Assistant / Associate Professor in Innovation Management in Renewable Natural Resource Business

The Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry invites applications for the position of

TENURE TRACK ASSISTANT / ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN INNOVATION MANAGEMENT IN RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCE BUSINESS

from 1.9.2024 onwards or as agreed. The position may be filled as a tenure track assistant professor or tenure track associate professor depending on the candidate’s merits and career stage. Information about our tenure track system: University of Helsinki tenure track . The goal of the tenure track is to advance to a permanent professor position.

This position seeks an individual to participate in research and education promoting innovation management and sustainable business in the context of renewable natural resources, especially in the forest sector. The focus is on fostering innovations that lead to long-term social, climate, and environmental benefits, providing firms with a competitive advantage. Key areas include improving renewable material circularity without depleting natural capital and managing product-service systems and transformative value networks toward sustainability. The broader goal is to enhance business ecosystem excellence in developing resilient, just, and safe forest, food, and water systems. The role involves active contribution and responsibility in the faculty-level innovation ecosystem initiatives, such as the Forest & Wood Innovation hub and Viikki Food Design Factory, which targets sustainable innovations in the food system.

The appointee shall have a strong academic interest in managing sustainability-driven product innovation processes, with a focus on forests/wood businesses but with linkages to other sectors such as agriculture, food, and medical. An appropriate academic background includes innovation management and business economics, with applied orientation in the context of the boreal forest and forest/wood industry.

Skills in conducting multidisciplinary business research using quantitative or qualitative methods are required in the position. The appointee’s methodological toolbox may also include sustainable product lifecycle management, design thinking, futures research, or technology forecasting. In addition, theoretical and practical experience in innovation management and processes, such as packaging or construction sector solutions is an asset in the position.  Active networks and collaboration with the business sector are appreciated.

The appointee will have a unique opportunity of leading the development of innovation-related education at the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry (with the approach of business and innovation management). The appointee will coordinate the innovation module of the faculty's master's level studies and support related curricula development. Teaching responsibilities cover bachelor, master, and doctoral level innovation management in the context of sustainable forest- and food -value systems, including service and digital solutions. The appointee participates in the development of teaching at the faculty and is also expected to work in the management teams of the degree programs.

REQUIREMENTS

An appointee to the position of assistant professor or associate professor in the tenure track system shall have

• a doctoral degree
• the ability to conduct independent scholarly work
• the teaching skills required for the position
• the ability and motivation to pursue an academic career, as demonstrated by publications and other means

The degree requirements must be met by the end of the application deadline.

When considering the candidates’ qualifications, attention shall be given to scientific and teaching merits. In addition, the candidates’ leadership and interaction skills, as well as activity in the scientific community and public engagement shall also be taken into account.

Scientific merits include

• scientific publications and other research results of academic value
• success in obtaining external research funding
• international research experience
• international elected positions

Teaching merits include

• teaching experience
• pedagogical training
• the ability to produce learning material
• other teaching merits
• a teaching demonstration
• participation in doctoral education

To successfully attend to the duties of the position, the appointee must have good English skills.

According to the Government Decree on Universities, tenure track associate/assistant professors must be proficient in Finnish. They must also have at least satisfactory spoken and written skills in Swedish. Foreign citizens, non-native Finnish citizens or citizens who have not been educated in Finnish or Swedish may be exempted from this requirement without a separate application.  If the appointee is not proficient in Finnish, they are expected to acquire intermediate level skills (CEFR level B2; https://europa.eu/europass/en/common-european-framework-reference-language-skills ) within five years after the appointment. The University will support the appointee in acquiring the necessary Finnish language skills and time for language studies can be included in annual working plan.

WHAT WE OFFER

We offer an interesting opportunity to work in a diverse research environment. At the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry you will carry out research-based teaching at the highest education level in the field in Finland and have the opportunity to take part in internationally valued, first-class research activities. The position is also an opportunity to develop your own professional skills in a multidisciplinary work community of the faculty. Your work will be supported by the research and teaching staff of the department and the faculty as well as the administrative and technical staff at Viikki campus.

