Assistant, Associate or Full Professor, Ship Hydrodynamics

Aalto; Espoo; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Aalto University invites applications for a Professor in Ship Hydrodynamics within the Department of Energy and Mechanical Engineering. Lead research in hydrodynamics, train the next generation of engineers, and advance marine technology in a sustainable future.

We seek a scholar with a PhD, a strong postdoctoral track record, and a vision for education in climate-aware ship design. Join an internationally recognized team at Otaniemi Campus in Espoo, Finland.

Qualifications

• Hold a D.Sc. or PhD and have a successful postdoctoral or equivalent research or industrial track record.
• Background in loads and seakeeping, wave-ship/structure interaction, and free-surface hydrodynamics.
• Strong and original contributions clearly demonstrated in the application process.

Responsibilities

• Advance research to improve prediction and performance of calm-water resistance, hydrodynamic loads, motions, and added resistance using experiments, data, and models.
• Build a team and secure research funding from sources like RCF, Business Finland, and Horizon Europe.
• Teach marine hydrostatics and hydrodynamics, connecting theory with experiments and numerical methods for seakeeping and wave loads.
• Commit to the Aalto Ice and Wave Tank and develop the facility.

Skills

Loads & seakeeping

Wave-ship interaction

Free-surface hydrodynamics

Computational hydrodynamics

Education

D.Sc. or PhD

Job description

About Aalto University

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. The School of Engineering drives science and innovation in industrial and built environment technologies. We are committed to educating a new generation of experts who combine technical excellence with a deep understanding of sustainable development in shaping societies. Research at the School of Engineering is about studying and developing society’s critical infrastructure: new energy solutions, more durable and efficient machinery, and the design and construction of tomorrow’s living environments. The strength of our school lies in close collaboration with stakeholders across research and education. About 50 doctoral candidates and 400 master’s students graduate from the school every year. The school is home to 700 staff members, including 70 professors. To learn more, please visit eng.aalto.fi.

Department of Energy and Mechanical Engineering

The Department of Energy and Mechanical Engineering at the Aalto University School of Engineering invites applications for Assistant, Associate or Full Professor in Ship Hydrodynamics (tenure track). Aalto University Department of Energy and Mechanical Engineering is a community of around 300 staff members - including 30 tenure track professors - assembled to research, teach, create, and develop solutions for society’s needs. Key research areas include marine and arctic technology; energy technologies and systems; mechanical systems and mechatronics; and materials, manufacturing, and product development. We have strong links to industry, creating lasting impact in both business and society.

Position Overview

We are now looking for a professor to lead ship hydrodynamics field at Aalto University’s Marine and Arctic Technology group. In this position you will have a chance to make an impact by changing the way the field is defined in terms of research and education in the era of increasing computational resources and data, sustainability goals, and design of previously unseen ship and ship system concepts. The research within the position focuses especially on understanding, predicting, and controlling the complex, unsteady dynamic phenomena and hydrodynamic forces associated with the interactions of ships with the ocean environment. The position will contribute to hydrodynamics which equips our graduates for the future marine engineering paradigms, such as climate change and green transition. This position belongs to Aalto University’s tenure track career system and will be filled to either assistant, associate or full professor level depending on the chosen candidate (tenure track evaluation criteria). The applicants will be evaluated based on their potential and/or merits in the following dimensions: research, teaching, and impact and service.

Your role and goals

Your role will be to develop and share expertise on understanding and managing ship motions and loads in real operating conditions throughout the lifecycle of a ship. This is essential for safer, more energy-efficient ships: Current design practices often rely on simplified assumptions that misrepresent the lifetime environmental loads, which affects the performance, structural safety, energy system sizing, and operability of the ship. Ideally, your research will integrate experiments, theory, and simulation in a physics-first manner, directly informing ship design and operations.

