Description

The Department of Architecture and the Department of Built Environment at Aalto University invite applications for the joint professorship of:

Assistant or Associate Professor (non-tenured or tenured) in Spatial Landscape Analytics

The position will begin on 1.9.2027, or as agreed, and it is divided between the Department of Architecture / major of landscape architecture at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture and the Department of Built Environment / Master’s programme in Geoinformatics at the School of Engineering. The position is to be filled at the Assistant or Associate professor level of Aalto University tenure track system (please see:  Tenure track / Aalto University). The position is full-time.

Geospatial technologies and data are fundamental to the development and planning of landscapes that are both socially and environmentally sustainable. Landscapes refer to interconnected natural (both terrestrial and aquatic areas) and built environments in which people live, work, interact, and generate goods and resources and which simultaneously sustain other forms of life. The new professorship of spatial landscape analytics aims to innovatively bridge geospatial technologies with the pressing need for sustainable landscape planning and their ecological, visual and social aspects. This aim aligns with Aalto’s mission to shape sustainable futures: these environments form the spatial foundation on which equitable, climate-resilient, ecological and aesthetically meaningful living environments depend.  

The position combines the joint needs of two departments. Landscape architecture at the Department of Architecture is a growing and rapidly evolving and practice-oriented field that combines scientific, technical and artistic expertise and tackles challenges related to climate change and biodiversity loss. Aalto University is Finland’s only academic institute in the field of landscape architecture, and it collaborates closely with architecture, urban planning and urban design. Geoinformatics at the Department of Built Environment is well-established interdisciplinary field conducting research on a wide range of themes from human-centered to natural environments in close collaboration with industry and practitioners. Master’s programme in Geoinformatics is internationally well-known and the leading study programme in Finland. Both departments have recognized the need for a practice-oriented, multidisciplinary, and integrated approach to addressing the complex challenges of biodiversity loss, climate change, and inequality.

Your role and goals 

To strengthen its leadership in the field, Aalto has opened a call to find a tenure track or tenured professor in Spatial Landscape Analytics. The position focuses on developing and applying geospatial analytics methods for sustainable landscape planning in complex urban, and natural environments and their ecological, visual and social aspects. The professor will also address environmental and landscape impacts of green transition and large-scale infrastructure. 

Professor is expected to conduct/lead research and teaching on the following thematic areas:

• Ecological, social and visual characteristics analysis of landscape and land-use (landscape pattern, fragmentation, connectivity, landscape character)
• Environmental monitoring and assessment, such as ecosystem condition monitoring and climate-related landscape processes (heat islands, drought, flood dynamics)
• Environmental impact analysis on landscape changes and visual, ecological and social impacts on large-scale infrastructure, eg. renewable energy projects
• Green and blue infrastructure analysis & ecosystem services mapping
• Emerging technologies, including AI-driven geospatial analysis 
• Research on 2D/3D cartographic communications and data visualization

The applicant is expected to innovatively develop and apply geospatial technologies and analytics in the context of landscape and landscape planning, in both research and teaching, with a focus on the areas listed above. The tasks include conducting and leading research projects and supervision of doctoral theses, in addition to teaching/tutoring master-level and bachelor-level students as well as administrative work. The professor will act as a bridge-builder within two departments and schools and enhance cross-disciplinarity in both research and teaching. The professor will work in cooperation with other staff of the departments. The professor is also expected to collaborate and build networks with other departments of the university and with collaborators beyond Aalto University. We expect participation in service to the Aalto University community, cross-disciplinary networking and active engagement with society at large and stakeholders outside academia.

In all levels of the tenure track system at Aalto, a professor is expected to perform high-quality research activities with societal impact as well as teaching at all levels - graduate, undergraduate levels and post-graduate, to be an active member of the international research and practice communities, and to exhibit academic leadership. Advancements in the tenure track are based on scheduled performance assessments, which consider the candidate’s merits in all these areas.

