The University of Turku is a world-class multidisciplinary research university that offers interesting challenges and a unique vantage point for national and international research and education. The University of Turku has extended its research to mechanical engineering including design area, and from the beginning of 2021, the Faculty of Technology started Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, and new research positions in that field are now opened.

We are looking for a Doctoral Researcher / Project Researcher in the field of Product-Service Systems Design to join the research group of the Turku Design Studio (utu.fi/tds) led by Professor Yong Se Kim. The position is located at the unit of Mechanical Engineering. The research task is for the new Business Finland project for Dining Flow. The objective of the Dining Flow project is to enhance experiences of diners and service providers and to reduce food waste in Self Service Restaurants (SSR) by offering smart service systems to support decision making activities of SSR stakeholders based on structured representations of activities and experiences of diners and service providers in conjunction with data obtained from SSR stakeholders and various SSR artifacts including building environment.

Researcher for Position (2) will conduct research primarily in the work package for Design and Development of a Smart Service System for SSR. This Position is fixed-term and will start August 1, 2023 and end June 30, 2025. Please note, that at the same time we have open another researcher position in the field of Product-Service Systems Design. There will be intimate collaboration with another new researcher who will conduct research primarily in the work package for Kitchen Area Process and Experiences with involvement on Dining Area Process and Experiences. That position starts as early as May 5, 2023.

Collaboration with researchers in the Department of Computing and Functional Foods Forum will be significantly involved. Other research efforts at the Turku Design Studio includes Product-Service System Design for Smart Shipbuilding as well as diverse Sustainable Experience Design.

Requirements:

The candidate is required to have either design or engineering or related field background. We are looking for a Doctoral Researcher/Project Researcher with experiences in Service Design or Product-Service Systems Design with research interest in Smart Product-Service Systems and Design Informatics. Exposures and interests in Design for Affordance would also be helpful.

The qualification requirements of the position are stated in the University of Turku rules of Procedure. Person selected for the posts of Doctoral Researcher/Project Researcher are required to have a higher university degree. In addition, when acquiring his or her degree or otherwise, a doctoral researcher is required to have demonstrated the ability and motivation to undertake postgraduate studies and the capacity to complete a doctoral degree in accordance with the research plan. Master degree must be completed before the end of the application period. 

If the selected person does not have a study right for a doctoral programme when they are selected, their title will firstly be project researcherand they must apply for a doctoral programme during the next possible application period (Fall 2023). Read more about University of Turku’s Graduate school UTUGS and its programmes here: https://www.utu.fi/en/research/utugs. Thus, please check the student information and application criteria. In particular, please pay attention to mandatory skill level in English. Fluent oral and written communication skills in English are required in the positions.

The salary is determined in accordance with the University salary system for teaching and research personnel. For a doctoral researcher / project researcher, the salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experiences based on the University salary system and will in the beginning of the employment be approximately 2300-2400 €/month.

There is a trial period of six (6) months.

Applications for Position 2 for Smart Service System Design for Self-Service Restaurant must be submitted by Wednesday 31st of May 2023 (23.59) using the electronic application form of the University of Turku at the following address: https://www.utu.fi/en/university/come-work-with-us/open-vacancies  The link to the application system is at the beginning of this announcement (Apply for the job). Applications should include a CV, a publication list, degree diplomas, and a motivation letter. In your application, you can tell more detail about your design research interests and plans as well as suitability for the research project.

For further information, contact Professor Yong Se Kim (yongse.kim@utu.fi). For questions related to the application process, contact HR Specialist Sarian Kotka (sarian.kotka@utu.fi).