University Teacher / University Lecturer / Senior University Lecturer In Interior Architecture

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, sparking the game changers of tomorrow and creating novel solutions to major global challenges. Our community is made up of 16 000 students and 5 200 employees, including 446 professors. Our campus is in Espoo, Greater Helsinki, Finland. Diversity is part of who we are, and we actively work to ensure our community’s diversity and inclusiveness. This is why we warmly encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to join our community.

The Department of Architecture offers high-level studies in Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Interior Architecture advancing artistic development work within these fields as well as artistic and scientific research. The department´s strategic goal is to maintain and strengthen the Department of Architecture as an exemplary school of high international excellence. The educational objectives are to combine social responsibility, innovative technical, artistic, and scientific knowledge, enabling the students to become accomplished experts in their own field. For more information, please see: http://architecture.aalto.fi/en/

The Department of Architecture invites applications for the position of:

University Teacher / University Lecturer / Senior University Lecturer in Interior Architecture

The position will begin on January 1, 2027 or as agreed, and it is placed within the Interior Architecture major in the Department of Architecture.

The successful candidate will be appointed to the Aalto University lecturer career track for a full-time position. The Aalto lecturer career system principles are explained at https://www.aalto.fi/en/teachers-handbook/lecturer-career-system.

The Interior Architecture major at Aalto University focuses on the design of meaningful and experiential living environments on a human scale, including both space and furniture. Rooted in the Nordic design culture, we aim at educating creative and responsible design professionals with cultural, social, and environmental awareness. To transform interiors into a changing world, we foster critical thinking, research and experimentation, material knowledge, and sustainable design strategies.

To strengthen our expertise in sustainability across all scales of the built environment, we are looking for a University Teacher, University Lecturer or Senior University Lecturer to develop and teach forward-thinking and experimental practices in interior architecture both in spatial and furniture design. The role emphasizes a holistic understanding of sustainability through material, environmental, social, and economic perspectives as well as the ability to combine systemic and circular approaches with artistically advanced interior architecture practices.

Your role

The teaching and research area of the lectureship is interior architecture. You will work alongside the other lecturers and professors in the area, contributing to both spatial and furniture design courses. The position focuses primarily on bachelor's level teaching but may also include teaching at the master's level. The lecturer's duties include teaching sustainable interior architecture practices, supervising various projects, and participating in the development of teaching, research, and artistic activities at the Department of Architecture.

The lecturer will also be involved in supervising and evaluating academic theses, as well as participating in student admissions. Aside from teaching, they are expected to engage with artistic and/or research activities in their field as well as societal impact such as collaboration within professional and industry networks in Finland and internationally.

What we look for

We are looking for a versatile expert with distinctive artistic and/or research profile and good pedagogical skills. The candidate should have the capability to work in an evolving, multidisciplinary academic environment, helping students to explore new possibilities and guiding them throughout the learning process. They must be knowledgeable in the Nordic interior architecture tradition, including its societal and cultural context, and understand the importance of sustainable development in the field. The lecturer should have:

• Holistic view on interior architecture across its different material scales in relation to architecture and design, as well as vision for the development of the field in the future.

• Knowledge of current sustainability approaches and frameworks in interior architecture such as circular economy principles, low-carbon construction or biophilic design, and experience of applying those in interior architecture.

• Demonstrated experience – or strong potential – in delivering engaging teaching that draws from research and practice, along with the ability to develop new teaching that integrates sustainability aims with aesthetically high-level design.

• Command of relevant contemporary technologies, design and presentation techniques and tools, and the requirements of professional interior architecture projects.

A minimum of a master's degree in interior architecture/design, spatial and/or furniture design or a related field is required. In addition, professional and artistic achievements, work experience in the field, and teaching experience in higher education are valued. Academic, artistic, or practice-based research experience and pedagogical training will be merits. The language of instruction for the BA major in Interior Architecture is Finnish, and for the MA major, it is English. We expect you to have fluent oral and written communication skills for teaching and supervising students in both Finnish and English. Having established an international network within the field is a strong merit.

We are looking for a colleague who can communicate and engage effectively with students, the team, and other faculty members in an inspiring and accessible manner. Applicants will be evaluated holistically, which means that candidates will be assessed not just on fulfilling individual criteria but on their overall combination and balance of skills relevant to the position.

What we offer

We are located on the Aalto University campus in Otaniemi, Espoo, with several other neighboring research institutions and organizations. We offer you the opportunity to work within a well-resourced learning, research, and art & design community. The School of Arts, Design and Architecture has a well-equipped infrastructure for research and artistic activities, including top-class audiovisual and workshop premises. We are the only University in Finland that offers studies and conducts research in the fields of architecture, interior architecture, landscape architecture, as well as urban design and urban planning. The lecturer will be part of an inspiring and supportive community of experienced professionals and highly motivated students. The lecturer will also have the opportunity to use the Department’s extensive networks both nationally and internationally, and enjoy our great resources to build educational workshops, master classes, and student productions with the help of our production service, Aalto Studios (https://studios.aalto.fi/).

The salary will be defined based on the applicant’s qualifications and level of the position and will follow the Aalto University salary system. In addition to the salary, Aalto University provides its employees with occupational health care and excellent learning and development opportunities.

Ready to apply?

To apply, we kindly ask you to submit your application materials by 17 August 2026 at 23:59 (Eastern European time UTC +2) at the latest. Please find a link to the recruitment system at the end of this application announcement. The following application materials should be submitted in English and in pdf format (please note that the maximum size per document is 5MB):

• Curriculum vitae in accordance with the guidelines of the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity (TENK).

• Teaching portfolio in accordance with Aalto University's instructions.

• Portfolio of professional practice containing up to five most significant publications and/or selected interior architectural or related works (max. 20 pages).

• Motivation letter describing your core interests and areas of expertise as well as your vision on current and future development of teaching related to sustainable interior architecture. Also elaborate how you would contribute to teaching across the scales of interior architecture in both spatial and furniture design (1-2 pages).

If you already work at Aalto University, please apply for the position by using your existing Workday user account! Please see how to apply as an internal applicant here.

In the second stage of the recruitment process, the recruitment team will select the candidates invited to a site visit to the Department of Architecture in fall 2026. During the site visit, the candidates will be interviewed and asked to give a teaching demonstration for which instructions will be provided in advance. Applicants will also have the opportunity to meet with staff and students and to present their work more informally. During the evaluation process, we will ask two external reviewers to give their individual assessments of the shortlisted candidates.

Aalto University reserves the right to leave the position open, to extend the application period, to ask for supplementary materials, or to consider additional candidates who have not submitted applications during the application period.

For more information

For additional information, please contact the Chair of the Departmental Committee, Senior University Lecturer Antti Pirinen: antti.pirinen@aalto.fi.
In questions related to the recruitment process, please contact HR Partner Enni Ailoranta: hr-arch@aalto.fi.

About Finland

As a living and working environment, Finland is a great place for living with or without family – it is a safe, politically stable, and well-organized Nordic society. Finland is consistently ranked high in quality of life and was just listed again as the happiest country in the world: https://worldhappiness.report/news/world-happiness-report-2024-most-comprehensive-picture-yet-of-happiness-across-generations/ For more information about living in Finland: https://www.aalto.fi/en/careers-at-aalto/living-in-finland

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