Research Specialist (grant writer)
University of Oulu
Geosciences Instrumentation and Data Systems (GI)
Hydrological Sciences (HS)
The University of Oulu is a multidisciplinary, international research university, with about 4000 employees who produce new knowledge based on high-standards research and provide research based education to build a more sustainable, smarter, and more humane world. The University of Oulu community has about 19,000 people in total. Our northern scientific community operates globally and creates conditions for the emergence of innovations. The University of Oulu is ranked in the top 3% of the world’s universities. All our research, education, and community activities are guided by our university’s values and ethical principles.
We are now looking for a Specialist (grant writer), to join us in Water, Energy, and Environmental Engineering (WE3) for a five year fixed-term position.
The Water, Energy and Environmental Engineering Research Unit at the Faculty of Technology conducts internationally recognized research on land, water and energy systems and their interactions. Our dynamic community comprises 130 researchers across six research groups, working at the forefront of interdisciplinary research in Finland and around the world. Our studies address some of the most pressing challenges related to climate, land, energy and water, with expertise spanning process understanding and analysis, modelling and digitalization, management, and sustainability assessment. Our research is supported by highly competitive national and European funding and is carried out in close collaboration with leading research organizations, public authorities, and private-sector partners.
The Specialist plays a key role in managing, strengthening and expanding the research unit’s funding portfolio while supporting specifically the management and development of the Digital Waters Flagship, a large-scale and long-term Finnish Flagship for research and societal impact. Digital Waters is at the forefront of water digitalization, advancing research on hydrological processes, environmental observations, data integration, modelling, artificial intelligence, and digital solutions for water management. A central objective of the Flagship is besides research, is societal and business impact, including the transformation of scientific advances and technological innovations into practical applications, services, and new use cases that create value for society. Through close collaboration with companies, public authorities, municipalities, and other stakeholders, we work to integrate the technologies and digital solutions we have developed, and continue to develop, into real-world decision-making, operational practices, and innovation activities. Our unique research stations and supersites provide an exceptional environment for developing, testing, and demonstrating next-generation digital water solutions, creating a strong bridge between scientific excellence, innovation, and societal impact.
About the job
The position involves the development, coordination, and management of research and innovation projects in close collaboration with senior staff, national and international partners, companies, public-sector organizations, and multidisciplinary research teams. A key responsibility is to identify and develop new project opportunities, particularly within European funding programmes, and to build strong partnerships that enable the scaling and application of research outcomes in real-world settings. The role includes contributing to projects related to Horizon Europe, EIT Water, and other strategic research and innovation initiatives, with a particular focus on water digitalization, environmental intelligence, data-driven decision support, modelling, digital twins, and artificial intelligence applications. The work includes traveling to water-related events and project meetings.
An important part of the position is supporting the integration and demonstration of the technologies, digital platforms, and analytical tools developed within the Digital Waters Flagship and the research unit. Working closely with companies, public authorities, utilities, and other stakeholders, you will help develop public-private collaboration structures, new application areas, pilot projects, and innovation activities that translate research results into practical solutions and services. The role also includes key coordination and management responsibilities within the Digital Waters Flagship, including supporting strategic initiatives, facilitating stakeholder collaboration, monitoring project progress, and contributing to reporting, communication, and impact activities that strengthen the Flagship's national and international visibility and influence. The final job description will be shaped according to your skills and interests.
What we offer
We offer you an interesting and versatile position being part of a large digital water research cluster (digitalwaters.fi). You will be part of a strong research group and have the possibility to develop professionally with the help of an experienced and enthusiastic teams at the University of Oulu. You will work in close collaboration with an international team of experienced researchers as well as early career researchers.
The university also offers:
- Wellness benefit ePassi covering sport, culture, and well-being, and flexible multi-location and remote work opportunities. Read more about other staff benefits.
- Work-life balance: we don't count Saturdays as holiday periods!
- Development and career options of the big organisation.
- Work that matters! Read more about working with us.
- Finland is one of the most livable countries in the world, with a high quality of life, safety, an excellent education system, and a competitive economy. Read more about living in Oulu!
Who are you?
To succeed in the position, you are required to have:
- Excellent skills and proven record in project development, project coordination, and/or research proposal preparation for competitive funding programmes (e.g. European Union, Academy of Finland, Business Finland)
- A relevant doctoral degree, preferably in water and environmental engineering or a related field
- Excellent English language skills, both written and spoken
We also value the following expertise and experience:
- International experience and strong networking abilities
- Experience in research, innovation, or business-driven projects
- Knowledge of the research themes and stakeholder networks associated with the Digital Waters Flagship
- Experience working in interdisciplinary environments with researchers and external stakeholders
- Experience in project planning or management and grant proposal development
- Experience with building or managing private–academic and/or public–academic partnerships across administrative, legal, and communication frameworks.
- Experience with customer profiling and evaluating product and market viability.
- Experience with establishing systems and processes for effective international collaboration.
- Knowledge of the Finnish language
- Knowledge of some of the research areas of the WE3 unit, including water-energy-environment with a focus on process understanding, modelling, management and sustainability
- Good presentation skills
Apply online using this link: https://oulunyliopisto.varbi.com/what:job/jobID:980996/
The application should be written in English and include the following documents:
- A letter of motivation with contact information (1-2 pages),
- Curriculum vitae (max 6 pages) following the guidelines of the Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity
- List of publications following the guidelines of the Academy of Finland
- Brief account of merits linked to this position (2-3 pages)
- Contact details of 2–4 persons available for recommendation.