Open position: Director of the Wihuri Research Institute

We are looking for a Director for the WRI, to be appointed during 2023, to succeed Academician Kari Alitalo as the Director. The financing, provided by Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, is based on the plans presented by the Director and can reach up to 10 million euros during the first five year’s period.

The purpose of the Wihuri Research Institute (WRI), founded in 1944 by the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, is to create conditions for talented researchers to develop their achievements as far as possible, so that they, free from other tasks, can devote themselves to research in the pursuit of new knowledge that benefits humanity. Currently, the focus of the Wihuri Research Institute located in Biomedicum Helsinki is cardiovascular disease, vascular biology, and stem cell research. The Meilahti campus area offers excellent opportunities for collaboration from the clinic to basic research and also for recruiting young researchers.

We are looking for a Director for the WRI, to be appointed during 2023, to succeed Academician Kari Alitalo as the Director. The new Director is expected to have a suitable, primarily biomedical degree as well as evidence of the ability to carry out high-level independent research work in the department’s priority areas, initiated by a successful postdoctoral period. The director is also expected to be a recognized and active member in the international scientific community with a strong vision of future research goals that utilize the strengths, resources, and research models of the research institute. Knowledge of new technologies, e.g. related to disease models, gene editing, imaging, stem cells and data science and experience in clinical research and utilization of patient material is considered an advantage.

The Director is responsible for the operations of the research institute, and applicants are expected to have a strong vision of the research goals. The financing is based on the plans presented by the Director and can reach up to 10 million euros during the first five year’s period. According to the applicant’s merits and career stage, the position of director of a research institute can be either a 5-year renewable fixed-term or an indefinite employment relationship.

Jenny and Antti Wihuri foundation and the University of Helsinki have agreed on the establishment of a joint position so that the selection for the position of director of Wihuri research institute and for the part-time position of University of Helsinki associate professor/professor will be made simultaneously in both organizations in accordance with their own application process. Applicants for the position of director of the Wihuri Research Institute must apply separately for the part-time (35%) position of associate professor/professor in translational medicine at the University of Helsinki in accordance with the University of Helsinki’s application guidelines.

Interested candidates are invited to send a letter of intent as a single pdf file by 31 October 2022 to jukka.lehmusvirta@wihurinrahasto.fi. The letters of intent should contain the applicant´s:

• Motivation to apply and suitability for the position (maximum 1 page);
• Personal information and CV (maximum 2 pages);
• Link to a list of publications (e.g. Science citation index, Google Scholar or similar) and a list of up to 10 publications most relevant to the task, including a brief description of the applicants role in each publication (maximum 2 pages);
• A research plan for the next five years, including a vision of how the proposed research would be suitable for implementation at Wihuri Research Institute (maximum 4 pages).

The director of the Wihuri Research Institute is chosen by the board of the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation based on the proposal of the scientific advisory board. Inquiries and additional information should be directed to Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board Tomi Mäkelä (+358-50-528 6128, tomi.makela@helsinki.fi) or other members, Christer Betsholtz, Sirpa Jalkanen, Timo Strandberg, and Seppo Ylä-Herttuala.

Board of Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation