Are you looking for a meaningful job with a possibility to make an impact? Would you like to develop innovative technology with superb colleagues who are top experts in their field? Do you want to build an excellent science career and work at the interface of academy and industry?

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 2000 brilliant minds 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 Transport powertrains and vehicles team!

The team is in VTT’s new Transport Technologies research area of around 100 VTTers working with carbon-neutral transport technologies:

• Solutions that are directly or indirectly building blocks of value chains within the industry or society targeting towards productivity, energy efficiency and carbon neutrality in transport sector.
• New technologies, methodologies, tools or other generated Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) to support transport industry to meet carbon neutrality targets and leap in energy efficiency and productivity.

The team, Transport powertrains and vehicles works on the innovation and research of new powertrain and vehicle technologies needed for achieving carbon neutral and zero-emission transport sector. Team has professionals focusing on electric and hybrid powertrains and sustainable fuel ICE powertrains. Main emphasis is on on-road HDV, NRMM and marine powertrains.

As a Research Team Leader you are responsible of leading the team towards the new big leaps in powertrain and vehicles technologies. Team bases the research on combining and developing new experimental and modelling methodologies. Team will have new state-of-the-art experimental research facilities by mid 2026. The team is new and will consist of 18 professionals.

Your role as a Research Team Leader:

• Visionary substance leadership of the team. You own the team’s research agenda, ensure its relevance and ambition while leading the related project portfolio creation and execution. With your high ambition level and goal-oriented mindset, you ensure the high quality and impact of the project work done for our customers. 
• Coaching the team and team members’ performance as an inspirational leader. Employee wellbeing, recruitment and team competency development are your top priorities. The team members come from a variety of backgrounds, from scientific careers to professional experience in managing complex projects. As a line manager, you will be responsible for setting objectives and coaching the team and the team members’ performance.
• This is a key role in the organisation in which you will have the opportunity to build and drive forward impactful research and high customer value. You will be the spokesperson for the cross-discipline topics within the area and take an active role in promoting its visibility. 
• You participate hands-on in various research and customer project work. 
• Leading and contributing to key framework, methodology, tools, and competences development together with your team, relevant VTT experts, and partners.  
• As a member of the research area’s leadership team, you find ways to combine competences and foster internal/external collaboration to ensure wider impact. 

Your profile and experience:

• You have several years of working experience, substance knowledge of one or more of team’s topics, experience from large customer projects and understanding of licensing. You pose a holistic view of transport powertrain and vehicles technologies.
• You have previous leadership experience, e.g., you have been leading and supervising people in large projects.
• You have ambition to drive impact in research and achieve results in sales, including basic knowledge in IP issues.
• Preferably, you have been involved in and have interest in building concepts that address several disciplines and where holistic understanding is key. Strategic thinking skills are expected from you with the ability to execute.
• You have at least M.Sc degree; Ph.D. degree or equivalent science experience in the area would be an asset.
• Previous experience in international tendering is considered as an asset.
• You have strong communication skills, and ability to build collaboration and networks with different stakeholders.
• You should be proficient in English, Finnish language skills are beneficial.

As a person, we hope that you are:

• A science and technology leader with a visionary view of your substance area. With your high ambition level and a goal-oriented mindset, you ensure high quality as well as high impact of the research work for customers and society. 
• You are customer-oriented with a passion for solving customers’ challenges and driving impact through collaboration with the industry. You are adaptable, and have an ability to change industry challenges into research questions.
• As a leader, you want to create positive drive and get people excited by coaching and setting ambitious targets together with the team. You are a motivating people leader with the ability to recruit, retain and develop people. 
• You have good communication skills with the ability to build collaboration and networks with different stakeholders.

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 real, positive impact. Read more about our strategy – the path of exponential hope.
• Fascinating projects, excellent research environment. With us, you 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 research facilities at your disposal.
• 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 over 10 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.
• Support for your well-being. Our people are our main asset, so we take good care of them. We aim to nurture great 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, we offer exercise and culture benefits, hobby clubs, and voluntary well-being services such as meditation programmes and trainings on cognitive ergonomics.

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 15.12.2024. 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 Petri Söderena, Vice President, e-mail: Petri.Soderena@vtt.fi, tel. +358403573420. Please call on 27th of November at 9 to 10 am, 28th of November at 3 to 4 pm, 3rd of December at 3 to 4 pm or 4th of December at 9 to 10 am (Finnish time UCT+2).

We look forward to hearing from you!

Location: Espoo or Tampere, Finland