Associate or Full Professor, Art, Society and Technology

Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture (Aalto ARTS) is a global leader in higher education in design, fashion, games, media, architecture, film, art education and art. We also conduct world-class research in art education, design and design thinking, digital media and visual culture, urban planning and architecture. Our graduates are innovators in and beyond their fields, drawing from over a century of tradition, a humane and forward-looking approach, and the latest technologies. Our campus in Espoo, just west of Helsinki, makes working together within and across disciplines easier than ever before.  

The Department of Art and Media conducts research and artistic activities across a broad range of subjects and themes. These include art education, contemporary art, curating, game design, new media, photography, visual communication design and visual culture.  The Department of Art and Media has been recognized internationally for high-quality artistic outputs, media productions and art pedagogical activities, scholarship, and research. The Department has approximately 800 students and over 100 staff members and provides education in Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral levels.  

The Department of Art and Media invites applications for the position of  Associate or Full Professor in Art, Society and Technology  

The successful candidate will be appointed for an Associate or Full Professor position in the Aalto University tenure track system.   The employment will begin in August 2027 or as agreed, and it is located in the Department of Art and Media.

The position will strengthen the department's capacity to develop socially grounded frameworks for understanding how technological transformations (digital platforms, algorithmic systems, artificial intelligence) and complex societal and systemic changes are affecting creative work, cultural production, contemporary art and civic life.  

Generative AI, datafication, and platform-driven economic models are already reshaping the conditions under which artists, designers, and media practitioners work. Consequently, established assumptions about authorship, compensation, and the distribution of cultural value are shifting rapidly. This professorship will offer a systemic and critically informed perspective on these transformations, drawing on transdisciplinary studies on topics such as politics, economy, digital transformation, and their impact on art and society.

The Professor in Art, Society and Technology has a cross-disciplinary, and integrative understanding of how art & media, technology and work, intersect and are informed by research on themes such as political, economic and digital infrastructures. This international and comparative outlook complements the department's existing strengths in new media, visual cultures, game studies, transdisciplinary art studies, art education and contemporary art by situating research within wider social contexts.

Responsibilities and goals   

The professor is expected to carry out, lead and supervise research, to engage in educating students at all degree levels, and to contribute to curriculum development. Professors of the Aalto University also participate in university administration and service. A particular expectation for this professorship is to build networks with researchers and practitioners within Aalto University and internationally.

At all levels of the tenure track system, the professor is expected to conduct high-quality research with societal impact as well as to teach at the doctoral, master’s and bachelor’s levels, to be an active member of the international research community, and to demonstrate academic leadership.  

Your experience  

The candidates for the Associate or Full Professor position are evaluated based on the criteria established by the School of Arts, Design and Architecture.  

For this professorship, a successful candidate is expected to have:  

• A doctoral degree in a relevant field. 

• Broad and advanced professional knowledge, including a strong track record and expertise in carrying out and leading research.   

• Strong and consistent publication record.   

• Substantial experience in crossdisciplinary and international networks in versatile collaborations with relevant partners.  

• Success in applying for significant external research and/or project funding.  

• Excellent track record in teaching and supervision in higher education, including doctoral education. Pedagogical training is a merit.   

• Experience in academic leadership roles or other relevant responsibilities.  

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English. 

These criteria are meant to support the holistic evaluation of candidates who are evaluated on the overall combination and balance across the dimensions relevant to the field and the type of the professorship. Particular emphasis is given to their potential to complement the existing research expertise of the school.  

The position will require working at the  Aalto University campus in Finland.  

What we offer  

 The professor will be part of an inspiring and supportive community of experienced professionals and highly motivated students. The professor will also have the opportunity to use the department’s extensive research and artistic networks both nationally and internationally. Aalto University also offers great artistic and technical infrastructure and workshops.  

The salary will be defined based on the candidate’s qualifications and level of the position and will follow the  Aalto University salary system.  In addition to the salary, Aalto University offers its employees occupational health care and excellent learning and development opportunities.

Ready to apply?  

To apply, please submit your application materials through our recruitment system on August 31, 2026 at 23:59 (Eastern European time UTC +3) at the latest (see a link to the recruitment system at the end of this application announcement). The following application materials should be submitted in English and in PDF format (please note that the maximum size per document is 5 MB). 
 

Existing Aalto employees and visitors, please apply by using your existing Workday user account; for instructions see here.  

• An application letter, including motivation for the position and statement describing the candidate’s vision for the professorship. This letter should describe how the candidate locates themselves within the intersections of art, technology and society, and what partnerships and forms of collaboration will enable them to actualize their vision (max. 3 pages).   

• Curriculum vitae. Please use the template available at the Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity (TENK) website.

• Teaching portfolio compiled according to Aalto guidelines.   

• List of publications, in which the five most significant publications are highlighted and the candidate’s role in them is described. Please use the template available at the Research Council of Finland website.

• Research portfolio, including a self-reflection on the merits, long-term vision of the candidate´s own research (max. 10 pages), see instructions from the policies and procedures document, page 25.   

In the second stage of the recruitment process, the selected candidates will be invited to a site visit in early 2027. During the site visit, the candidates will be interviewed and asked to give a teaching demonstration for which instructions will be provided in advance. The shortlisted candidates may also be asked to deliver additional materials before the site visit. During the evaluation process, external reviewers will be asked to provide individual assessments of the shortlisted candidates.   

For more information  

For more information about the position, please contact the departmental-committee chair, Professor Paula Hohti (paula.hohti(at)aalto.fi). For questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact HR Partner Katja Korpinurmi (katja.korpinurmi(at)aalto.fi). 

About Finland  

Finland is an excellent place to live – it is a safe, politically stable, and well-organised Nordic society. Finland is consistently ranked high in terms of the quality of life:  World Happiness Report 2026: Full Rankings & Key Findings. For more information about living in Finland, please visit the university website: Working in Finland | Aalto University

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