilitated by the academic/non-academic composition of the consortium. A total of 10 doctoral candidates will be engaged in the project. More information of the project is available on the VIMAS website. 

The UEF Business School invites applications for a Doctoral Researcher position that focuses on enhancing competitiveness and sustainability in nature-based tourism, focusing on “the role of reliable customer insight in nature-based service/tourism business”. The selected Doctoral Researcher will work within the Tourism Business research group of the UEF Business School on the Joensuu campus.

The selected candidate will have to apply and be eligible for the Doctoral Programme in Business Studies (DPBUSINESS) at the University of Eastern Finland: https://www.uef.fi/en/degree-programme/doctoral-programme-in-business-studies. The main duty of the Doctoral Researcher is to complete their doctoral degree in accordance with their research proposal and personal study plan. The research proposal for the doctoral programme application will be written with the supervisors before the beginning of the employment period. 

The position will be filled for a fixed term of three years starting in May 2024, or as soon as possible thereafter. A probationary period is applied to all new members of the staff.   

Main duties

The primary goal of the Doctoral Researcher is to examine how visitor data and customer insight can be utilised by nature-based service/tourism companies in their business operations, how the data available correspond to the companies’ needs for knowledge, and how such gained knowledge can help to advance the company and destination competitiveness and sustainability. The Doctoral Researcher will participate in all phases of the research work from fieldwork to publication. 

All PhD candidates recruited by VIMAS will be expected to attend a series of training schools in different countries focusing on both scientific and transferable skills training. During the employment period, the Doctoral Researcher will undertake a planned secondment at the Natural Resources Institute Finland.

Competence and requirements 

Our requirements:

•    Eligibility for the Doctoral Programme of the UEF Business School: https://www.uef.fi/en/degree-programme/doctoral-programme-in-business-studies.
•    A Master’s degree in a relevant scientific field, such as business studies, applied studies in tourism/recreation marketing and/or management, geography, data science, or a related field.
•    Methodological experience in quantitative and qualitative methods and/or skills in conducting mixed methods research.
•    Independence and availability to travel and settle in the countries of the universities participating in the project and to carry out international academic activities.
•    Capability to develop a dissertation research proposal with the supervisors in the project.

Considered as an advantage:

•    Background in research on the utilisation of customer insight in diverse business activities, especially in a nature-based tourism/service context. 
•    Experience in publishing international academic articles.
•    Ability to understand and communicate in Finnish.
•    Good social, communication and writing skills.
•    A proactive, collaborative attitude, and enthusiasm for working and sharing expertise in teams. 
•    Experience in engaging local partners in applied tourism research.
•    A high motivation for and interest in the PhD project.
•    Experience in research fieldwork.’

Candidates must also meet the following criteria:

•    Be in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers.
•    Be of any nationality, but not having resided or carried out their main activity in Finland for more than 1 year in the past 3 years.
•    Have not yet been awarded a PhD degree.

Remuneration and further information

The salary of the position is based on the salary system of MSCA. The salary consists of a living allowance and a mobility allowance. The mobility allowance covers the researcher’s additional, private mobility-related costs (e.g., travel and accommodation costs), not their professional costs under the action, which are covered by the research, training and networking contribution. If the recruited doctoral candidate has or acquires family obligations during the action duration, i.e., persons linked to him/her by (i) marriage, or (ii) a relationship with equivalent status to a marriage recognised by the legislation of the country or region where this relationship was formalised; or (iii) dependent children who are actually being maintained by the researcher, the family allowance must be paid to him/her as well. The salary in this position will be approx. EUR 3,624 /month (without family allowance, which is EUR 548.94 /month).

We offer you:
•    An interesting position in an international, creative, participatory and engaging university community.
•    An excellent salary package.
•    The staff benefits of the University of Eastern Finland, including comprehensive occupational health care, versatile staff training opportunities, affordable campus restaurant lunches, Sykettä sports services, and a tax-free bike benefit.

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 

The applicant must apply separately for 1) the Doctoral Researcher position in the EU-funded Marie Curie Innovative Doctoral Network Programme ‘VIMAS’, and for 2) the doctoral programme of the UEF Business School.

1)    Applications for the VIMAS programme (Doctoral Researcher position), should be submitted by using our electronic application form no later than 24 January 2024 by 24:00  (midnight) Finnish time (UTC +2). The link to the electronic form can be found at the end of this application notice (apply for the job).

Please note that the application is required to include the following attachments:

•    A motivation letter (max. 1 page) that describes the applicant’s motivation to apply for the VIMAS position.
•    A complete CV.
•    Certified copies of academic diplomas and certificates (i.e., Diploma, transcript. Diploma supplement for both the Bachelor’s and the Master’s degree). Diplomas, transcripts and diploma supplements that are not in English must be uploaded in the original language. An English translation of these documents must also be attached.
•    Applicants from universities outside Finland are kindly requested to send a diploma supplement, or a similar document, which describes in detail the study programme and the grading system.
•    Documentation of proficiency in written and oral English in accordance with the doctoral programme eligibility criteria https://www.uef.fi/en/degree-programme/doctoral-programme-in-business-studies.
•    The names and contact details of two references.
•    Additional relevant documentation of professional knowledge (e.g., a list of scientific works). If it is difficult to judge the applicant’s contribution for publications with multiple authors, a short description of the applicant’s contribution must be included.

2)    Applications for the Doctoral Programme of the UEF Business School should be submitted no later than 15 March 2024 by using the online application system, available at https://opintopolku.fi/konfo/en/koulutus/1.2.246.562.13.00000000000000002273 (application period opens 1 March 2024).

The interviews for the position are scheduled for the first week of February 2024. 

Questions? 

For further information on the position and the research topic for which it is offered, please visit www.nmbu.no/en/research/projects/vimas

For further information on the application procedure of the UEF Doctoral Programme, see https://www.uef.fi/en/degree-programme/doctoral-programme-in-business-studies 

For more information you can contact: Associate Professor Henna Konu, UEF Business School, email henna.konu@uef.fi  

Please do not use the e-mail address(es) above for applications.

The mission of the UEF Business School emphasizes cross-disciplinary and internationally acknowledged approaches to research and teaching. Our research also aims to contribute to the development of local business life and the wellbeing of society as a whole. Doctoral studies in business aim to familiarize the student with the research, theories, and research methods in the field in a way that qualifies the students to prepare a doctoral dissertation. Furthermore, students strengthen their knowledge in their specialization fields. 

The Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies operates on two campuses of the University of Eastern Finland – in Joensuu and Kuopio. The faculty trains experts in the fields of history, geography, economics and business administration, law, social sciences, and social and health management. The faculty’s research is closely linked to the research areas identified in the university’s strategy. The faculty has 4,480 Bachelor’s and Master’s degree students and approximately 500 postgraduate students actively pursuing their studies. The faculty has 550 staff members.

The University of Eastern Finland (UEF) is the most multidisciplinary university in Finland. Our university employs approximately 3,200 experts, and our community includes approximately 16,000 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.

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