OPEN POSITION: Professor in Furniture Design

The Department of Architecture at ELIA member Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture in Finland is looking for a Professor in Furniture Design .The successful candidate will be appointed for a fixed 5-year term with the title of Professor (Design practices). The position will begin in August 2021 or as agreed and it is placed within the Programme of Interior Architecture in the Department of Architecture.

Furniture design has a long and illustrious history at Aalto University and its predecessor with consistent international visibility and recognition. In order to maintain its leadership in the field, Aalto ARTS has opened a call to find a Professor (architectural practices) in Furniture Design whose task is to update the field to meet the complex demands of today and the future. The purpose of the professorship is to elevate and redefine the field of furniture design by developing teaching and artistic/professional activities and creating an interface towards research based on the strong tradition of the field. Activities of the department are mainly located in the Otaniemi campus of Aalto University in Espoo (Helsinki metropolitan area).

Your role and goals

As a Professor (Design practices) they expect you to exercise and guide research and/or artistic activity, to educate students on this basis, to introduce them to existing furniture design traditions and support them in advancing the field. This entails practice, theory and experimentation with existing and emerging skills, technologies and materialities. They also expect you to participate in service to the Aalto University community and to take an active role in societal interaction and international collaboration in the design field. They expect the professors to teach courses themselves and they also encourage them to invite visiting professionals to share their knowledge and experience.

Your experience and ambitions

Profound expertise in the field of the professorship is necessary, and international experience and familiarity with the Nordic countries is of advantage. The candidate should have experience in university-level teaching and architectural design practice. Experience in leading research projects and academic leadership positions is an asset. Completed pedagogical studies and a doctoral degree in Architecture or in some other relevant field is valued.

Significant expertise in teaching and artistic work and/or research is required for obtaining a Professor (Design practices) position. Furthermore, a commitment to develop the field through research and/or artistic work and teaching activities is necessitated.

For this professorship the applicant is expected to have:

• MA degree in a relevant field or comparable artistic/professional qualifications
• Broad professional knowledge and experience or a strong profile in experimental or conceptual practice
• Experience in versatile collaborations with relevant partners in the field of design and its related businesses
• Strong competencies in interdisciplinary collaboration
• Knowledge of sustainability
• Ability to teach and engage students
• International networks within the field of design
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English

What they offer

As an employer, Aalto University provides excellent learning and development opportunities as well as occupational health care services, commuter ticket benefit and versatile exercise services by Unisport. Aalto University follows the salary system of Finnish universities, but applicants may also propose their own salary requirements.

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 networks both nationally and internationally, and enjoy their great resources to build educational workshops, master classes and student productions with the help of our production service, Aalto Studios (https://studios.aalto.fi/).

Aalto was ranked as the #7 university in Art and Design by QS in 2020. Aalto Department of Architecture is ranked highest in Finland and among the top fifty (#41) architecture schools in the world (QS 2020). Projects by the department are nominated for national and international awards, such as the Finlandia Prize (2018) and the ArchDaily Building of the Year award (2018).

Ready to apply?

To apply, you will need to prepare the following application materials in English and in PDF format:

• Motivation letter (1-2 pages)
• Curriculum Vitae according to the guidelines by the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity
• Design portfolio including max. 10 most significant projects (size limited to 20 MB)
• Teaching portfolio including teaching merits and approach to teaching, according to Aalto University guidelines
• Brief overview of your ideas regarding the future development of the field (max. two pages)
• Statement describing your vision of research and/or artistic work and teaching in the field of
• Furniture and Product Design (max. 2 pages).

Submit your application materials no later than on January 12th, 2021 (Finnish time UTC +2). The link to the eRecruitment system ('Apply now') can be found here.

For more information

For additional information, please contact Professor Pentti Kareoja, tel. +358 40 768 0659, email pentti.kareoja(at)aalto.fi. In questions related to the recruitment process, please contact HR Specialist Mari Kaarni, mari.kaarni(at)aalto.fi.