Doctoral Researcher or Project Researcher in Circular Business Models for the Furniture Industry (FRANCESCA Project)

The University of Vaasa creates an inspiring environment for meaningful work as part of a thriving and diverse university community. Our open-minded, multidisciplinary research responds to the challenges of our time and creates a more responsible future. Our internationally respected education gives students the skills and attitude to change tomorrow. The core of our university is made up of high-level expertise in business sciences, technology and administration and communication sciences. Science-specific research is complemented by our phenomenon-oriented research platforms.

The University of Vaasa is seeking a motivated and talented Doctoral Researcher or Project Researcher (PhD student) to join the EU-funded FRANCESCA project, a Horizon Europe initiative supporting the transition of the European furniture industry toward a circular economy.

The position is full-time and fixed-term (2 years), aligned with the duration of the FRANCESCA project. The preferred start date is January 2026 or as agreed. The position is located in the School of Marketing and Communication in the Marketing and Consumption research group. The position is located in Vaasa.

About the Project

FRANCESCA aims to provide crucial support to the EU furniture industry as it shifts toward greater circularity. The project pioneers innovative circular solutions across the entire furniture life cycle:

• Pre-use: design, material selection, manufacturing, and delivery

• Use: maintenance, reuse, repair

• Post-use: refurbishment, repurposing, remanufacturing, redistribution, and recycling

The project develops a suite of enabling tools addressing design, materials, business models, and digitalisation challenges in the sector. These include:

• A circular furniture design decision-support tool aligned with circular principles, environmental certifications, and market requirements

• Investigations and testing of alternative bio-based materials, supported by an industrial symbiosis platform

• Prototyping and implementation of circular business models

• Circular ecosystem management guidance

• Integration of Digital Product Passports (DPPs) into value creation mechanisms

• Three Circular Demonstrators showing practical applications in design, materials innovation, and service-oriented business models

• Sustainability assessments and policy recommendations for the EU level

Within FRANCESCA, the University of Vaasa leads the development of:

• Circular business model tools tailored to the furniture industry

• Circular ecosystem management guidance

• Integration of Digital Product Passports into business model and ecosystem value creation architectures

Your Role

You will play a key role in advancing circular economy knowledge and practice in the furniture industry. Your work will contribute directly to project deliverables and high-quality academic publications.

Key Responsibilities in the position:

• Conduct independent and collaborative research on circular business models, ecosystems, and digital enablers (such as DPPs) within the context of the furniture value chain
• Contribute to the development of tools, frameworks, and guidelines that support circular transition in the industry
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary consortium of universities, research organisations, manufacturers, retailers, and civil society organisations
• Participate in data collection (e.g., interviews, workshops, case studies), analysis, and validation activities with industry partners
• Lead and co-author high-quality scientific publications in international peer-reviewed journals
• Contribute to the project’s circular demonstrator activities and dissemination outputs
• Support teaching or supervision tasks when applicable (according to university guidelines)
• Present research at academic conferences and project meetings
• Produce a doctoral dissertation based on the research carried out within the project

The position may also include other tasks to be agreed upon separately. All tasks are agreed in more detail in the Annual Work Plan. The annual working time is 1612 hours.

Requirements

A person who has completed a suitable higher university degree (see below) and is a doctoral student at the University of Vaasa can be selected for the position of Doctoral Researcher. The position can also be filled under the title of Project Researcher for applicants who commit to applying for doctoral study rights at the University of Vaasa during spring 2026. We therefore expect the selected person to have the ability and motivation for doctoral studies and to complete a doctoral degree. The selected candidate may apply for doctoral studies through a separate application to the University of Vaasa's Graduate School | Read more about doctoral education.

Required:

• Master’s degree in a relevant field of business studies, such as marketing, international business, management, sustainability, industrial engineering, innovation studies, or a related field
• Strong proven interest in circular economy, sustainable business models, or industrial ecosystems
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Excellent communication skills in English, Finnish is considered an advantage
• Motivation to produce high-quality research outputs

Desirable:

• Background in circular economy, sustainability transitions, or digitalisation topics
• Experience with qualitative or mixed methods research
• Experience working with industry stakeholders

Read more about the selection process and language policies: Application processing and selection process | University of Vaasa (uwasa.fi)

We offer

• A fully funded doctoral researcher position (2 years) aligned with a high-profile Horizon Europe project
• The selected applicant may be accepted into the University of Vaasa’s Doctoral Programme and will pursue their doctoral degree in Marketing after separate application process.
• Opportunity to collaborate with leading experts across Europe
• Training in doctoral research, methods, and professional skills
• Access to industry cases, real-world data, and hands-on circular innovation activities
• Supportive research environment within the University of Vaasa’s vibrant innovation and entrepreneurship community

We promote the overall well-being of our employees at work by, among other things, offering fitness and cultural benefits, extensive occupational health care services, and versatile opportunities for continuous learning. Flexible working time arrangements and the possibility of partial remote work also support the balance of work and free time.

The salary is based on both the job requirement and the employee’s personal performance in accordance with the Finnish University Salary System (YPJ). The salary is based on demand level 2 (approximately 2418-2714 euros/month based on the experience and skills of the person selected for the position).

The 7000 students and 650 employees of the University of Vaasa thrive on the most beautiful campus in Finland, at the seaside. The campus has numerous meeting places and modern workspaces for both staff and students. Our university community is international: we come from over 80 countries. Read more about us: https://www.uwasa.fi/en/open-positions

Applications:

To apply for the position, please use our online application system (using the "Submit an application" button below). The application, including annexes, has to be in our online application database by midnight January 15, 2026 (EET). Please note! In order for us to process your application, please ensure that you fill in the fields below thoroughly and attachthe following documents in English to the electronic application form:

• A cover letter describing your motivation and fit for the position
• CV including publications (if any). Use of CV template is required.
• Master’s degree transcript and certificate
• A writing sample (e.g., thesis, essay, or publication)
• Contact information for referees

To ensure a smooth and fair recruitment process, we encourage applicants to focus on sharing information that is relevant to the selection process in their application. If you choose to include personal or sensitive details in your application, please do so only if you are comfortable sharing that information with, for example, external experts.

Further information

• Vice Dean of the School of Marketing and Communication, Professor Hannu Makkonen

• Tel. +358 29 449 8102

• Email. firstname.lastname(a)uwasa.fi

Inquiries about the online application system: careers(a)uwasa.fi

The employment is subject to a probationary period.

Application period starts: 2025-12-08 14:00Application period ends: 2026-01-15 23:59