Researcher or Doctoral Researcher in justice and sustainability transitions

How can we make the ongoing energy transition more just, and who gets to define what a just transition means? As societies pursue more sustainable energy and industrial systems, questions of justice are becoming increasingly central to public debate and decision-making. This position offers the opportunity to contribute to research addressing these questions in the context of Finlands emerging battery industry. This position requires excellent Finnish language skills and a strong command of English.

LUT University is looking for a researcher or doctoral (junior) researcher to join the Academy Research Fellowship project Circuits of Justice: Exploring Normative and Spatial Dimensions of Justice Across Finlands Battery Supply Chain. The four-year project, led by Dr Alicja Dankowska in LUT Universitys Energy and Society research group, examines how justice claims emerge, circulate, and evolve throughout the Finlands battery supply chain. Taking a whole-systems perspective, the project explores how stakeholders understand, negotiate, and contest different dimensions of justice across places, sectors, and scales.

What your work will be like

As a member of the project team, you will work closely with the principal investigator and contribute to all major stages of the research process. Your work will involve studying policy, media, and public debates on the development of Finlands battery industry through discourse analysis. You will also conduct multi-sited fieldwork, including interviews, focus groups, document analysis, and participant observation.

You will help desing and facilitate stakeholder co-creation workshops that explore pathways towards a more just transition and take part in analysing and interpreting research data with the project team. You will also contribute to scientific publications, conference presentations, and other dissemination activities and participate in international research collaboration, including research visits to Norway and Spain.

What we expect

We are looking for an independent, proactive, and collaborative researcher who enjoys working with colleagues, stakeholders, and international research partners.

Applicants for the researcher position must have a relevant doctoral degree and advanced research experience. Applicants for the doctoral (junior) researcher position must hold a relevant masters degree.

You should have a background in a relevant social science discipline, such as sociology, political science, human geography, anthropology, sustainability studies, environmental policy, or a related field. You also need to have experience in discourse analysis – particularly policy or media analysis – as well as strong qualitative research skills and interest in fieldwork.

Knowledge of energy transitions, sustainability transitions, science and technology studies (STS), or just transitions and energy justice is highly desirable. Experience related to batteries, critical raw materials, mining, energy systems, or industrial transitions is considered an advantage.

What we offer

This position offers an opportunity to contribute to a novel and societally relevant research project in close collaboration with national and international research partners. You will be able to develop your qualitative and interdisciplinary research expertise while receiving support for scientific publishing and conference participation. The project also provides opportunities for international research mobility and a collegial, supportive research environment within LUT Universitys Energy and Society research group.

We will fill the position at either of the following levels:

Doctoral (junior) researcher

• The position is full-time. It begins with a one-year term (including a six-month trial period) and may be extended by three years, depending on the progress of your studies and the quality of your research.

• The salary is set according to the Finnish university pay systems scale for teaching and research staff (requirement level 2). The starting salary is approximately EUR 3,100 per month, depending on experience and qualifications.

• The selected candidate must apply for the right to pursue doctoral studies at the LUT Doctoral School within the first two months of employment.

Researcher

• The employment relationship is part-time (70% of full-time) with a fixed term running until 31 August 2030 (including a six-month trial period).

• The salary is set according to the Finnish university pay systems scale for teaching and research staff (requirement levels 5–6). The starting salary is approximately EUR 4,300–5,000 per month, depending on qualifications and experience and based on the part-time workload.

The work starts as soon as possible, and the start date is negotiable. The position is based at LUTs Lappeenranta campus in Finland. LUT offers a hybrid work model that combines flexibility with regular on-campus presence. The position follows a system of 1,612 annual working hours under the collective agreement for Finnish universities. The hours are flexible and support work–life balance.

If you are eager to advance understanding of justice in sustainability transitions while developing your academic research career in an international environment, we encourage you to apply.

Interested? Please submit your application through the link below by 3 November 2026 at 23:59 (Finnish local time, UTC+2). Fill out the online form and attach the following documents in English and in PDF format:

• A motivation letter, including research experience, skills, and motivation related to the research focus of the project (max. 1 page)

• Your curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages)

• A list of publications

• A copy of your degree certificate and a transcript of your academic records proving your eligibility for the position; if the original documents are not in English, Finnish, or Swedish, official certified translations into English or Finnish are required

• A link to your thesis or doctoral dissertation

Please specify which position you are applying for. Submit your application well before the deadline to allow time for uploading all attachments. Also, make sure you submit only one application. Only applications submitted through the online recruitment system will be considered. We will review applications on a rolling basis, and the position will be filled