Academic Coordinator

Aalto University; Espoo; On-site; EUR 46,872 - 53,568; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Continuous professional development

Onboarding support

Job summary

Aalto University in Espoo is seeking an Academic Coordinator for the Department of Chemistry and Materials Science. This fixed-term role focuses on coordinating large research projects and strategic funding applications.

The successful candidate will have a doctoral degree in chemistry or materials science and significant project coordination experience. Strong collaboration and communication skills are essential. The position offers a salary between €4,200-4,800 per month, depending on experience.

Qualifications

• Experience in preparing and coordinating large project entities.
• Excellent oral and written English skills; Finnish is a plus.
• Systematic, self-directed, and thorough working style.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and support the preparation of major funding applications.
• Provide administrative support for large projects.
• Enhance visibility of strategic projects and research activities.

Skills

Project coordination

Collaboration with partners

Excellent communication skills

Negotiation skills

Education

Doctoral degree in chemistry or materials science

Job description

Overview

At Aalto University, science and art meet technology and business. We build a sustainable future by creating breakthroughs in our key areas and at their intersections. We inspire future changemakers and create solutions to the world’s major challenges. Our university community comprises 16,000 students, over 440 professors and more than 5,000 employees representing over 120 nationalities. Our campus is located in Otaniemi, Espoo. Diversity is part of who we are, and we work continuously to ensure diversity and non-discrimination in our community. We therefore encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to join our community.

Department of Chemistry and Materials Science is one of the three departments within the School of Chemical Engineering. We educate bachelor’s students in chemical engineering, master’s students in chemistry and materials science, and doctoral students in technology. Our research themes include, among other things, the utilization of renewable energy and the development of various functional materials and molecules. Our teaching staff includes 15 professors and 11 lecturers, and in total more than 100 people work in our department.

Position

We are now seeking a fixed-term, three-year Academic Coordinator to support the advancement of the strategic objectives of the Department of Chemistry and Materials Science. The position focuses particularly on coordinating and supporting the preparation of large, nationally significant research projects, both internally and in collaboration with our partners. The emphasis of your work may shift according to the strategic needs of the department.

Responsibilities

• Coordinating and supporting the preparation of major, strategic funding applications together with the professors active in the area. The role includes internal coordination within Aalto, building networks with stakeholders, and providing practical support for preparing project proposals for funding instruments of, e.g., Business Finland and the Research Council of Finland.
• Coordinating steering and working groups for large projects and providing other administrative support as required by the department and the school.
• Supporting the department’s professors by, for example, advancing strategic networking with key stakeholders and existing ecosystems.
• General coordination supporting the research activities of the Department of Chemistry and Materials Science and supporting the department’s leadership.
• Collaborating with Aalto’s and the school’s service staff in the preparation, implementation, and reporting of strategic projects, as well as enhancing their visibility.

Skills and Requirements

You will succeed in this role if you have experience in preparing and coordinating large project entities, collaborating with academic and industrial partners, or other relevant tasks in, for example, a university or another expert organization. You will work in an international community with researchers and various stakeholders, both face-to-face and via digital channels, so excellent collaboration, negotiation, and interaction skills will equip you well for success. Your working style is systematic, self-directed, and thorough. You tackle even challenging tasks with determination and take responsibility for driving your areas forward and for completing your tasks on time.

• A doctoral degree, primarily in chemistry or materials science, or alternatively in another field of natural sciences or engineering.
• Excellent oral and written English skills. Finnish language skills are considered an asset.
• Good collaboration, negotiation, and communication skills.

Previous experience with the application practices of both Finnish and European Union research funding schemes, coordinating research collaboration especially with industrial partners, and project administration will be considered an advantage.

We Offer

We offer a meaningful role that has a concrete impact on our school’s success and the societal impact of our research. You will work in close cooperation with the School of Chemical Engineering’s leadership support services team. The Head of the Department of Chemistry and Materials Science and the school’s Development Manager will support you in your role. You will work at the interface between the school’s leadership and the professors in the thematic area, as well as academic and industrial partners. We will provide onboarding to your duties and offer opportunities for continuous professional development.

The position is located at Aalto University’s Otaniemi campus, which offers diverse services and excellent transport connections. We strive to combine the best of on-site and remote work, but the role requires regular on-campus presence. The salary for the position follows the university salary system used at Aalto University, and the salary range for this role is approximately €4,200-4,800 per month, depending on the selected candidate’s background. We hope you can start on 1 September 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Interested?

If you are excited about this position and want to join us, please submit your CV and motivation letter through our recruitment system as soon as possible, and no later than 16 August 2026. If you are an Aalto employee, please apply with your employee profile via the Workday system (internal jobs). If you are an Aalto student or a visitor, please apply using your personal email address (not aalto.fi) via the external Open positions page.

For more information about the position, please contact the School of Chemical Engineering’s Development Manager, Jukka Hassinen (available until 3 July and 7-14 August), and the Head of the Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, Antti Karttunen (3-14 August). For questions regarding the application process, please contact HR Partner Eeva Käki (available until 10 July). Emails: firstname.lastname(at)aalto.fi.

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