Professor in chemical reaction and process engineering

LUT School of Engineering Sciences is looking for an associate/full professor (tenure track) in chemical reaction and process engineering.

The professorship is located at the Department of Separation Science of the LUT School of Engineering Sciences at the LUT University. LUT University has been ranked by Times Higher Education (THE) among the top 11 small universities across the globe in 2022. The department of Separation Science conducts groundbreaking research in chemical engineering, with 120 employees and 13 research groups.  

The professorship offers a unique opportunity to engage in groundbreaking research and collaborations within the expanding field of Power-to-X technologies, contributing to the development of sustainable energy solutions on a global scale. Power-to-X (PtX) is a novel, growing area in science and has become very important in the mitigation of global warming. LUT is the leading publisher of PtX-related studies and articles in Finland. The professorship focuses on refining renewable hydrogen into high-value products to replace fossil raw materials and on the related research and development of chemical syntheses and processes. LUT collaborates closely with industry in this area.

The appointed person will work in a cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research environment in a diverse academic setting, fostering collaborations across multiple disciplines and have access to excellent laboratory and process simulation facilities within LUT University’s new Power-to-X infrastructure. Also, the appointed person will enjoy Finland’s high quality of life, known for its high standard of living, excellent health care and social services, and a clean and safe environment.

The candidates are expected to demonstrate a high level of academic competence in chemical reaction and process engineering in the synthesis of organic compounds, related experimental and simulation research, and analytics. The objective will be to set up a research group and offer expertise in the field of the professorship.

The field of the professorship includes themes such as the following:

• chemical reaction and reactor design
• process intensification
• product and process design.

Expertise in all three areas is considered an advantage. The candidates must present proof of successful project work and research collaboration with research institutions and industry. In addition, we require evidence of experience in managing an organisation and acquiring competitive funding. We also expect proof of high-impact international research and publishing. Skills for collaborating both within LUT and with national and especially international partners are crucial to the position. Practical experience in the field is not a requirement in this position, but it is considered an advantage. Spoken and written fluency in English is required.

The duties

The duties related to the field of research include the following:

• high-impact international research
• planning and implementation of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral education
• supervision of final theses and doctoral studies
• preparation of national and international research and education projects
• increasing awareness in a way that serves industries and society
• taking part in the preparation of projects in other LUT units as an expert
• general administrative work related to the university's operation
• acquisition of research funding
• cost-conscious leadership and project management 
• close collaboration and interaction with businesses in the field
• teamwork, as most of the research and work is conducted in research groups and teams.

The position is at the associate or full professor levels of the tenure track and will be filled through an open call for a fixed term of four years (associate professor) or permanently (full professor). The tenure track system offers researchers a possibility to advance to the next level, provided they meet the requirements in the promotion reviews. The position is based in Lappeenranta and may require travel to the university’s other locations in Lahti, Mikkeli, and Kouvola as needed. The employment relationship starts with a six-month trial period.

The appointment process description explains the qualification requirements and tenure track appointment criteria.

All application documents must be in English and in PDF format. The application must include:

• a curriculum vitae (max. 10 pages)
• a copy of the candidate's doctoral diploma
• a full list of publications including the candidate’s Scopus and Google Scholar details: the Scopus ID, Google Scholar profile URL and ORCID ID, the total number of publications, the total number of citations, and h-indices
• a separate list of the 10 publications selected for expert evaluation
• the 10 publications mentioned above
• a teaching portfolio or an equivalent account of the candidate’s teaching qualifications, presenting courses taught by the candidate, related feedback, the candidate’s pedagogical training and teaching philosophy, and courses that the candidate is able to or prefers to teach
• an account of the candidate's merits and activities of significance to the vacancy (max. 3 pages)
• an account of the candidate’s vision on the development of education, research and projects in the field of the professorship at LUT University (max. 3 pages).

Please specify the tenure track level applied to.

The salary is determined according to the salary system for university teaching and research personnel. The pay will include an individual pay component based on performance and competence. The annual gross salary for an associate professor is approximately 66 300 euros and full professor 69 000 – 102 200 euros depending on the qualifications and experience of the candidate. In addition to a competitive salary, the wide range of benefits that come with this job include a holiday bonus, a generous holiday entitlement, research incentive scheme with personal rewards for high quality publications, flexible working hours, occupational health care, a collegial faculty environment and continued commitment for your support, learning, training and development.

The closing date for applications is 31 January 2025 at 12 noon, Finnish local time (UTC + 2h). Please submit your application and all required attachments by filling out the online form.

For further information, please contact Sami Virolainen, head of the department, +358 50 431 6756, sami.virolainen@lut.fi.

For further information, please follow the links:

Department of Separation Science

LUT School of Engineering Sciences

Information for international staff

LUT University | Clean energy, water and air are life-giving resources for which we at LUT University seek new solutions with our expertise in technology, business and social sciences. We help society and businesses in their sustainable renewal. Our international community consists of over 9,000 members. Our campuses are in Lappeenranta and Lahti, Finland. We are one of the world's top universities for climate action. lut.fi/en

Technical support for using the recruitment system: recruitment@lut.fi.