The University of Lapland invites applications for a Professor of Visual Arts at the Faculty of Art and Design. The position is permanent and will start on 1 January 2027.

The Faculty of Art and Design functions as an integral part of a multidisciplinary science university that also has the faculties of Education, Law, and Social Sciences and the Arctic Centre, with which the Faculty of Art and Design has various forms of cooperation. The University of Lapland (ULapland) and Lapland University of Applied Sciences (Lapland UAS) constitute the Lapland University Consortium (LUC).

The Faculty of Art and Design provides studies the following degree programmes: art education, graphic design, audiovisual media culture, fashion and textile design, and design.The faculty also provides several master’s programmes aimed at current educational needs. In addition, it is possible to complete the Doctor of Arts or Doctor of Philosophy degree in the faculty. The instruction given in the faculty is based on the research and artistic activity of the field. The faculty has lively exhibition activities in its twelve galleries in Rovaniemi around the year.

The position of Professor of Visual Arts adheres to the visual arts unit of the Faculty of Art and Design which is home to art and cultural studies and the degree programme in art education. In addition to art education, the visual arts unit provides studies in art and culture to each of the faculty’s degree programmes in the areas of visual art, photography, and art history. Visual art studies combine artistic thinking and practical forms of expression. The studies prepare students for independent work in the field of modern art and for the application of art in society.

Northern orientation, regional impact, and international impact are at the centre of the project activities in the Faculty of Art and Design. In teaching and research, interaction between science and art intertwines with northern art and cultural studies, visual arts, and design research.

Your duties include

According to Section 33 of the Universities Act (558/2009), a professor must engage in and supervise scientific research or artistic work, provide teaching based on it, follow the development of science or art, and participate in societal interaction and international cooperation in their field.

The Professor of Visual Arts oversees visual art instruction in the Faculty of Art and Design. The duties focus on the development of interaction between instruction, research, and art in the faculty as modern art activity. The Professor conveys the theoretical basis of visual arts and artistic thinking to fields of education and is in charge of supervising artistic theses. The Professor also enhances the domestic and international visibility of the faculty’s art activities and strengthens the networks of the field. The duties include the acquisition of external funding for artistic activities, such as exhibitions, publications, and joint productions and projects.

The duties include academic leadership of visual arts, research and publication, preparation and management of research and development projects based on external funding, supervision of theses, doctoral education, and international collaboration.

Successful performance of the duties of the Professor and the promotion of the faculty's effective functioning require strong commitment to the comprehensive activities of the scientific and artistic community.

We offer

• engaging and meaningful work within an inspiring and supportive work community
• diverse collaboration with experts from various higher education institutions
• modern working tools and facilities
• opportunities for professional development
• excellent year-round hiking and outdoor opportunities afforded by the university’s location
• a stable organisation to work in
• sport, culture and wellbeing benefits

We expect

The position of Professor of Visual Arts is filled on artistic grounds. According to section 29 of the Rules of Procedure of the University of Lapland, a person appointed to a professorship on artistic grounds is required to possess the following: a doctoral degree, superior artistic competence, experience in leading artistic or industrial art-based activity or artistic research, skill in providing artistic activity-based teaching of high standard, theses supervision skills, and demonstrable experience in international collaboration in the appointee’s field of interest.

According to section 29 of the Rules of Procedure, the following are considered in assessing the candidate’s merits: scientific and/or artistic publications; other research results with scientific and/or artistic value; artistic merits related to the field of the position, where necessary; teaching experience and pedagogical training; skill in creating learning materials; other achievements in education; performance in a teaching demonstration, where necessary; and supervised dissertations. In addition, the following are considered: success in acquiring supplementary research funding; experience in societal interaction; active engagement in the activities of the scientific and/or artistic community; a practical knowledge of the field in question, where necessary; scientific and/or artistic work abroad; and international assignments.

In the position of Professor of Visual Arts, the languages of instruction are Finnish and/or English. Successful performance in the position requires proficiency in English and either proficiency in Finnish or a strong motivation to learn Finnish. A foreign applicant or a Finnish applicant whose native language is not Finnish can be required to learn Finnish to a reasonable proficiency within five years.

The Professor of Visual Arts shall have an advanced practical knowledge of the field in question. This can be demonstrated through, for example, professional merits, an artistic outlook, and management of research and art projects. Artistic merits include completed degrees, field-related instruction, exhibition activities, and experience in art project activities.

Detailed information about the duties and requirements of the position is available in the appointment plan (tehtäväntäyttösuunnitelma).

Application

The following documents must be submitted in English along with the application by the end of applying date:

• The application letter and an account of noteworthy merits and activities in view of the position (1–2 pages)
• A CV written in accordance with the instructions of the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity (TENK)
• A teaching portfolio according to the instructions of the University of Lapland
• A numbered list of publications according to the instructions of the Research Council of Finland
• A list of the applicant’s ten most important publications with links to them. If there are no links to the publications, they must be added as PDF files.
• A portfolio of artistic activity
• A field-related development plan concerning research, teaching, and societal interaction (max. 3 pages)
• Authenticated degree and work certificates qualifying the applicant for the job
• Other relevant documents demonstrating practical competence related to the position.

The applicants are requested to state whether they are willing to fill the position on a fixed-term basis as of 1 January 2027 if the appointment procedure is still in progress.

Further information on the position

The selection committee appointed by the Faculty Council will decide whether to invite some of the applicants to give a demonstration lecture. At this point, it is also possible that the invited applicants are interviewed by the committee. 

For further information on the position, please contact Dean Satu Miettinen, firstname.lastname@ulapland.fi, by June 10th, 2026 or, in matters concerning the recruitment process, contact Head of Administration Susanna Vuorjoki, firstname.lastname@ulapland.fi, by June 10th, 2026.

Workplace address: Yliopistonkatu 8, 96300 ROVANIEMI
Duration of employment: from 1.1.2027 (or as agreed)
Work hours: full-time employment
Trial period: 6 months
Salary: €5,354–7,889 salary of the Professor. In addition, a personal performance-based salary component is paid, amounting up to 50% of the task-specific salary component.The university’s salary system is based on the requirements of the task and personal performance. The position of the Professor adheres to requirement levels 8–11 of the university salary system for teaching and research staff.