The Faculty of Art and Design at the University of Lapland invites applications for the position of Professor or Associate Professor (Tenure Track, level 2) in Visual Culture. The position adheres to the Media Department and strengthens the research, teaching, and development tasks of the department. Depending on qualifications, the position may be filled either as a permanent professorship or as a five‑year fixed‑term associate professorship within the Tenure Track system.

At the University of Lapland, the dialogue between science and art has an active role in the studies, research, and art of the faculty and our cooperation with various sectors of society. The connection between science and art is also strengthened by the faculty’s exceptional position as part of a multidisciplinary university. For students, it offers an opportunity to combine studies of design, tourism, marketing, business, education, and social sciences.

Faculty of Art and Design offers degree programmes in Audiovisual Media Culture, Graphic Design, Fashion and Textile Design, Art Education, and Design. In addition, the faculty provides several master’s programmes aimed at current educational needs. Graduates from the department pursue careers as experts in the cultural and artistic sectors, in teaching and research positions, as well as independent artists and entrepreneurs.

In the Media Department, we carry out international, cutting-edge work in media arts and visual communication. Our fields of research adhere to the domains of visual culture, art, media, and visual communication. Through versatile international collaboration networks, we create a channel to the culture, art, and art education of northern and Arctic regions.

Your duties include

The Professor/Associate Professor of Visual Culture is to advance research related to the field. The duties include publication, the preparation and management of research projects based on external funding, doctoral education, and international collaboration. The teaching, research, and project activities of the Media Department focus on the fields of visual culture, visual communication, media, and art. The professorship supports these fields of research and develops the existing media research group. The position focuses on the development of future media expertise and digitality research. Additionally, the Professor/Associate Professor is to participate in the development tasks, administrative tasks, and other activities of the faculty.

The teaching duties of the Professor/Associate Professor are directed towards undergraduate education and the advancement of doctoral education within the faculty and, if necessary, in the university's joint doctoral studies.

Successful performance of the duties of the Professor/Associate Professor and the promotion of the faculty's effective functioning require strong commitment to the comprehensive operation of the faculty's scientific and artistic community. The task is to create within the teaching unit a forward-looking research agenda that resonates with and complements other research conducted in the Faculty of Art and Design.  The position involves advancing research in visual culture and related fields through high‑quality scholarly work.

The title (Professor or Associate Professor) and the more exact content of the position will be determined later based on the merits and scientific career of the selected candidate.

We offer

• interesting work tasks as part of an international university community
• modern work equipment and facilities
• a stable organisation to work in
• opportunities for professional development
• extensive occupational health services
• sport, culture and wellbeing benefits.

We expect

In accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the University of Lapland, a person selected for a position at the University is required to have the kind of education, experience, and language skills that are necessary for performing successfully the duties of the position.

The position requires a relevant doctoral degree. The Professor/Associate Professor of Visual Culture shall have an advanced practical knowledge of the field in question and be able to demonstrate this knowledge through field-related research, research publications, and, for instance, artistic activity and professional merits. In the position of Professor/Associate Professor of Visual Culture, the language of instruction may be Finnish and/or English. However, successful performance in the position requires proficiency in English.

For appointment as a Professor to be filled on scientific grounds it is required to have a doctoral degree, superior academic competence, experience in leading scientific research, the ability to provide high-quality teaching based on research and thesis supervision skills. In addition, the following merits are considered: 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.

An appointee to a university position as an Associate Professor (Tenure Track, level 2),) filled on scientific grounds must have an applicable doctoral degree, demonstrable experience of scientific research, and teaching skills required to successfully perform the duties of the position. The assessment will take into account scientific merits, teaching merits to be presented in a teaching portfolio, the teaching demonstration, as well as public and community engagement. The position requires skills in leading a research group and acquiring supplementary research funding.

Detailed information about the duties and requirements is available in the appointment plan.

Application

The documents to be attached to the application:

1. The application letter, an account of noteworthy merits and activities in view of the position (1–2 pages)
2. Curriculum Vitae according to the model of the Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity (TENK)
3. A teaching portfolio as instructed by the University of Lapland Instructions for the teaching portfolio
4. A numbered list of publications according to the instructions of the Research Council of Finland
5. List 10 of your most important publications with links to them. If there are no links, attach the publications as separate PDF files.
6. A field-related development plan concerning research, teaching, and societal interaction (max. 3 pages)
7. Authenticated degree and work certificates qualifying you for the position.
8. Other documents, for example, a portfolio describing your artistic activity through which you demonstrate your practical knowledge related to the position.

Further information on the position

Teaching demonstration and interview

Having received the assessor statements, the selection committee appointed by the Faculty Council will decide whether to invite applicants to give a demonstration lecture. At this point, it is possible that the invited applicants are interviewed by the committee. The applicant will be notified of a potential interview in connection with the demonstration lecture invitation.

Information on the appointment procedure: Head of Media Department Jukka Kiviniemi.
Information on the recruitment process:Head of Administration Susanna Vuorjoki.
firstname.lastname@ulapland.fi

Workplace address: Yliopistonkatu 8, 96300 ROVANIEMI
Duration of employment: from 1.8.2026 (or as agreed)
Work hours: full-time employment
Trial period: 6 months
Salary: 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. The starting salary of the Professor is €5,354–7,889. In addition, a personal performance-based salary component is paid, amounting up to 50% of the task-specific salary component.

The position of Associate Professor adheres to requirement level 7. The university pays the Associate Professor a requirement-based supplement in accordance with the collective agreement. The amount of the supplement is 50% of the salary difference between the requirement level of the position and the following requirement level. The starting salary of the Associate Professor is €4,891. In addition, a personal performance-based salary component is paid, amounting up to 50% of the task-specific salary component.