Helsinki Institute of Physics, Centre of Excellence in Neutron-Star Physics
Position ID:
Helsinki Institute of Physics-Centre of Excellence in Neutron-Star Physics-PD2026 [#31173]
Position Title:
Junior/senior postdocs in dense QCD and neutron-star physics
Position Type:
Postdoctoral
Position Location:
University of Helsinki, 00014, Finland
Subject Areas:
Astrophysics / High Energy Astrophysics
High Energy Physics / Quantum chromodynamics
Nuclear astrophysics / Nuclear astrophysics
Theoretical Physics / Theoretical particle physics
High Energy Physics / Quantum chromodynamics
Nuclear astrophysics / Nuclear astrophysics
Theoretical Physics / Theoretical particle physics
Appl Deadline:
2025/12/17 11:59PM
* (posted 2025/11/11, listed until 2026/05/11)
* (posted 2025/11/11, listed until 2026/05/11)Position Description:
*** the listing date or deadline for this position has passed and new applications are no longer accepted. ***
Position Description
The University of Helsinki and the Helsinki Institute of Physics anticipate the opening of at least two postdoctoral-level positions in perturbative thermal field theory and neutron-star physics starting in autumn 2026. The research will be carried out within the newly established Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Neutron-Star Physics (https://neutronstars.fi/), funded by the Research Council of Finland. The CoE status provides us with long-term funding, strong connections to related Finnish and international research groups, and generous resources for research visits and conference travels. The local research team is jointly led by Academy Research Fellow Risto Paatelainen and Professor Aleksi Vuorinen and collaborates closely with those of University Lecturer Niko Jokela (applied holography) and Associate Professor Joonas Nättilä (plasma astrophysics). Through the CoE, we have strong links to the groups of Professors Anu Kankainen and Markus Kortelainen (Jyväskylä) as well as Prof. Juri Poutanen (Turku), and also benefit from proximity to active research groups in gravitational-wave cosmology, BSM phenomenology, and quantum information in Helsinki. Our new fixed-term positions are intended for researchers who will have completed their PhD by autumn 2026, and fall into two categories: 1) Entry-level Postdoctoral Researcher, intended for candidates with no more than three years of postdoctoral experience. The duration of these positions is 2+1 years, with the final year subject to performance. The starting salary is 4,000–4,300€ / month before taxes, depending on the candidate’s experience. 2) University Researcher, intended for more experienced candidates with at least two years of postdoctoral experience and a demonstrated ability to supervise MSc and PhD students. The contract can be made for up to five years by mutual agreement, while the starting salary range is 4,500–5,000€ / month. Competitive candidates are expected to have a demonstrated track record of research excellence in one or more of the following areas: automated multiloop computations in perturbative quantum field theory, thermal field theory, and model-agnostic equation-of-state inference for neutron-star matter. More information concerning our research directions can be found from https://www.mv.helsinki.fi/home/arjvuori/. The University of Helsinki offers internationally competitive employment conditions, including comprehensive occupational healthcare, pension benefits, and generous parental and annual leave policies. The working culture is collaborative, flexible, and family friendly. The University is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion, and welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds. We follow the HEP Theory Postdoc Accord, according to which the earliest answer deadline we may set is 30 January 2026.Application Materials Required:
Submit the following items online at this website to complete your application:
- Cover letter
- Curriculum Vitae
- Research statement
- Publication list
- Reference letter (to be submitted online by the reference writers on this site )
Further Info: