Chief Specialist or Researcher, Systemic Social Change in the context of health and well-being

Are you an experienced professional passionate about driving systemic social change in health and well-being? Do you thrive in interdisciplinary environments and excel at translating complex systems thinking into impactful solutions? We are looking for a candidate who embraces a holistic approach, recognises the interconnectedness of system elements (e.g., healthcare, education, and social services), focuses on addressing the root causes of social challenges such as inequality and poverty, and excels at fostering cross-sector collaboration among governments, NGOs, businesses, and communities to drive sustainable, long-term impact.

The LAB University of Applied Sciences has campuses in Lahti and Lappeenranta. We offer BA-level studies in nursing, paramedic, physiotherapy, public health nursing, and social services, as well as several Master-level studies for more than 3,000 students, aiming to connect work-life and academia. We also offer continuous studies and RDI services based on academic knowledge to help SMEs and other organisations grow and internationalise. Our focus on health and wellbeing relies on multidisciplinary expertise and a human-centric holistic and life-cycle approach to promoting health and well-being.

Key responsibilities: 

• Developing and implementing systemic change initiatives that address societal challenges through innovative and collaborative approaches within the health and well-being sectors in EU-funded projects
• Consortium building and preparing of project proposals and securing funding from national and international sources
• Research and writing of the scientific articles in the projects and dissemination of the research results 
• Networking with prominent research partners 

What do we expect from potential candidates:

• Extensive experience in leading complex projects focused on systemic change, preferably in health or social care contexts
• Deep understanding of systems thinking and its application in driving large-scale social transformation
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience in monitoring and evaluating systemic interventions
• Proven track record in project preparation and securing funding from diverse sources
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and facilitation skills, with the ability to navigate complex multi-stakeholder environments
• Good communication skills in English and sufficient Finnish skills (using Finnish in all-day work)
• Preferably, a doctoral degree in a relevant field (e.g., public health, social sciences, systems thinking, or other related or relevant disciplines) or a final-year doctoral PhD candidate may be considered

We expect you to have a future-oriented mindset, strong teamwork skills and the ability to build RDI projects with stakeholders. We offer purposeful work with highly skilled colleagues and a constantly growing network of companies and research entities. We support all our employees in maintaining and developing their capabilities.

The work will start on 1st February 2025; however, the starting date is negotiable. The employment relationship is permanent and full-time, beginning with a six-month trial period. The salary is based on the current general collective agreement for the private teaching sector: for a Researcher, it is between 3800€ and 4800€, and for a Chief Specialist, it is between 5200€ and 6200€, depending on the experience level.

For more information, please get in touch with RDI Director Kati Peltonen by email at [email protected] or by phone at + 358-44 708 1041 on 16th December 12-14 (Finnish time).

Please submit your application and CV via our electronic recruitment system by 6th January 2025 at 23:59, Finnish local time (UTC +3 h).

Read more about the LAB University of Applied Sciences here.

LAB University of Applied Sciences | The best of both worlds: studies and work. The LAB University of Applied Sciences is a higher education institution specialising in innovation, business and industry. It operates in Lahti and Lappeenranta, Finland, and also online. We offer education in five fields: health care and social services, technology, business, hospitality, design, fine arts and visual communication. Our strengths include the circular economy, design, innovations and health. We have 9400 students, 550 teachers, and RDI experts, making us Finland's sixth-largest university of applied sciences. lab.fi/en

 Technical support for using the recruitment system: [email protected]

Application period starts: 2024-12-12 12:00Application period ends: 2025-01-06 23:59