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, by sparking the game changers of tomorrow, and by creating novel solutions to major global challenges. We are a community of 13 000 students, 400 professors and close to 4 500 other faculty and staff working on our dynamic campus in Espoo, Greater Helsinki, Finland. Equality, diversity, and inclusiveness are in our core values, supporting our community’s wellbeing, creativity and ability to foster world-class research, teaching, and impact.
The Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering (NBE) aims to understand system-level dynamic functions of the human brain, mind, and body. We develop spearheading technology and computational methods which pave the way for discoveries and breakthroughs that contribute to health and wellbeing. NBE brings together systems and cognitive neuroscience, biophysics, and biomedical engineering. The levels of description in the research and education at the department range from molecular and cellular measures to noninvasive neuroimaging and behavioral measurements. New generations of multidisciplinary scientists and engineers are educated by engaging them with cutting-edge science and technology.
Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering at Aalto University School of Science is looking for
Professor in Biophysics
This new professor will work in the field of experimental biophysics, which is an interdisciplinary science that applies approaches and methods traditionally used in physics to study biological systems. For this position, we search for candidates who have background and interest in molecular and/or cellular biophysics.
The position is to be filled at
Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor level of the Aalto University tenure track system. The position is full-time and, depending on the positioning on the tenure track, either on fixed or permanent term.
Your role and goals
The tenure-track position in biophysics is open to individuals holding a doctorate in physics or a closely related field, with the intent for pursuing an academic career at NBE. The new professor is assumed to establish a research team and will have an opportunity to collaborate with other faculty members of the department as well as with other departments within the inspiring environment of Aalto School of Science, and beyond.
The new professor is expected to take responsibility for teaching biophysics and other courses at the department as well as to participate in the development of our curricula at Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral levels.
The applicant to be appointed to tenure track needs to demonstrate fluency in English. Good communication, language, and people skills are important, especially in teaching.
Your colleagues and infrastructure
The Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering is composed of scientists representing multiple disciplines. While we are looking for a new faculty member with competence in his/her field, we equally emphasize the importance of being able to appreciate and learn about other fields of study. We also value the curiosity and courage to engage in interdisciplinary work, thereby crossing levels of description ranging from a single molecule to systems level.
You can find more about us and about your future colleagues in these videos and a virtual tour:
The Otaniemi campus offers a comprehensive research infrastructure, including:
- Aalto Neuroimaging (ANI) Infrastructure is hosted at NBE. ANI houses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at Advanced Magnetic Imaging (AMI) Centre, magnetoencephalography (MEG) at MEG Core and Aalto Behavioral Laboratory (ABL).
- The Aalto University Nanomicroscopy Center provides access to high-resolution electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, and X-ray scattering instruments for soft, hard, and biomaterial sample imaging and characterisation.
- Micronova is part of OtaNano, Finland's national research infrastructure for micro- and nanotechnology. It is run jointly by VTT (Technical Research Centre of Finland) and Aalto University. Its mission is to develop innovative, enabling technologies, and to apply these in practical micro- and nanosystems. Research at Micronova focuses on micro and nanotechnology, material and device physics, and optics.
Potential collaborative institutions include:
- Aalto University in general and NBE in particular has well-established connections to the University of Helsinki and the Helsinki University Hospital. These connections provide excellent opportunities for clinical and translational science, and for developing clinical applications.
- VTT, also located on the Otaniemi campus, is one of Europe’s leading research institutions. VTT is owned by the Finnish state and advances the utilization and commercialization of research and technology in commerce and society.
Tenure track in Aalto University
The position is a tenure track position. Individuals appointed to the tenure track have the opportunity to conduct research and/or artistic work and to teach in order to build academic merits towards qualifying for an appointment to a tenured position.
Since 2010, the tenure track has attracted applicants from all over the world, giving Aalto University the possibility of recruiting top experts and young talent to join the Aalto University community. You can learn more about the research conducted by Tenured Professors at Aalto in the videos of
Installation Talks. We encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds and especially women, who are underrepresented in this field, to apply. As an equal-opportunity employer, Aalto University founds its recruitment decisions on applicants’ competencies, skills and aptitudes.
Throughout their careers, those in the tenure track system are expected to conduct and supervise artistic/scientific research and/or artistic/design work, to provide related academic education, to contribute to developing their field or discipline, as well as participate in academic service to the University and beyond in the society. For more information on the tenure track system of Aalto University, please see
https://www.aalto.fi/en/tenure-track.
What we offer
All our work is guided by the values of the university: responsibility, courage, and collaboration. We are an open community where equality and inclusion enable curiosity, innovation, collaboration and wellbeing. Other key characteristics of our environment include:
- Start-up funding and grant writing support to help you establish your own team.
- A salary which is determined based on the applicant's experience and qualifications,
- Meaningful and inspiring environment. We are proud of our purpose to shape a sustainable future. We spark the game changers of tomorrow, and renew society with research-based knowledge, creativity and an entrepreneurial mindset.
- The possibility to work within a well-resourced learning community where the students are rigorously selected and highly motivated. This results in an unusually interactive and intellectually challenging atmosphere.
- Finland is a great country to live in, with or without family. Finland is safe, politically stable, and well-organized society with a healthy living environment. Finland offers many state-subsidized services including affordable day care, free schools and universities, which are consistently ranked among the best in the world. More information about living and working in Finland is available here
- Aalto University provides its employees with occupational health care services and retirement benefits.
- Aalto University offers help for your family to settle in Finland.
For more information
If you have any questions or need additional information about the open position, please do not hesitate to contact the Chair of the Departmental Committee, Professor Matti Hämäläinen, matti.s.hamalainen@aalto.fi, and for questions related to the recruitment process HR Partner Jenni Ståhl, jenni.stahl@aalto.fi.
Ready to apply?
If you want to join our community, please submit your application no later than 31.08.2023 through our recruiting system by using the "Apply" link.
If you are an employee or visitor at Aalto, please note: you should apply for the position via our internal system Workday (not via the external aalto.fi webpage on open positions). Use your existing Workday user account.
To apply, please share the following application materials with us in English and in PDF. The maximum size of each document is 5MB and the maximum number of documents is 5. The naming convention for each document is given in parenthesis after its description:
- Cover letter (lastname_firstname_cover.pdf)
- Curriculum Vitae: please use the template recommended by The Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity (lastname_firstname_CV.pdf).
- List of publications, with the five most significant publications highlighted, including a paragraph describing their significance and the applicant’s contribution (lastname_firstname_pub.pdf).
- Research portfolio: a concise (maximum 10 pages) reflection on the merits, long-term vision, and research plan. For instructions, visit Policies and Procedures-document, Page 25 (lastname_firstname_research.pdf).
- Teaching portfolio: please follow Aalto University’s guidelines closely (lastname_firstname_teaching.pdf).
Aalto University reserves the right to leave the position open, to extend the application period or to consider candidates who have not submitted applications during the application period.
Based on the application materials, the Departmental Committee will choose the most suitable applicants to visit NBE for interviews and to deliver teaching demonstrations. In addition, the shortlisted applications will be reviewed by external experts.
The applicants will be reviewed on the basis of their research achievements in relation to their career stage, their teaching merits and activity in the scientific community. General instructions for applicants including evaluation criteria, language requirements and guidelines for compiling your CV are given at
https://www.aalto.fi/en/tenure-track/interested-in-joining-our-tenure-track 