• Advance research to improve the prediction and performance of calm-water resistance, hydrodynamic loads, motions, and added resistance, using targeted experiments, full-scale operational data, and both high-fidelity and reduced-order models.
• Build a team and secure research in the field of hydrodynamics by acquiring relevant resources from various sources for applied and fundamental research (such as Research Council of Finland, Business Finland, Horizon Europe).
• Teach on marine hydrostatics and hydrodynamics in ways that connect theory with model- and full-scale experiments and numerical methods for seakeeping, wave loads, and added resistance, while embedding themes of climate adaptation, decarbonization and ship design. Teaching will also cover participation to B.Sc. and M.Sc. level courses and thesis supervision at all levels.
• Commit to the Aalto Ice and Wave Tank and conduct research and teaching in this internationally unique facility. We also expect from you further development of the facility.

Your network and team

Marine and Arctic Technology research group consists of about 60 employees, including 7 tenure track professors, around 10 postdoctoral researchers and 17 doctoral researchers. Our group is strong in selected strategic areas of marine technology such as advanced structures, arctic technology, passenger ships, and safety of maritime operations. We are globally acknowledged for our achievements in science and education and with this position we will strengthen the hydrodynamics expertise of our group. The position is linked to the Aalto Ice and Wave tank, a world-unique and major research infrastructure in Finland, reflecting the national commitment to marine technology research and sustainability.

Qualifications

Candidate must hold a D.Sc. or PhD and have a successful postdoctoral or equivalent research or industrial track record. We specifically seek background in at least one or several of the following areas:

• loads and seakeeping
• wave-ship/structure interaction
• free-surface hydrodynamics
• classical hydrodynamics with modern computational and data-driven approaches bridging academia and industry
• strong and original contributions that must be clearly demonstrated in the application process

The position also requires:

• A vision of the pedagogical and related competence aspects of modern university education
• A capability to operate with students and colleagues from different backgrounds in an environment where equality, diversity and inclusion are core values that guide our operations
• Collaboration and communication skills and strategic insights and capability to operationalise these

What we offer

Aalto University´s tenure track career system offers a well-supported and clear career path for professor-level academics towards a permanent professorship: Build a successful academic career – our common target is your development and advancement on a clearly defined career path. Take your research to a new level – ambitious goals and colleagues enable rapid academic development. Take advantage of the university’s extensive corporate collaboration – our corporate collaboration is among the most active in the world (14th in the world, CWTS Leiden Ranking). Receive support for obtaining and coordinating research resources – outstanding support services guarantee that you can focus on your work. For example, Aalto University is the most successful university in Finland in terms of ERC funding. Develop your leadership skills and pedagogical expertise – our professors receive top-level training in the fields of academic leadership and pedagogy. Receive mentoring and get career assistance and guidance. Our professional development opportunities allow you to grow and learn, having the chance to participate actively in staff trainings and development projects based on your interests and needs. We value work-life balance and well-being in all aspects of life. We work in a flexible way of working model at the Otaniemi Campus in Espoo, Finland. Life on the revitalized campus is vibrant, featuring stunning architecture, tranquil nature, and a variety of cafes, restaurants, and services, all complemented by excellent public transportation connections.

About Finland

Finland tops international rankings in education, equality, safety, and quality of life. Finland is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world; design, creativity, and start-up culture are also important. Finland is a great place for living, with or without family. It is a safe, politically stable, and well-organized Nordic society, where equality is highly valued, and corruption is low. Extensive social security supports people in all life situations, and Finland’s free, high-quality education system is internationally recognized. In Finland, a low level of hierarchy is a cultural asset in working life and society. Finland is consistently ranked high in quality of life and was listed again as the happiest country in the world: World Happiness Report 2025. For more information about living in Finland: Aalto Careers for International Staff. More about Aalto University: Aalto.fi youtube.com/user/aaltouniversity linkedin.com/school/aalto-university/ www.facebook.com/aaltouniversity instagram.com/aaltouniversity.

Questions and contact information

If you wish to hear more about the role, please contact Professor Jani Romanoff, [e-mail] (available from July 6th). For questions related to the application process, please contact HR Partner Jenni Koivisto, [e-mail] (available for questions until June 24th, from July 6th to July 10th, and from August 3rd again).

Additional information

Read more about working at Aalto: https://www.aalto.fi/en/careers-at-aalto and check out our new virtual campus experience: https://virtualtour.aalto.fi. To view information about Workday Accessibility, please click here. Please see more of our Open Positions here.