Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Gamification, Games & Play, Extended Reality), 3–5 positions

Tampere University and Tampere University of Applied Sciences create a unique environment for multidisciplinary, inspirational and high-impact research and education. Our universities community has its competitive edges in technology, health and society. www.tuni.fi/en.

We are looking for highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow’s (3–5 positions) across the research groups of Gamification Group, GGIS, Gameful Futures Lab which are part of the Research Centre of Gameful Realities led by Professor of Gamification Juho Hamari.  The positions are associated with the Forest-Human-Machine Interplay (UNITE) Flagship’s work package on Gameful Forest Interaction for Meaningful Experiences and Practices as well as other projects broadly related to gameful technologies and sustainability at the Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences (ITC).

WORKING ENVIRONMENT 

The accepted candidates will work in the close collaboration of other researchers of the UNITE flagship, the members of Research Center of Gameful Realities as well as in the context of the larger strategic profiling area of the Tampere University in Gamification, Extended Reality and their application towards holistic sustainability.

Flagship consortium: UNITE | Forest-Human-Machine Interplay is a prestigious research Flagship consortium composed from Tampere University, University of Eastern Finland, Finnish Geospatial Research Institute FGI and Natural Resources Institute Finland. The position offers unique vantage points and entry to an ambitious consortium that represents top international scholarship in the areas of gameful technologies and holistic sustainability. UNITE brings together the world's leading research groups in the fields of forest sciences, geoinformation and sensor development, and gamification.  

The Research Centre of Gameful Realities (RCGR) is a trans-disciplinary research centre which brings together the Faculty of information Technology and Communication Science, Faculty of Business Administration and Management and Faculty of Education at Tampere University. It is internationally revered for seminal academic and societal contributions in the areas of novel technologies such as motivational information systems (e.g. gamification, game-based learning, quantified-self, persuasive technologies), internet commerce (e.g. crowdsourcing, crowdfunding, sharing economies, game economies), new media (e.g. esports, streaming, immersive journalism) as well as human-computer interaction (VR / AR, wearables, transhumanism, user interfaces, more-than-human interaction). RCGR is one of the most prolific research centres internationally in its pursuit to wield gameful approaches towards the flourishing of the planet, people and prosperity.

See more: https://bit.ly/rcgrvideo

JOB DESCRIPTION

The main areas of research within this project are explained below and we are looking for Postdoctoral Research Fellow candidates who can conduct research in one or more of these areas:

In the Engage path, we focus on the development of gameful technologies to promote situated interaction between humans and nature.

In the Know path, we aim to increase the accessibility of data, information and research related to nature by means of gameful, game-based education and interactive visualisation. 

In the Empathise path, we produce immersive experiences to reduce the psychological distance to environmental issues, as well as create methods positioning forest ecosystems as respected design stakeholders. 

In the Care path, we study gameful ways of caring for nature and defining its' position in human well-being. 

In the Evolve path, we utilise cutting-edge technologies such as advanced robotics and AI technologies to understand the future of human-nature-machine interaction.

We are looking for candidates for more specifically defined themes, 1) GamiLIDAR, 2) Consumer Experience in VR and 3) Gamified Sustainable Decision Making and and also in a 4) open profile position where the candidate can define the scope more freely.    

1) Position: Gamified AR for Remote Sensing in Nature (GamiLIDAR)

Focus: Develop and test gamified augmented reality (AR) and location-based applications for nature data collection, particularly for forestry through consumer-level LiDAR technology. See for our current prototype applications. The applications have been developed for LiDAR enabled iOS devices.

Responsibilities: Design AR apps to crowdsource data in forested environments, integrate remote sensing, and analyze behavioral data to understand how game mechanics affect collected data. Includes experiment planning, user studies, and also data visualisation. 

Seeked Qualities: Experience in AR app development, user experiments, remote sensing, or forestry. Experience with crowdsourcing or stakeholder engagement in forestry is beneficial.

Contact: Dr. Timo Nummenmaa | timo.nummenmaa@tuni.fi  | Prof. Juho Hamari | juho.hamari@tuni.fi.

2) Position: Consumer Experience and Decision-Making in VR (MetaMarketing)

Focus: Investigate consumer behavior and decision-making in VR, exploring its impact on sustainability, circular economy, and ethical business practices within the metaverse.

Responsibilities: Lead research on VR in consumer applications, perform quantitative or qualitative studies (including psychophysiological data collection), and contribute to business innovation for sustainability. 

Seeked Qualities: Expertise in virtual/immersive technologies, consumer behavior, or psychology. Experience with VR interfaces, quantitative experiments, or qualitative studies is advantageous.

Contact: Assoc. Prof. Nannan Xi | nannan.xi@tuni.fi | Prof. Juho Hamari | juho.hamari@tuni.fi. 

3) Position: Gamification for Sustainable Decision-Making

Focus: Develop gamified tools to support sustainable forestry decision-making, integrating data on ecological impacts, risk assessment, and decision-support systems.

Responsibilities: Conduct software development, empirical studies, and design engaging virtual environments. Responsible for experiment planning, data analysis, and publishing findings.

