Postdoctoral Researcher in Legal History
Explore the legal history of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance through archival research and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Best for:Best for postdoctoral researchers with a PhD in history, law, or related disciplines, specializing in legal history, memory studies, or archival research, and interested in interdisciplinary collaboration on Holocaust memory and European legal history.
Overview
This postdoctoral position at the University of Helsinki’s Faculty of Law focuses on the legal history of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), investigating its formation, working methods, and legal influence. The successful candidate will contribute to the EU-funded project *MORALMEM*, which critically examines how the IHRA has shaped Holocaust memory in Europe. The role involves independent research, co-authoring academic work, organizing conferences, public outreach, and limited teaching duties. The position is ideal for scholars with expertise in legal history, memory studies, and archival research, offering a unique opportunity to engage with a multidisciplinary team and advance knowledge on a politically charged historical topic.
What you'll do
- Develop and publish single-authored peer-reviewed journal articles and co-authored academic works in collaboration with the project PI and other researchers.
- Conduct independent and collaborative research on the legal history of the IHRA, focusing on its formation, working methods, and legal influence.
- Organize and participate in international conference panels, workshops, and seminars related to the project’s themes.
- Engage in public outreach activities to disseminate research findings to broader audiences.
- Teach and co-teach undergraduate courses, as well as supervise student projects within the Faculty of Law.
- Contribute to the research community by participating in faculty events and collaborative projects.
- Develop a research plan aligned with the project’s objectives, methodological, and theoretical frameworks.
Requirements
Degree required: Doctoral degree in history, law, or a related discipline, with the PhD diploma acquired by the start date of employment.
Language: English proficiency at a level suitable for academic research and teaching; Swedish language skills are preferred but not mandatory.
Instruction: English
- Ability to conduct independent scholarly research and publish in peer-reviewed journals.
- Proven experience in archival research, including the use of digital archives (e.g., Zenodo).
- Familiarity with critical approaches in history, law, legal history, and memory studies.
- Strong written and oral communication skills in English.
- Experience in organizing academic events and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams.
- PhD diploma must be acquired by the first day of employment.
- The period since completion of the doctoral degree must not exceed five years, excluding family leave or equivalent periods of absence.
- Applicant must reside in Finland during the employment period.
- Teaching and related duties (5-10% of workload) are part of the position.
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: 2026-10-30 (Europe/Helsinki)
Applicants must submit their application through the University of Helsinki’s electronic recruitment system. The application must include a letter of motivation (max. 1 page), a CV (max. 2 pages), a numbered list of publications (with two key publications marked in bold), and a research plan (max. 2 pages). No additional documents are required at this stage.
- Letter of motivation (max. 1 page)
- Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)
- Numbered list of publications (with two key publications marked in bold)
- Research plan (max. 2 pages)
Contact
Karolina Stenlund· Principal Investigator (PI) of the MORALMEM project
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