Tenure track position in Sustainability and Environmental Systems Engineering (Assistant Profes[...]

Karlstad University; Tampere; On-site; EUR 40 000 - 60 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading multidisciplinary university in Finland is seeking an Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor for a tenure-track position in Sustainability and Environmental Systems Engineering. The ideal candidate has a doctoral degree and is committed to conducting high-level research to promote the circular economy and green transition. This role offers a competitive salary, a supportive environment for research, and is set in Tampere, one of the major academic hubs in the Nordic countries. The closing date for applications is November 24th, 2025.

Benefits

Start-up package for research group

Dynamic living environment in Tampere

Access to advanced social security and healthcare

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in relevant areas like environmental or energy engineering.
• Strong knowledge of sustainable processes and systems.
• Fluent in English.

Responsibilities

• Conduct high-level scientific research for circular economy.
• Evaluate and model sustainability of technologies and systems.
• Contribute increasingly to teaching and curriculum development.

Skills

Fluent in English

Knowledge of sustainable technologies

Good cooperation and interaction skills

Education

Doctoral degree in environmental engineering or related field

Job description

Tenure track position in Sustainability and Environmental Systems Engineering (Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Professor)

Tampere University is one of the most multidisciplinary universities in Finland. We are building a new model for higher education and research in Finland. Together, Tampere University and Tampere University of Applied Sciences form a higher education community that places faith in people and scientific knowledge. Leading experts in technology, health and society are changing the world at Finland’s second largest multidisciplinary higher education institution.

The Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences at Tampere University is inviting applications for a tenure-track position in Sustainability and Environmental Systems Engineering.

The world needs pioneers in its search for operating models for sustainable economy and well-being, while avoiding the over-consumption of natural resources. The ongoing green transition is crucial to develop a sustainable, low-carbon and resource-efficient future. Such a transition requires the development of new solutions for protecting our environment for sustainable use and recovery of natural resources that are sustainable and economically feasible.

The Bio and Circular Economy subunit (BIC) is part of the Materials Science and Environmental Engineering unit (MSEE), one of the three units of the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences (ENS). Our work focuses on environmental technology, bioenergy and biorefining, along with industrial biotechnology, with the ultimate goal of promoting a cleaner and safer future for the benefit of people and the environment. We develop processes and concepts for sustainable conversion of municipal and industrial waste, wastewater, and flue gas to valuable biochemicals and clean biofuels. Furthermore, we focus on energy-efficient recovery of water, nutrients and metals. We also work on the integration of such processes into urban and industrial systems. The group has active collaboration with urban actors, industry as well as several national and international research organizations. This position would strengthen the profile of our activities by providing a means of evaluating and assessing the sustainability of the processes and concepts developed by our research groups and their collaborators.

We are seeking highly motivated and accomplished candidates in the area of sustainability and environmental systems engineering for conducting high-level scientific research to promote circular economy and green transition.

Your research focuses on sustainability development, for example, evaluating and modelling the sustainability of different technologies, processes and systems (e.g., with life-cycle assessment tools), developing and optimising methods for sustainability evaluation, and conducting techno-economic assessment for process and product development. Your background may be in environmental engineering, energy engineering, chemical engineering, material and process engineering, or a related field. Your research should strengthen and be complementary to the present research in the BIC subunit and ENS faculty.

If successful, you will be placed on the level of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Professor, based on your experience and expertise. While in the early stages of your career, the focus is on research; in time you will be expected to contribute increasingly to teaching, curriculum development and graduate and post-graduate student supervision.

At Tampere University, we value diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of nationality, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, or age. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Requirements

• You should have a doctoral degree in one of the following areas: environmental engineering, energy engineering, chemical engineering, process engineering, or a related field.
• Strong knowledge of sustainable technologies, processes and systems, and of tools and methodologies for their evaluation.
• You need to be fluent in English to succeed in the required tasks.
• Good cooperation and interaction skills.

Further requirements for each tenure track level are as follows:

• ability to undertake high-level scholarly activity and potential to establish an independent agenda of scholarly activity at international level of excellence
• teaching skills required to successfully perform the duties and functions of the position

Associate Professor

We require:

• track record of independent scholarly activity on a high international level
• teaching skills required to successfully perform the duties and functions of the position
• ability to lead a research group and acquire external funding.

Professor

We require:

• high-level scholarly expertise
• experience of leading scientific research activities
• ability to provide high-quality research-based education and instruction
• track record of winning external research funding
• track record of international scholarly activity

We invite you to be a part of a vibrant, active and international research community. The multidisciplinary research environment offers opportunities to develop research expertise via collaboration with different fields of engineering and natural sciences. We offer an advanced infrastructure in many research fields of environmental and energy engineering.

Initial appointment as Assistant Professor / Associate Professor is for five years. Subject to successful performance, you will become a tenured faculty member after the first five-year period. Full professors will hold a permanent appointment from the outset. A trial period of six months applies to all our new employees.

You will be supported by a start-up package that will ease your transition to Tampere University and in setting up your research group. The start-up package will be negotiated on the basis of your individual needs.

Salaries are based on the job demands and employees’ personal performance in accordance with the Finnish University Salary System. A typical starting salary for an Assistant Professor is approximately 4700-5200 EUR/month, for an Associate Professor approximately 5400-6100 EUR/month, and for a Professor in the range between 6500-7300 EUR/month. Higher salaries may be negotiated for candidates with exceptional experience and/or performance.

The city of Tampere is one of the major academic hubs in the Nordic countries and offers a dynamic living environment. Finland provides one of the most advanced and comprehensive social security systems in the world with generous parental leaves, very affordable state-subsidized daycare that is available for all children, world-renowned free primary and secondary education as well as public healthcare.

For more information on Tampere and Finland, please visit:

Please submit your application through our online recruitment system (link below). The closing date for applications is November 24th, 2025(at 23.59 EET, GMT+2 / 21.59 UTC).

Please write your application and all accompanying documents in English and attach them in PDF format. Applications should include the following documents:

• A letter of motivation in which you set out the reasons why you are applying for the position and why you are particularly suited to it.
• A research plan (max. 5 pages), outlining your proposed research
• The names, positions and contact details of two referees who can support your application (recommendations letters etc. are not asked at this point)

Candidates may be invited for a video interview during the first stage of the recruitment process. The most qualified candidates will be invited to Tampere University for an interview and may undergo an aptitude assessment. They will also undergo a review by external experts and may be required to give a demonstration of their teaching skills.

Tenure track position in Sustainability and Environmental Systems Engineering (Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Professor)

Closing on: 2025-11-16 (Europe/Helsinki)