Postdoctoral Researcher in Experimental Fluvial Research of Ice-covered River Systems

Aalto University is where science and art meet technology and business. We shape a sustainable future by making research breakthroughs in and across our disciplines, sparking the game changers of tomorrow and creating novel solutions to major global challenges. Our community is made up of 16 000 students and 5 200 employees, including 446 professors. Our campus is in Espoo, Greater Helsinki, Finland.  Diversity is part of who we are, and we actively work to ensure our community’s diversity and inclusiveness. This is why we warmly encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to join our community.

We are now looking for a

Postdoctoral Researcher in experimental fluvial research of ice-covered river systems

to work at Aalto University and its Water and Environmental Engineering Research Group.

Aalto University is inviting applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher position related to fluvial research of ice-covered river systems. The position relates to a project called CRIce (“Changing River Ice: integrating (cryo-) laboratory flume experiments with seasonal field measurements for detecting impacts of environmental changes on fluvial systems”) funded by the Research Council of Finland. In this position, the postdoctoral researcher will contribute on detecting interacting river ice, flow characteristics and sediment transport under changing environmental conditions in boreal-polar region, via measuring, experimenting and modelling them. The duration of the positions is 2 years, starting latest in autumn 2026.

The climate change impacts are the fastest within the polar region, where the river functions depend on the seasonal hydrology and the length of the ice-covered period. Rivers within this region, e.g. in Finland, Sweden and Norway, are crucial study sites for understanding the environmental changes on fluvial systems and enhancing their adaptation. Critical knowledge gaps remain for ice processes in these rivers, and river ice, flow characteristics and sediment transport interactions are “a big unknown” in fluvial studies. These gaps will be overcame in CRIce via detailed objectives: 1) To refine theories of river ice cover and its impacts on flow processes via carrying out novel field measurements and close-range remote sensing in different river systems; 2) To quantify river sediment transport processes under varying ice-cover conditions, via integrating results from (cryo-) laboratory experiments (with real and proxy ice) to field measurements; 3) To temporally upscale the river sediment transport processes via simulating them into the future using hydro-morphodynamic models embedded with newly developed sediment transport equations.

Your network and team

The position is based on Aalto University’s Water and Environmental Engineering Research Group (WAT, https://www.aalto.fi/en/department-of-built-environment/water-and-environmental-engineering). WAT is a multi- and interdisciplinary group that promotes sustainable water management through three key research areas: Water Resources Management and Environmental Hydraulics, Water and Development; and Water and Wastewater Engineering.

The work related to the positions is in line with the CRIce project’s research objectives. The postdoctoral researcher will be especially working with flume experiments of ice covered river systems both at EHL (Environmental Hydraulics Laboratory: https://www.aalto.fi/fi/palvelut/environmental-hydraulics-lab) and AIWT (Aalto Ice and Wave Tank: https://www.aalto.fi/en/iwt), together with other project personnel and wider team lead by Assistant Prof. Lotsari. By combining both field- and flume- based measurement data, the postdoctoral researcher would be part in developing sediment transport calculations and numerical modelling of ice-covered river systems.

Aalto University offers a unique research and learning environment that provides access to excellent research infrastructure, and professional career development. Postdoctoral Researcher will be working closely with the researchers and team of Assistant Prof. Lotsari and national and international collaborators of the project, in particular from Nordic countries.

Your experience and ambitions

Requirements for the position:

• Doctoral degree from a relevant field (completed before starting in the position)
• A good command of English
• Ability and enthusiasm to work in the position and as part of a multidisciplinary research network

We encourage applicants from a variety of relevant fields to apply, including e.g. water engineering, hydrology, natural sciences and geosciences. Knowledge of the key aspects of the position is a strong merit for the positions. Prior knowledge on northern ice-covered river systems, their measurement and numerical modelling is a major asset. Also coding, analytical and mathematical skills are a strong merit for the position. Please state your skills when demonstrating the ability to work in the position (see below the required documents). Our workplace values equality and diversity, and we therefore encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for our open position.

What we offer

• We offer you an interesting job in an inspiring and multidisciplinary work environment. We will familiarize you with your work tasks, and you will be part of a competent team that will provide you with support for your tasks. We encourage and offer opportunities for continuous development of your own expertise.
• You will become part of a wide and unique network of researchers, from early career to senior researchers within the WAT and collaborators.
• The expected starting date in the position is at the latest on September 1st, 2026. Living in Finland during the contract is compulsory.
• Employment contracts will be made for 2 years with the funding from the Research Council of Finland.
• Aalto University follows the salary system of Finnish universities. The starting salary is approximately 4148 €/month (gross), and it increases as the Postdoctoral Researcher progresses in their research.
• The contract includes Aalto University occupational healthcare.
• We work in a hybrid way with flexible office hours, and the primary workplace is at our active university campus in Otaniemi, Espoo.

Join us!

To apply, please submit your application through our recruitment system by Wednesday June 17, 2026 (23:59 EEST [UTC+3]). Click “Apply now”.

Please include the following documents in English, preferably as a single pdf-file (name the file: lastname_firstname_application.pdf):

• Letter of Motivation (1 page), where you introduce yourself and describe your research interests and motivation for the position. Applicants should demonstrate the ability (incl. technical skills) to work in the position.
• A Curriculum Vitae (2 pages), including contact details of two relevant referees (please see CV example: TENK_CV_template_2020.docx (live.com)). You are also encouraged to include links to your personal webpage, LinkedIn page or similar.
• List of Publications, including the titles and possible links to scientific publications.
• Abstract of the Doctoral Thesis and link to the actual Thesis.
• Research statement of the research topic (2 pages): Indicate your relevant skills and include a plan on how you would approach measurements and experimenting, modelling, and numerical calculations of flow, ice and sediment transport processes within ice-covered river systems. The use of artificial intelligence to assist in the preparation of the research plan, if applied, should be clearly indicated in the research plan.

Please note: Aalto University’s employees should apply for the position via our internal HR system Workday (Internal Jobs) by using their existing Workday user account (not via the external webpage for open positions). If you are a student or visitor at Aalto University, please apply with your personal email address (not aalto.fi) via Aalto University open positions.

For additional information about the position, kindly contact Assistant Professor Eliisa Lotsari (eliisa.s.lotsari[at]aalto.fi). For questions related to application process, please contact HR Advisor Sanni Sievänen (sanni.h.sievanen[at]aalto.fi).

Kindly note that we will start to go through the applications and may invite suitable candidates to interview  already during the application period. The position will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate is identified: you are thus encouraged to submit your application as soon as possible.

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