Research Team Leader, Quantitative Science And Technology Studies

Are you interested in revealing future phenomena by utilising advanced data-analysis methods to create novel tools and information for strategic decision-making with superb colleagues who are top experts in their field? Do you want to build an excellent research career and work at the interface of academy and industry? Are you enthusiastic about working with fascinating projects in an international environment? VTT might be just the place for you.

VTT is one of the leading applied research organisations in Europe. What unites us are curiosity, a passion for learning, and a purpose: to solve the biggest challenges of our time and turn them into sustainable growth and well-being. Our cross-disciplinary community of over 2400 brilliant minds from 60 different nationalities focuses on creating impact through science-based innovation. Get to know us further by exploring VTT's tech & infra.

We are now looking for a visionary Research Team Leader for our Quantitative Science and Technology Studies team.

While the world is changing at an accelerating speed, the concrete future understanding has become a strategic asset for companies and societies. VTT’s foresight and data economy unit’s purpose is to concretise the future opportunities and create actionable strategies for future-proof businesses and societies.

The Quantitative Science and Technology Studies team focuses especially on novel data analysis and models (including AI enhanced methods) for technology analysis and foresight. The purpose is to help our customers make better decisions by revealing insights that are critical for strategic insights and future relevant decision-making. Our team can utilise VTT’s world-leading expert pool and data sources in its assignments. Read more about the team and its recent outcomes from here: https://cris.vtt.fi/en/organisations/quantitative-science-and-technology-studies-2

In this position, you will lead one of the leading European teams focused on quantitative technology analysis and insights. You play a key role in the development of the team and its portfolio. You lead a dedicated team of skilled professionals through vision and substance while ensuring smooth collaboration with VTT experts and international partners. You will work at the cutting edge of a rapidly developing field, gaining a unique vantage point into how technology develops across sectors, and shaping data-driven decision-making that builds on a broad technology portfolio.

Your responsibilities as Research Team Leader:

• Visionary substance leadership of the team. Developing the team’s research agenda and competences together with the team.
• Leading the team’s project portfolio (private and public sector customer projects, and co-financed applied research projects) development and execution. With your high ambition level and goal-oriented mindset, you ensure the high quality and impact of the projects.
• Acting as one of the key managers towards our customers, leading the customer sales as well as key research initiatives creation in deep collaboration with customers. As one of the key experts in the area, you participate hands-on in relevant projects.
• Developing new frameworks, methodologies and tools for the area. This is a key role in the organisation in which you will have the opportunity to drive forward impactful research and high customer value. Being successful requires active co-operation with other teams and relevant internal and external experts.
• You will be part of the research area’s leadership team and contribute to the development of the Research area.
• This is a line manager role, so you are responsible for coaching the team and team members’ performance. Employee well-being, recruitment and the team’s competence development are your key priorities.

Who we are looking for:

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to lead with vision and substance are key to succeeding in this role.
• You have at least 5 years of working experience in at least 2 of the following areas: quantitative analysis, ML and Data Science, artificial intelligence (AI), innovation studies, with a strong track record.
• Capability to learn and develop your substance knowledge to cover the overall team’s research content (Computational Decision Sciences), and collaboration to apply these competences to other research areas. Experience and enthusiasm for advanced analytics and AI tools, and capability to learn new technologies.
• Proven research skills with a strong track record in driving excellence and impact in the area of research. You should have a PhD or equivalent science experience in the area, with excellent academic records.
• Commercial mindset and strong business network, with a solid understanding of the European innovation landscape and proven experience in acquiring external research funding and commercial projects.
• Strong communication skills with C-level readiness. Ability to build collaboration and networks with different stakeholders. Preferably, you have strong international collaboration networks in the area already.
• You should be proficient in English language.

As a person, we hope that you are:

• Motivating people leader with the ability to coach and develop people
• Proactive, self-driven mindset and eagerness to learn
• Customer-centric with ambition to achieve results.
• Innovative and collaboration-oriented.

With VTT, you’ll enjoy:

• Visionary work in technology. We offer positions at the cutting-edge of technology and engineering, from next-generation microelectronics and quantum technology to automation and robotics, energy systems, and more. Our research agenda is dedicated to creating sustainable growth by solving systemic and technological challenges, so your work will go towards creating a real, positive impact. Read more about our strategy – the path of exponential hope.
• Fascinating projects, excellent research environment. Our researchers get to work on a combination of cutting-edge academic research and applied customer projects, both locally and internationally. At VTT, you’ll have state-of-the-art facilities at your disposal, such as VTT FutureHub, the headquarters of VTT.
• Great career opportunities, superb colleagues. At VTT, excellence in research is a strategic priority. We offer long-term positions and stable career paths in top-level research. People tend to stay with us for over ten years since there are always new roles and responsibilities to grow into. Collaborating in a cross-disciplinary community with superb colleagues is a source of learning, inspiration, and fun. Read more about our organisational culture as the builder of the world's most meaningful place to work.
• Support for your well-being. Our people are our main asset, so we take good care of them. We aim to nurture excellent team spirit and leadership and offer versatile well-being services to enable a good work-life balance. On top of 6 weeks of paid holidays annually (after one year of work), we offer exercise and culture benefits, hobby clubs, and other versatile services aiming to support your occupational wellbeing.

Apply now and join our community of brilliant minds!

Please send your CV and application with your salary request via our recruitment system as soon as possible, but at the latest by 22 September 2025. We will process applications as they come in and fill the position as soon as we find the right candidate. A security clearance procedure will be conducted during the recruitment process.

Interested and want to know more?

For further information, please contact Kalle Kantola, Vice President, Foresight and Data Economy, email: kalle.kantola(at)vtt.fi, tel: +358 40 840 6427 on 11 September at 9:00–10:00 or 18 September at 15:00–16:00 (Finnish time UTC+3).

We look forward to hearing from you!

Location: Espoo, Oulu or Tampere, Finland.