University Teacher or University Lecturer in Robotics and Autonomous Systems

Turku region with its 320,000 people is a major urban area and a leading hub for technological development and economic growth in Finland. This former capital, located in the southwestern Finland, has a rich cultural history and is the gateway to a most beautiful archipelago.

The Department of Computing, Faculty of Technology at the University of Turku invites applications for a fixed-term teaching faculty position: 

University Teacher or University Lecturer in Robotics and Autonomous Systems. 

We are seeking an ambitious individual to join our team as a University Teacher or University Lecturer, depending on the individual qualifications of the applicant (see below). The assignment begins on August 1, 2024, or upon mutual agreement and ends on May 31, 2028. 

This position forms part of the EU-level Reinforcing Skills in Chips Design for Europe (RESCHIP4EU) project that aims to reinforce the level of collaboration between higher education institutions and the private sector across Europe. The University of Turku provides specialisation focusing on edge computing for artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, aligning with research in multi-robot systems. Specifically, it investigates edge intelligence, adaptive autonomy, and distributed intelligence from an FPGA-based AI acceleration and hardware-accelerated deep learning and transformers perspective.  

Who we are looking for

Responsibilities & requirements

The main responsibilities of the hired candidate are to deliver teaching, provide supervision for master’s and bachelor's level students, and contribute to the planning of teaching and the development of the curriculum. Additionally, the hired candidate participates in research activities in the field and performs assigned administrative duties.  

The hired candidate will develop and deliver master's level courses focusing on the design and development of edge AI hardware architectures and platforms. Platforms include Systems-on-Chips (SoCs), Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), and other embedded hardware accelerators. Thus, the courses will delve into higher-level hardware-software co-design considerations emphasising real-world applications in the field of robotics.  

A successful candidate must have experience and expertise in the field specified for the position. Experience in robotic and/or machine learning is an asset for the candidate. 

We expect a student-centred approach and a strong passion for teaching and good teaching skills. We also expect experience with using various hardware and software platforms and utilising hardware implementations in real-world scenarios.  

To be successful, an applicant must be fluent in English (both oral and written) and have excellent communication and interpersonal skills.  

We appreciate experience in producing educational content in a variety of forms (such as video lectures, tutorials, and online assignments) and in applying technology and automation for teaching.  

Qualifications

The qualification requirements of the position are stated in the University of Turku Rules of Procedure: https://www.utu.fi/en/university/organisation 

A person selected for the post of University Teacher is required to have an applicable higher university degree and good teaching skills. When assessing the merits of the applicants, extensive competence in the field in question, teacher training, the ability to produce study materials and the ability to provide multifaceted teaching as well as a teaching demonstration will be taken into account. 

A person selected for the post of University Lecturer is required to have an appropriate doctoral degree, and the ability to provide high-quality teaching based on research and to supervise theses are required of persons selected for the post of university lecturer. When assessing the merits of the applicants, scholarly work, practical expertise in the field in question if necessary, teaching experience and teacher training, ability to produce study materials, other teaching merits, and a teaching demonstration will be taken into account. 

Salary & trial period

The salaries are determined in accordance with the University salary system for teaching and research personnel and the salary is at levels 4–7 on the job demands chart. In addition, a personal work performance component will be paid. The total salary depends on the education and skills of the person selected. The amount of the salary is defined when the employment contract is prepared.

The position is subject to a six-month trial period. 

How to apply

Applications must be submitted by Monday, May 20, 2024 (16:00), using the electronic application form of the University of Turku at the following address: www.utu.fi/careers 
The link to the application system is at the beginning of this announcement (Apply for this position).  

Applications should include  

• Curriculum Vitae 
• List of publications 
• A letter of motivation 
• Academic portfolio (https://www.utu.fi/en/university/come-work-with-us/academic-portfolio) 
• Research plan 
• Copies of degree diplomas 
• Other documents that may affect the selection. 

For further information, please contact Professors Tomi Westerlund (tovewe@utu.fi) or Juha Plosila (juplos@utu.fi). For questions related to the application process, please contact HR Specialist Nina Reini, (nina.reini@utu.fi). 

Benefits

Please read more about University of Turku as an employer from our Come work with us! pages. 

The European Commission has awarded the University of Turku the right to use the HR Excellence in Research logo. The logo is a token of the University's commitment to continuous development of the position and working conditions of researchers according to the guidelines set forth in the European Charter for Researchers.  

The university offers good support and orientation for international hires. Please learn more about the Finnish culture and relocation to Finland: 

• Why to choose Turku as a place to study and work: https://www.turku.fi/en/study-turku/welcome-turku/5-reasons-choose-turku   
• City of Turku 
• Welcome visitor 
• Career in Southwest Finland 
• International House of Turku 
• Working culture: infoFinland.fi 
• This is Finland 
• Finland - a superpower of education and innovations | University of Turku (utu.fi) 

Department of Computing

The Department of Computing educates professionals for the modern digitalised society. Central themes of teaching and research include Digitalisation, Machine Learning, Autonomous and Intelligent Systems, Cybersecurity and Health Technology. 

The Faculty of Technology is the newest faculty of the University of Turku, it was established in the beginning of 2021. The Faculty consists of the Department of Computing, Department of Biotechnology and the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. We have more than 2,000 graduate and postgraduate students and circa 400 employees, 50 of whom are professors. Our faculty is an international, multicultural and diverse work community.

The University of Turku is an inspiring and international academic community of 25,000 students and staff in Southwest Finland. We build a sustainable future with multidisciplinary research, education, and collaboration. With us, your work will have a significant impact and relevance in the changing world.

See our open vacancies

Information for the applicant

The application form cannot be saved as a draft. However, after submitting you can return to edit your application via the link you receive by email. The application can be edited until the application deadline.

You have 6 hours to complete your application before the timeout.

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