项目介绍

2026年7月1日

We are now looking for a

Postdoctoral researcher in complexity-aligned innovation and institutional design

Are you a researcher excited by complexity/systems theory and collective intelligence, and eager to do empirical work on how innovation systems can be reimagined for an age of systemic disruption?

This position offers a unique opportunity for an ambitious researcher to help develop and implement research on complexity-aligned innovation governance — investigating how innovation systems can move beyond a single growth logic toward the capacity to sense different strategic contexts and respond with appropriate institutional postures. The work mobilises complexity and systems, innovation studies, collective intelligence and participatory, action-research methods, in close engagement with Finnish and international innovation-ecosystem actors. The position is part of the Business Finland–funded project on Tech-Enabled Institutional Innovation.

The contract is 12–15 months depending on starting time. The salary range for this position follows Aalto guidelines and will be in the range of 4160 – 4300 €/month depending on the expertise of the candidate. The position requires residency in Finland for the duration of the contract.

Your role and goals

You will contribute to both the conceptual and empirical development of the project. On the empirical side, you will undertake qualitative research in real-life innovation settings — conducting in-depth interviews with innovation-ecosystem actors and designing and facilitating co-creative workshops — grounded in an action-research approach in which the research process itself helps to co-create new innovation practices. On the conceptual side, you will contribute to literature reviews and to building the project’s theoretical foundations. You will engage with societal stakeholders across research, policy, business, and civic domains. In addition to undertaking research, leading and co-authoring high-quality academic publications, you will help develop research-based outputs that build bridges between academic knowledge, policy making, and practice.

Your experience and ambitions

The successful candidate will have:

• A doctoral degree in innovation studies, complexity science, science and technology studies, sustainability science, systemic design, or a field relevant to the position. Rather than the disciplinary situatedness, the relevance of past research experience and vision for this role is more important
• A strong grounding in complexity theory and a demonstrated interest in applying it to empirical research in innovation, organisational, or governance contexts is an advantage
• Knowledge of innovation management, innovation policy, collective intelligence or transition/transformation studies (or closely related fields);
• Experience in inter/transdisciplinary research;
• Experience in producing high quality academic outputs — including both conceptual and empirical papers — and communicating research results across a range of different stakeholders;
• Experience in collaborative and participatory research with stakeholders;
• Experience in workshop facilitation and stakeholder engagement; experience in workshop or process design is considered an advantage;
• Excellent academic writing and publication skills;
• Excellent skills in English are required. Working proficiency in Finnish or Swedish is considered as an advantage;
• Experience in grant application preparation is considered as an advantage.

Join us!
Please submit your application through our recruitment system by August 10th. In your application, please share the following materials with us:

•  An up-to-date academic CV including a list of publications
• A motivation letter describing how you meet the criteria for the role and your ambition for the role;
• 2 academic publications (in pdf format) in which the applicant has a lead role in at least one and a significant role in the other.
• Names and contact details of two referees (to be contacted if you are shortlisted and had a successful interview)