Doctoral Researcher (MSCA), Exploiting Migration to Influence and Destabilise Societies

University of Helsinki; Helsinki; On-site; EUR 44,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

36‑month full‑time EU MSCA contract

Fully funded doctoral position

Joint international supervision

Advanced research methods training

Research visits & intersectoral second

Career development opportunities

Job summary

University of Helsinki invites applications for a 36-month full-time MSCA Doctoral Network Doctoral Researcher position focusing on Exploiting Migration to Influence and Destabilise Societies in Europe’s Eastern Periphery. It integrates Russian influence studies with migration narratives and policy practice.

The role offers joint international supervision, advanced research training, research visits, and career development within the INFLUENCE consortium across European partners.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent entitling to start a doctorate
• No doctoral degree awarded yet
• Excellent English language skills; knowledge of Russian or Baltic languages a plus
• Willingness to work in a team and travel to conferences

Responsibilities

• Not specified in detail in the advert; involve research and collaboration within the INFLUENCE network

Skills

Discourse analysis

Media monitoring

Case studies

Interdisciplinary research

Education

Master's degree

Job description

MSCA Doctoral Network INFLUENCE “Legacies, Interdependencies, Power: Russian Influences in the European Periphery” invites applications for the position of DOCTORAL RESEARCHER, Exploiting Migration to Influence and Destabilise Societies in Europe’s Eastern Periphery for a full-time position for three years from October 2027.

Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks programme of Horizon Europe, INFLUENCE brings together 5 universities across Europe to train a new generation of scholars and practitioners working on the study of Russian influence in Europe.

About INFLUENCE

Russian influence in Europe is frequently discussed in public debate, yet its mechanisms remain poorly understood. Investigating influence through the dimensions of Legacies, Interdependencies and Power, the Doctoral Network combines expertise from political science, international relations, area studies, sociology, history, media studies, security studies and political economy. Through interdisciplinary research, advanced methodological training and engagement with policy stakeholders, INFLUENCE seeks to advance scholarly and policy understanding of Russian influence in contemporary Europe.

Partner Institutions:

Vilnius University (Lithuania); University of Glasgow (United Kingdom); University of Helsinki (Finland); University of Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina); University of Warsaw (Poland).

Doctoral candidates will benefit from joint supervision, intersectoral secondments, strong transferable skills development, and a bridge between academic research and policy practice. Secondments for at least 6 months are integral component of the INFLUENCE Doctoral Programme with mandatory research stays at academic and non-academic partner institutions.

Position at the University of Helsinki: Exploiting Migration to Influence and Destabilise Societies in Europe’s Eastern Periphery

This project examines how Russia exploits societal divisions over migration as part of its broader strategy to destabilise and influence European societies. Russian state‑controlled media and social media platforms have been instrumental in disseminating conflicting narratives, accusing the West of both Western‑centric colonialism and overly liberal migration policies. These narratives are not only targeted at Russian‑speaking populations through Russian‑language media but are also circulated across Europe through social media accounts, bots, and fake news sites in various European languages. This project will analyse how these narratives are constructed, disseminated, and adjusted to exploit specific societal vulnerabilities to fuel polarisation, undermine social cohesion, and erode trust in democratic institutions. By combining discourse analysis and media monitoring with case studies of significant migration‑related events, the research will assess how migration narratives are tailored to specific European contexts and their role in creating political fragmentation and fostering extremist ideologies. Additionally, the project will evaluate the interplay between domestic migration policies in European states and the narratives promoted by Russia, highlighting vulnerabilities that facilitate external interference.

What We Offer

• 36‑month full‑time EU MSCA contract and fully funded doctoral position
• Salary, pension and terms of employment are in accordance with the requirements from the European Commission related to the MSCA programme. The salary (monthly living allowance) is 3 639,85 € per month before taxes. Additionally, a monthly mobility allowance 546,15 € per month before taxes will be paid. If applicable, a conditional monthly family allowance of 507,69 € per month before taxes is paid.
• Joint international supervision
• Advanced research, methods and transferable skills training
• Research visits and intersectoral secondments
• Professional development opportunities and career guidance
• Standard Finnish pension benefits and occupational health care are provided for University of Helsinki employees. Read more about the employee benefits at the University of Helsinki and why the University of Helsinki is an excellent career choice: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers .

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must hold a relevant Master’s degree or equivalent which formally entitles them to start a doctorate at the time of application
• Applicants cannot have been awarded a doctoral degree.
• Applicants can be of any nationality; however, they must comply with the mobility rule: must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting organisation for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date.
• All positions require excellent English-language skills, some projects may particularly benefit from knowledge of Russian and/or languages spoken in the Baltic States and the Western Balkans.
• Successful candidates have to be ready to work in a team, travel to conferences and network training events, and to take part in an academic and non-academic secondments abroad.
• The appointee must obtain the right to pursue a doctoral degree at the University of Helsinki and approval by a suitable doctoral programme by the end of the standard 6‑month probationary period of the employment, unless having already existing study right. The research plan and other application material will be prepared together with the PhD supervisor(s) in the beginning of the employment period.

For further information on eligibility criteria and on Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks in general, please refer to: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/actions/doctoral-networks

General Selection Process

INFLUENCE is committed to transparent, merit-based and inclusive recruitment in line with:

• the European Charter for Researchers: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/hrexcellenceaward/european-charter-researchers ;
• the principles of the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers: https://www.euraxess.de/sites/default/files/brochures/C%26C_EN.pdf ;
• the MSCA Guidelines on Supervision: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/about-msca/guidelines-on-supervision

Recruitment will take place through an open, international, and competitive selection procedure conducted in two stages.

In the first stage, applications will be evaluated on the basis of academic excellence, research potential, methodological and disciplinary preparedness, motivation, relevant research experience, the quality and feasibility of the proposed research, and its fit with the project and available supervisory expertise.

Candidates who demonstrate the strongest overall profiles will be shortlisted and invited to an interview in the second stage. The interview will provide an opportunity to further assess candidates’ research aptitude, motivation, understanding of the proposed research, ability to discuss and develop their ideas, and overall suitability for the doctoral project.

Key Dates

• Call opens: 12 October 2026
• Application deadline: 15 December 2026
• Shortlisted of Candidates prepared: February 2027
• Interviews with Shortlisted Candidates: February – March 2027
• Results communicated: by 30 April 2027
• Employment commences: 1 October 2027

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The network welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds and is committed to an inclusive and equitable research environment.

Further Information

For enquiries about the position, please contact Ira Jänis-Isokangas, [e-mail]. For enquiries about the recruitment system, please contact [e-mail] (please indicate the title of the call in the email heading).

Data Protection and Consent Notice

By applying for this position, applicants consent to circulate their application materials and personal data among authorised INFLUENCE consortium members involved in the recruitment process.

All data provided by the applicants will be processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, EU 2016/679) and used solely for the purpose of selecting doctoral candidates.