Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Gamification / Games / XR / GenAI / Emerging Media for Engagement with Sustainable Futures) Tampere University in Finland

Tampere University is inviting applications for 1–3 postdoctoral research fellow positions in gameful and engaging technologies for sustainable futures. The roles sit within the Research Centre of Gameful Realities and connect to one of two directions: the project-specific CLIMETA theme or the broader OPEN theme in engaging media technologies for prosocial, sustainable, and transformative applications.

The positions focus on how games, gamification, XR/VR, AI, conversational agents, bioadaptive technologies, and other emerging media can help people reflect, learn, collaborate, build perspective-taking, and engage with complex societal challenges. The CLIMETA strand is especially interested in VR-based climate engagement, metacognition, avatar embodiment, AI-supported reflective agents, bioadaptive interactions, and methods for assessing meta-engagement in immersive environments. The OPEN strand welcomes work on learning and literacy, motivation and behavior, interaction and user experience, agency and participation, social connection and cooperation, wellbeing, creativity, systems thinking, public engagement with science, and other transformative experiences.

Selected fellows will develop their own research agenda and may use methods such as design and participatory design workshops, VR development, LLM conversational agent design/evaluation, laboratory experiments, interviews, and psychophysiological measurements. The university especially welcomes candidates with a strong interest in experimental and laboratory research, while also valuing interdisciplinary and design-oriented approaches. The work includes research planning, data collection and analysis, article writing, dissemination in academic and public venues, collaboration within the research centre, and contributions to further funding acquisition.

Applicants must have a relevant PhD degree by the start of employment and fluency in English. Strongly relevant backgrounds include computer science, human-computer interaction, affective computing, information systems, cognitive science, media and communication studies, design, health technology, behavioural sciences, educational sciences, economics, and human-environment interaction. The post is based at Tampere University in Finland, with placement depending on theme at either the City centre campus or Hervanta campus.

The appointment is full-time and fixed term for 2–4 years, starting as soon as possible by mutual agreement. The salary follows the Finnish University Salary System; a typical starting salary for a postdoctoral researcher with little or no prior experience is about €4,000 per month. The position includes standard staff benefits and a six-month trial period.

To apply, submit your application through Tampere University’s online recruitment system by 15 October 2026. Applicants must provide a CV, a publication list with up to five key publications marked, and a motivation letter that states the earliest start date and specifies whether the application is for CLIMETA, OPEN, or both. An optional design portfolio may also be included.