Doctoral Researcher in Anthropology (Marie-Curie Doctoral Network MITIME)

We are now looking for a Doctoral Researcher in Anthropology to join the Department of Cultural Anthropology, located within the Faculty of Humanities. This position is one of four Oulu-based doctoral researcher positions working on MITIME (“Entanglements of Migration and Time in Post-industrial Urban Europe”). MITIME is an EU-funded (MSCA-DN) doctoral programme focusing on temporal dimensions of migration, inequality, and urban life in post-industrial Europe. It offers international, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral training to 15 recruited doctoral researchers across seven partnered European universities. For more information on MITIME, click here . About the job As a doctoral researcher on MITIME, you will conduct original, interdisciplinary research at the intersection of migration, temporality, and labour, leading to a PhD thesis in Cultural Anthropology. The provisional title of this project is ‘Imagining and Representing Urban Pasts and Futures.’ The project explores how histories and legacies of industrialisation and de-industrialisation, alongside past and present labour migration, shape experiences and imaginaries of post-industrial urban landscapes in Europe. Focusing on a post-industrial setting in Finland and/or Germany, the research will examine how industrial change and shifting urban labour markets shape migrants’ experiences of settlement, belonging, and home-making, as well as processes of urban redevelopment and place-branding. Possible research directions might include, for example, how histories of labour and migration intersect with urban development; how migrants build relationships with local communities and urban labour markets over time; how different understandings of belonging, mobility and temporality shape visions about urban futures; and how municipal and regional actors seek to attract and retain newcomers. Projects may also explore different perspectives and knowledge systems (including Indigenous, translocal, and gender-diverse approaches). The doctoral project is expected to combine multimodal ethnography (such as interviews, participant observation, and arts-based methods) with critical discourse analysis (of materials such as policy documents and branding initiatives). As part of the MITIME Doctoral Network, you will undertake two secondments. At the City of Oulu, you will investigate policies and initiatives relating to labour migration, urban development, and sustainability; at Ruhr University Bochum, you will work with your co-supervisor on policy analysis and mobile methods for documenting the social geographies of migration, labour, and societal change. Fieldwork is expected to focus primarily on Oulu, Finland, and/or Bochum, Germany. However, applicants may propose alternative case-study locations where they can clearly demonstrate their relevance to the project’s research objectives. The project will be supervised by Prof. Roger Norum (University of Oulu) and Dr. Katrin Menke (Ruhr University Bochum, Germany). What we offer Work that matters and a workplace that promotes flexibility and work-life balance. Read more about working with us. Finland is one of the most livable countries in the world, with a high quality of life, safety, and an excellent education system. Read more about living in Oulu . Our Buddy Programme and Spouse Network support you and your family in settling into Oulu. Wellness benefit ePassi covering sport, culture, and well-being. Read more about other staff benefits here. We have an HR Excellence in Research -quality label, which is a recognition awarded by the European Commission for the development of researchers’ working conditions and careers. Programme benefits A prestigious Marie-Curie position within a dynamic network of universities and societal partners in migration and urban studies. A comprehensive training programme combining courses in theory and method, with transferable skills. Joint supervision by leading academic experts with interdisciplinary guidance and intellectual support. International and intersectoral secondments with non-academic and institutional partners across Europe. Strong career-development opportunities across academic, public, and private sectors. Structured mentoring, leadership training, and professional development. A competitive MSCA salary with mobility and family allowances, and, where applicable, special-needs support. Who are you? We welcome applications from highly motivated candidates with a demonstrated capacity for independent and collaborative research and a strong interest in the interdisciplinary study of migration, temporality, and urban inequality. In order to succeed and most benefit from the position, you are expected to demonstrate the following: A strong commitment to conducting interdisciplinary and collaborative research in international and cross-sectoral contexts. The ability to take initiative, manage research tasks responsibly, and work both independently and as part of a team. T