Seeked Qualities: Skills in web/game development, quantitative data analysis, or forest modelling. Knowledge of Python or QGIS is a plus.

Contact: Dr. Daniel Fernández Galeote | daniel.fernandezgaleote@tuni.fi | Prof. Juho Hamari | juho.hamari@tuni.fi.

4) Position: Gameful Human-Nature Interaction

Focus: Explore and design gameful interactions with nature, using digital technologies to enhance connection and understanding of the environment.

Responsibilities: Develop gameful applications, run multi-method research (design research, psychophysiological measures), and contribute to human-nature interaction research in ecological, social, and cultural sustainability

Seeked Qualities: Experience in gamification, gameful design, in design-driven methods (research through design, speculative design, critical design), aptitude for quantitative and/or qualitative empirical research (especially field/lab experiment), ability to develop software and/or hardware.

Contact: Prof. Juho Hamari | juho.hamari@tuni.fi | Asst. Prof. Oguz ‘Oz’ Buruk | oguz.buruk@tuni.fi.

We expect that the suitable candidate will have experience, background, skills and interest and impactful academic outcomes for the Postdoctoral Research Fellow candidates in the topics related primarily to the position the candidate is applying for. Candidates are expected to design studies and disseminate them in a variety of ways including publishing in academic venues, demonstrating the results in related events and also putting effort to communicate it to the general public. The work includes research planning, experiment organising, data gathering and analysis, article writing, and dissemination of results. Moreover, the candidate is expected to participate in project-wide and funding acquisition. Teaching and supervision will be negotiated based on the interests of the candidate. 

REQUIREMENTS

• Applicable degree: i.e. PhD degree in relevant fields
• Useful dimensions of candidate’s background including but not limited to:
  • Computer science / Human-computer interaction / Information systems
  • Design (e.g., industrial product design, interaction design, graphic design, game design, communication design)
  • Economics (i.e. business, marketing, finance)
  • Forestry sciences / geoinformatics 
  • Educational sciences (especially public understanding of science)
  • Applied psychology
  • Tourism / leisure
  • Media / communication studies

Advantageous methodological skills

• Aptitude for quantitative and/or qualitative empirical research (especially field/lab experiment)
• Understanding and experience in design driven methodologies (speculative and critical design, research through design, participatory design, co-design)
• Aptitude for psychophysiological and psychometric measurement
• Ability to independently develop gamified or VR environments (software)
• Ability to develop working hardware prototypes e.g., wearable, drone systems, robotics (hardware)

Advantageous qualities

• Impeccable academic article writing/preparation productivity
• Drive for rigorous and impactful research
• Drive for a career in research
• Knowledge and experience in funding acquisition.
• Knowledge and experience in supervising/mentoring graduate and undergraduate students
• Interest in ecology, nature, forests, nature-related activities.

The requirements above are the qualities we envision to be suitable across projects. However, we encourage all candidates with a PhD degree from any disciplinary background who see themselves contributing to the project to apply.
 
 WE OFFER

The position will be filled from 1st of January, or as mutually agreed. The position is a fixed-term period of three years. A trial period of six months applies to all our new employees.

The salary will be based on both the job demands and the employee's personal performance in accordance with the University Salary System. According to the criteria applied to teaching and research staff, the position of a Postdoctoral Research Fellow is placed on the job demands levels 5-6. A typical starting salary for a Postdoctoral research fellow is approximately 3750 EUR/month. 

As a member of staff at Tampere University, you will enjoy a range of competitive benefits, such as occupational health care services, flexible work schedule, versatile research infrastructure, modern teaching facilities and a safe and inviting campus area as well as a personal fund to spend on sports and cultural activities in your free time. Please read more about working at Tampere University and working in Tampere, Finland.

Tampere is one of the major academic hubs in the Nordic countries and offers a dynamic living environment. Tampere region is one of the three most rapidly growing urban areas in Finland and home to a vibrant knowledge-intensive entrepreneurial community. The city is an industrial powerhouse that enjoys a rich cultural scene and a reputation as a centre of Finland’s information society. The city campus of the Tampere University, where the candidates will be located, is walking distance to the city center. Tampere is an epicenter of game research internationally. For more information on Tampere and Finland, please visit:

• Visit Finland
• This is Finland
• Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment: Welcome to Finland
• Visit Tampere

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your application through our online recruitment system. The closing date for applications is December 2, 2024 (at 23.59 EET / UTC +2). Please write your application and all accompanying documentation in English and attach them in PDF format only. 

List the attachments that candidates should append to their applications:

• Curriculum vitae (TENK guidelines can be used as a template) 
• List of publications
• One or two samples of academic writing (e.g. articles)
• A motivation letter (max 2 pages) that briefly outlines:
  • In Page 1: Motivation to apply, earliest starting date, and any other miscellaneous remarks that the candidate wishes to make. Please clearly specify which of the positions listed above you are applying for.
  • In Page 2: Also, a tentative short research plan or research idea you would like to undertake in the position (this plan primary functions as a departure point for discussion and will be agreed upon together with the selected candidate)
• Optional: A design portfolio highlighting the candidate's creative and/or artistic work.

Application period starts: 2024-11-08 15:00.  Application period ends: 2024-12-02 23:59