Research Assistant in Faculty of Law

The Faculty of Law at the University of Helsinki is seeking 1–2 Research Assistants for a fixed‑term position of 1 year with the possibility for extension, starting at the earliest in December 2026, latest January 2027.

The Research Assistant will work across several research projects and initiatives, including:

• Agency in Law (LEGACY), examining changing forms of legal agency from the perspective of legal theory, including persons with intellectual disabilities, artificial intelligence systems, and animals as agents 
• HUMAN-BIO, investigating alternatives to animal experimentation,
• An upcoming project examining the legal status of AI systems and the problem of digital minds, and
• Helsinki Animal Law Centre, one of the largest academic hubs for animal law research globally

The Research Assistant’s duties will include various supporting tasks, such as:

• communicating about the activities and events of the research projects (including social media, website, and email communications)
• assisting with the organization of events
• assisting with research-related work, often involving the finalization, proofreading, and editing of documents
• providing other practical and administrative assistance to the research projects and research groups 

The position requires:

• a proactive and creative approach to updating the social media channels and websites of the research projects
• strong practical organizational skills 
• a basic understanding of how academic research works 
• good command of spoken and written English
• a positive, solution-oriented attitude

The following are considered an advantage:

• experience organizing events
• good command of Finnish
• an interest in legal theory, animal law and ethics, artificial intelligence, or related topics 
• familiarity with graphic design tools (for example, Canva)
• other language skills

We may hire two research assistants with complementary strengths, so we don’t necessarily expect any single applicant to meet every criterion. We do, however, aim to hire at least one assistant with strong social media and communications skills. 

We offer an opportunity to become part of a world-class research environment and to participate in international academic activities and events. Our research groups operate primarily in English, and a good command of English is therefore essential.

As the work involves practical arrangements at the University of Helsinki, it cannot be performed entirely remotely. The Research Assistant must be an undergraduate or Master’s-level student at the University of Helsinki. 

The position is part-time, approximately 5–20 hours per week. It may be combinable with a summer job, as long as the assistant is able to assist with certain events planned for the summer of 2027. So far, such events are planned for June 16-18 and June 21-23, 2027. The hourly salary is 16,04 – 17,03 EUR, depending on previous work experience. 

Please submit your application through the recruitment system by November 2, 2026 via the "Apply Now" button. Attach the following to your application:

• Motivation letter (or explanation of motivation in the application letter)
• CV
• Transcript of academic records

Please log into our recruitment system using your personal email address (not an @helsinki.fi address).

For questions concerning the position, please contact Visa Kurki at visa.kurki@helsinki.fi. For questions related to the recruitment system, please reach out to recruitment@helsinki.fi 

You may also contact the current Research Assistant, Amanda Vilén, at amanda.vilen@helsinki.fi 

The University of Helsinki encourages applicants from a diverse range of genders, age groups, language and cultural backgrounds, as well as minorities.

You can read about our university's accessibility and inclusivity from this link: Accessibility