Professor or tenure track position in commercial law

Åbo Akademi University is an internationally acknowledged research university with an extensive responsibility for providing education in Swedish in Finland. With its strong Nordic ties, Åbo Akademi University has an acclaimed and recognized position within research and education both nationally and internationally. 

Åbo Akademi University (ÅAU) invites applications to the position as Professor, Associate Professor or Assistant Professor in Commercial Law within the tenure track system of ÅAU. The employment begins on 1 August 2025, or as agreed. The position is located in Turku, Finland.

The position is situated at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Business and Economics, and Law. The Faculty provides education in business administration, social sciences, and law. At Åbo Akademi University you may study Law (in Swedish) within the Degree Programme in Law and the Master’s Programme in Law as well as pursue doctoral studies.

The recruitment is encompassed by the ÅAU tenure track system. Depending on the experience and competence, the employee can be appointed as professor, associate professor on level two or assistant professor on level one within the tenure track system. An employment as associate professor or assistant professor is fixed term and offers the appointee an opportunity to advance to the following tenure track level and permanent employment as professor.

WORK DESCRIPTION AND QUALIFICATIONS

The person appointed shall conduct scientific research and teach in the field of commercial law. The tasks include obtaining research funding and participating in national, Nordic and international cooperation within the field of activity, as well as contributing to the faculty's overall research environment. The tasks include project management and responsibility for the development of teaching within the field of activity, supervision at all levels of education and administrative tasks. The focus of the tasks depends on the career level of the employment.  

A Professor shall carry out scientific research, provide research-based tuition, follow developments in science, participate in societal interaction, and in national and international cooperation within one’s field of responsibility in accordance with the Universities Act (558/2009). The tasks to be performed by an assistant professor and associate professor primarily involve the deepening and expanding of their research competence. Tenure track researchers are  required to contribute to teaching and supervision no more than one third of their working hours. 

A professor is required to have a doctoral degree in the field of law, to possess solid scientific competence along with the ability to provide qualitative, research-based instruction and supervision, the ability to lead research projects and raise funding for research, experience in international research, and collaborative and leadership skills.

An Assistant Professor (Level 1) is required to hold a doctoral degree in the field of law. As a rule, the time elapsed since receiving the doctoral degree should not exceed four years. Moreover, teaching skills are required.

An Associate Professor (Level 2) is required to hold a doctoral degree in the field of law as well as possess solid experience in research, the potential to lead research groups and raise funding for research, and experience in international research. Moreover, teaching skills are required.

Detailed information about the position, the qualification and evaluation criteria and the recruitment process are found in the appointment plan: https://web.abo.fi/befattningar/2024/Appointment_plan_Professor_Commercial_law.pdf 

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

The language requirements at Åbo Akademi University are defined in Section 78 of the University Act (558/2009) and in § 1 and 2 the Åbo Akademi University internal language instructions (25.2.2010) (only in Swedish).

The administrative language of Åbo Akademi is Swedish. Instruction in law is given in Swedish and English. For a teaching position, excellent proficiency in Swedish (written and oral) and sufficient proficiency in Finnish is required of native Finnish citizens. A foreigner or a non-native Finnish citizen must demonstrate such skills in Swedish that is required for successful performance of the position. In addition, excellent oral and written knowledge of English is necessary for managing the duties of the position successfully.

Applicants that have not yet a certificate of their Swedish language skills can demonstrate their skills and, if necessary, take a language test arranged by the ÅAU Language Board. For instructions regarding demonstration of Swedish language skills, please see https://www.abo.fi/om-abo-akademi/jobba-hos-oss/information-om-sprakkunskapskrav-for-sokande-till-undervisningsbefattningar/ (only in Swedish).

SALARY AND WORKING TIME

The salary for professors is set on levels 8-11 of the job demand level for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. The salary for Associate Professors (Level 2) is set on levels 6-7 and for Assistant professors (Level 1) on levels 5-6. In addition, a salary component based on personal work performance will be paid. Salary chart for teaching and research staff.

Teachers and researchers have a total working time of 1,612 hours per year.  A trial period of six months applies to new employments.

APPLICATION

Submit your electronic application by January 8, 2025 at 15:00 (Finnish local time) at the latest. For guidelines on the electronic application, please see https://www.abo.fi/en/instructions-for-submitting-an-application/. 

The application should include the following enclosures in English:

1. A cover letter (max. 1 page)  

2. A curriculum vitae (CV) in compliance with the TENK model (The Finnish National Board on Research Integrity)  https://tenk.fi/en/advice-and-materials/templateresearchers-curriculum-vitae including a complete list of publications following the classification of publication types by the Ministry of Education and Culture: https://www.abo.fi/en/about-abo-akademi-university/come-work-withus/instructions-appendices-in-applications-reserach-and-teaching-staff/

3. A separate list of a maximum of 10 publications that the applicant has chosen to demonstrate their competence. The publications should be available electronically and the applicant will provide links to the publications in the list of publications or upload them to a separate system for file transfer. 

4. A teaching portfolio. Instructions for the portfolio are available at https://web.abo.fi/befattningar/Pedagogical_portfolio2021.pdf

5. A research plan (max 3 pages).  

6. A description of the applicant's view of the assignment, i.e. how the applicant plans to handle the assignment successfully and develop the subject area (max. 2 pages).  

7. Copies of doctoral certificates, any language certificates and other certificates.

INFORMATION

For questions regarding the position, please contact professor Björn Sandvik (email: bjorn.sandvik[a]abo.fi). For questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact HR Specialist Ann-Katrin Laine (ann-katrin.laine[a]abo.fi).

We welcome applicants of all backgrounds within the scientific field in question to apply for the position. Åbo Akademi University works for equal gender distribution and diversity in all staff categories.