Your Experience and Ambitions

The field of professorship is wide; therefore, our goal is to attract the best scientific and holistic talent rather than someone focused on narrowly defined subfield. We look for a candidate with experience in applying and developing geospatial techniques and data in the above-mentioned expertise areas. We appreciate a well-rounded scholar with experience in multidisciplinary work and in combining multiple fields and disciplines. We expect a clear understanding of the needs of society and professional practice and a commitment to tackling societal challenges. Because the professor will bridge two fields and two schools, we aim to recruit a scholar with solid collaborative experience and the courage to build new partnerships. 

For this professorship, the applicant is expected to have a doctoral degree in a relevant field related to the call, e.g. geography, geoinformatics or landscape and spatial planning. The evaluation is based on the quality and potential of their research merits, teaching merits, academic leadership skills and societal impact. The evaluation depends on the level of the tenure track. The candidate is expected to be internationally networked and fluent in English.  Broad knowledge in the field and multidisciplinarity are appreciated. Knowledge and interest in the planning context and challenges of Nordic landscapes is an advantage.

When recruiting for first term Assistant Professor positions, the evaluation is mainly based on the potential of the candidate in the evaluated dimensions. When recruiting or reviewing for second term Assistant Professor positions, the evaluation is based on both merits and potential. When recruiting to Associate Professor levels (non-tenured or tenured), a candidate is expected to have high academic merits, be of first rank among distinguished members of their discipline and must show a continued contribution to academic research. For more info, please see: Tenure Track criteria.

 
In Aalto University, recruitment decisions are made in accordance with holistic assessment of candidates which means that the departmental committee can propose a candidate with fewer professional merits to the position at assistant professor level over a more merited one who could qualify at associate professor level, in case the proposed candidate is found having potential and is seen having a more suitable profile to the position.

What We Offer

Activities of the department are located on the Otaniemi campus of Aalto University in Espoo (Helsinki metropolitan area), with several other neighboring research institutions and organizations. We offer a possibility to work within a well-resourced learning, research, and 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. At the School of Engineering, our work is driven by the needs of society, which we address together with various stakeholders, companies, and the public sector. One of the focus areas of our research is the sustainable built environment.

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 through our recruitment system on Thursday May 7th, 2026 at 23:59 latest (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):

• An application letter addressed to the Deans of School of Arts, Design and Architecture and School of Engineering, including motivation for the position and statement describing the applicant’s vision of development of the general field and its future orientations in research and teaching (max. 3 pages)
• Curriculum vitae (covering the major headings recommended by the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity at Template for researcher's curriculum vitae | Finnish National Board on Research Integrity TENK)
• List of publications, in which the five most significant publications are highlighted and your role in them described
• Research portfolio, including a self-reflection on the merits, long-term vision of the candidate´s own research (4-10 pages), see instructions from policies and procedures document, page 25
• Teaching statement, summarising the applicant’s approach to teaching and learning, previous teaching experience, and previous activities related to curriculum development (max 2 pages) 

In the second stage of the recruitment process, the recruitment team will select the candidates who will be invited to a site visit in September/October 2026. During the site visit, the candidates will be interviewed and asked to give a teaching and practice presentation, for which the instructions will be provided in advance. The shortlisted candidates may also be asked to deliver additional materials before the site visit.

During the evaluation process, we will ask four external reviewers to give their individual assessment of the shortlisted candidates. Furthermore, Aalto University may use an academic leadership assessment for the candidates in the final phase of the application process. In the academic leadership assessments, we will evaluate candidates´ ability and potential to lead a team. Academic leadership assessments include preliminary tasks and self-assessment methods, interactive methods, and a consultant´s interview. The assessment itself is a coaching and objective situation, which also provides the candidate feedback for their career development.

Aalto University reserves the right for justified reasons to leave the position open or to extend the application period. 

For more information

For additional information, please contact Chair of the Departmental Committee, Associate Professor Ranja Hautamäki, ranja.hautamaki@aalto.fi. For matters concerning the recruitment system, please turn to HR Specialist Satu Pöyhönen, satu.poyhonen@aalto.fi. 

Link to the application:

Professor in Spatial Landscape Analytics