Postdoctoral Researcher in Sustainable and Resilient Freight Transport Systems

The Hanken School of Economics is looking for a postdoctoral researcher as a project researcher for 8 months to conduct research in the project Society Quest for a Resilient and Sustainable Nordic Freight Transport System

Funded by the Peter Wallenberg Foundation, the project explores how to strengthen the resilience and environmental sustainability of Nordic freight transport and supply chains. Through parallel Society Quest processes in Finland and Sweden, researchers and societal stakeholders will jointly identify key challenges and develop priorities for future research, development, and Nordic collaboration. Society Quest is a structured co-creation method in which researchers, industry and public-sector actors move step by step from articulating a shared societal challenge to concrete directions for joint action. The position offers a unique opportunity to develop both your academic profile and your experience of working at the interface between research and practice.

Postdoc responsibilities:

• Plan and carry out the Finnish Society Quest, in close collaboration with the Hanken and Linköping University research teams and supporting the Swedish implementation of the Society Quest.
• Map and engage relevant stakeholders across industry, public authorities, transport infrastructure actors, and the research community.
• Recruit Society Quest participants and coordinate stakeholder engagement
• Contribute to the design and facilitation of Society Quest co-creation workshops addressing resilient and environmentally sustainable freight transport.
• Systematically document and analyze findings in cooperation with the project researchers.
• Contribute to project dissemination.
• Preparation of journal manuscript(s) based on project results.
• The position includes some teaching responsibilities, up to 15 % of work time

The successful candidate is expected to have:

• A doctoral degree in supply chain management, logistics, transportation, sustainability, or another relevant field.
• Knowledge of, or a strong research interest in, supply chain resilience, sustainable transport, freight transport, or closely related topics.
• Experience with qualitative and/or participatory research methods, for example, interviews, workshops, focus groups, co-creation, or stakeholder-engaged research.
• The ability to independently organize and carry out empirical research, including stakeholder identification, recruitment, data collection, documentation, and analysis.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to work with both academic and non-academic actors.
• Excellent written and oral English-language skills.

Considered an advantage:

• Existing experience interacting with companies, public authorities, infrastructure actors, or other societal stakeholders.
• Experience with workshop facilitation or co-creation methodologies.
• Knowledge of resilience and sustainability research and their intersection.
• Finnish and/or Swedish language skills.
• Existing high-quality academic publications
• Teaching experience
• Industry experience

Through the position, you will have the opportunity to:

• Contribute to a Nordic research project and shape its implementation.
• Develop expertise in resilient and sustainable freight transport.
• Build networks with academic, industry, and public-sector actors in Finland and Sweden.
• Gain experience in co-creation, stakeholder engagement, and cross-national research.
• Contribute to academic publications, societal impact, and the development of future research.
• Gain academic teaching experience.

Eligibility criteria:

Eligibility requirements: Applicants for this position are required to have (a) a PhD degree in a relevant subject and (b) a fluent command of English. Applicants close to their PhD defense can be considered if the defense date is decided. Possibility to start latest by February 2027.

The position is for 8 months, depending on when you can start (earliest start: January 2027). By joining the Supply Chain Management & Social Responsibility subject at Hanken, you will benefit from and contribute to a thriving scientific environment at a triple crown-accredited university business school (AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA accreditations), becoming part of a group of highly active researchers with high productivity in publishing, numerous global projects, and a strong international profile.

The annual working time in this position is 1612 hours. The location of the positions is in Helsinki (https://www.hel.fi/helsinki/enhttps://www.hel.fi/en), and we expect you to move to Finland.

The salary for the project researcher is based on the university salary system in Finland (including employee healthcare as well as pension and holiday contributions); the exact salary level depends upon the recruited individuals qualifications and performance. The entry-level salary is in the range of 46.800 - 52.500 euro/year. Benefits include occupational health care.

The application should include the following attachments:

• Motivation letter stating how youd contribute to the project
• CV incl. min. 2 references who can be contacted for recommendations
• PhD degree certificate
• Publication list incl. working doi links to selected, max 5 recent publications (or if links dont work, separately submitted publications in pdf form)

The application shall be submitted electronically to Hankens recruitment database Laura no later than November 16th 2026. In addition, other relevant documents (e.g. certificates, recommendations) may be submitted with the application. Please indicate when you would be able to start in the position if you should be selected.

Enquiries may be directed to the project team:

• Associate Professor Anna Aminoff, anna.aminoff@hanken.fi
• Assistant Professor Helleke Heikkinen, helleke.heikkinen@hanken.fi

The Hanken School of Economics reserves the right, for justified reasons, to leave the position open, to extend the application period, and to consider candidates who have not submitted applications during the application period. Hanken School of Economics reserves the right to close the application period early if a suitable candidate is identified and appointed.

Further information:

Project profiles under the ongoing projects of the HUMLOG Institute at http://www.han