Postdoctoral Researcher in The Peshitta of Jeremiah

The Faculty of Theology at the University of Helsinki invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher in the project Jeremiah for the 21st Century.

The Faculty of Theology in the University of Helsinki is searching for Postdoctoral Researcher for a period of 2 years for the Academy of Finland funded research project Jeremiah for the 21st Century (PI: Dr. Miika Tucker) to carry out research connected to:

• The Peshitta version of Jeremiah
• Textual criticism of the Book of Jeremiah

The research will be related to Tucker's project on the critical editions of Jeremiah for the series Biblia Hebraica Quinta and The Hebrew Bible: A Critical Edition. The project aims at establishing the closest-to-original text of the book of Jeremiah.

The researcher in Jeremiah for the 21st Century will work in close collaboration with the PI. The duties of the researcher include:

• Collation and text-critical analysis of the Peshitta version of Jeremiah, including assessment of the Peshitta readings in comparison with the readings in the Masoretic text and the Septuagint.
• Sharing and processing the textual data on an electronic platform.
• Publishing their analytical findings on the text(s) they study in first-rate journals.
• Teaching and related duties in the Faculty of Theology (5-10%).

Doing research in Jeremiah for the 21st Century will offer a chance for inspiring, creative teamwork in a modern, research-oriented institution in the heart of Helsinki. The researcher will develop their expertise in the field of textual studies of the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament.

Requirements for the position and assessment of qualifications

According to the Regulations of the University of Helsinki, an appointee to the position of postdoctoral researcher shall hold a doctoral degree and have the ability to conduct independent scholarly work as well as the teaching skills necessary for the position.

Applicants are expected to have a Ph.D. degree in biblical studies or a related field in ancient/classical philology. The following skills are necessary:

• Excellent skills in Syriac and in Biblical Hebrew
• Good command of ancient Greek
• Experience in the study of textual criticism / textual history of the Hebrew Bible
• Good English language written and oral communication skills.

Skills or experience in any of the following is considered an advantage: knowledge of the textual history of the Septuagint; experience in text-critical work on any ancient document; and experience in Computer Science or Digital Humanities.

What we offer

The position will be filled for 2 years, starting January 2025 at the earliest, and September 2025 at the latest. The salary for the position will be based on level 5 of the job requirement scheme for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, the appointee will be paid a salary component based on personal performance. The annual gross salary is €42,000 - €46,000. The position will be filled with a six-month trial period.

In Finnish universities, the teaching and research staff (app. 65% of total staff) have a special system regarding the free time equivalent to holiday. They belong to the 1,612 annual working hour system, in which the annual amount of paid holiday is app. 5-6 weeks on average per year.

The University of Helsinki offers comprehensive services to its employees, including occupational health care and health insurance, sports facilities, and opportunities for professional development. The University provides support for internationally recruited employees with their transition to work and life in Finland. For more on the University of Helsinki as an employer, please see https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers.

How to apply

The application must be accompanied by the following documents in PDF format:

• A curriculum vitae
• A list of publications.
• Certificate of Ph.D. degree
• A letter of motivation (max. 3 pages), describing the applicant's research experience, such as activities in the scholarly community, success in obtaining research funding and international research experience (for example academic portfolio)
• A free form report (max 2 pages) on the candidates teaching merits (for example academic portfolio)
• Names and contact details for two references

Further information about academic portfolios is available on our website.

Applications must be submitted through the University of Helsinki electronic recruitment system by clicking on the link below. Current employees of the University of Helsinki must submit their applications through SAP Fiori's Suffeli recruitment portal. The University of Helsinki welcomes applicants from a variety of genders, linguistic and cultural backgrounds, and minorities.

The closing date for applications is 10th of October 2024 at 23.59 (local Helsinki time).

Further information about the position can be obtained from Academy Research Fellow Miika Tucker ([email protected]). Further information about the recruitment process can be obtained from HR Specialist Reeta Korhonen ([email protected]).