The assistant/associate professor’s salary will be on level 7 of the job requirement scheme for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, the appointee will be paid a salary component based on personal work performance. Annual gross salary for an assistant professor amounts to approximately 55,000–63,000 euros, and for an associate professor to approximately 60,000–72,000 euros depending on the appointee’s qualifications and experience.

Furthermore, the university takes care of your well-being by flexible work arrangements, comprehensive occupational health care and wide-ranging, low-cost UniSport services. Professional development is supported in different ways, i.e. by offering versatile staff training, mentoring etc.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants are requested to enclose with their applications a SINGLE PDF file that includes the following documents in English:

1) CV

2) A short motivation letter and report on how the applicant intends to develop his or her research and focus his or her activities, if appointed (1-2 pages)

3) Report on the applicant’s research activities (including activities in scientific communities, the acquisition of research funding and international scholarly work) (max. 5 pages)

4) A numbered list of publications

5) A report on pedagogical expertise (see the instructions via the link below under University portfolio – Teaching and supervision)

For more detailed instructions on the application documents, please see

https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers/open-positions/instructions-applicants-teaching-and-research-positions

Applications with the above attachments must be submitted in a single PDF file, which is named:

innovation management_lastname_firstname. Other attachments are not required.

The Faculty may request shortlisted candidates to submit 10 publications of their choice to be sent to external assessors via the electronic recruitment system after the application deadline. In the case of shortlisted candidates, aptitude evaluation may be used as part of the recruitment process.

External applicants, please submit your application using the University of Helsinki Recruitment System via the Apply Now link.

Applicants who have a helsinki.fi username and a valid employment contract, a grant researcher's contract, a visiting researcher's or visiting professor's contract at the University of Helsinki are requested to leave their application by using the Employee login.

The University of Helsinki welcomes applicants from a variety of genders and linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

The closing date for applications is 31.1.2024 at 23:59 EET.

FURTHER INFORMATION

• About the position: Head of Department, Professor Markus Holopainen, markus.holopainen(at)helsinki.fi, tel: +358 294158181
• Recruitment process and the recruitment system: HR Specialist Mirkka Juntunen, mirkka.juntunen(at)helsinki.fi, puh. +358 294157583

ABOUT US

The Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry is located on the Viikki campus. The mission of the faculty is to promote the sustainable use of renewable natural resources through scientific research and research-based teaching. We focus on agricultural and forest sciences, food and nutrition, microbiology, as well as on economics and management. We cover the full natural resource chain from farm to fork, the entire field of forest sciences from soil chemistry to marketing, as well as the environmental effects of related activities. Graduates from the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry are versatile experts in biosciences and business, able to meet the needs of both the business sector and society at large. www.helsinki.fi/en/faculty-of-agriculture-and-forestry

www.helsinki.fi/en/faculty-of-agriculture-and-forestry

The Department of Forest Sciences is a unit under the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, which has over 140 employees. The Department conducts research of a high international standard in the forest sciences and provides the highest education based on this research. The focus areas of the Department’s research and teaching are forest ecology and forest resource management as well as forest economics, business and society. The goal of the Department’s multidisciplinary operations is to provide teaching in the sustainability and sustainable use of forests, as well as conduct related scholarly research and public engagement. The Faculty grants Bachelor and Master of Science (Agriculture and Forestry) degrees, as well as Doctor of Science (Agriculture and Forestry) degrees in the University’s doctoral programmes. The Department’s degree programmes have roughly 350 undergraduate and 60 postgraduate students. The Department of Forest Sciences is active in its public engagement and it has a long history of successful collaboration with research institutes in the field, other universities, public administration and businesses both nationally and internationally.

https://www.helsinki.fi/en/faculty-agriculture-and-forestry/research/forest-sciences

Finland is a member of the EU, has high quality and inexpensive childcare, free schooling and tertiary training (also in English), generous family benefits and healthcare, and was recently ranked as the best country in the world for expat families. Finland repeatedly tops the World Happiness Report (https://toolbox.finland.fi/life-society/finland-the-happiest-country-in-the-world ).