Postdoctoral Position (3Y):  Consumer Experience and Decision-Making in VR (MetaMarketing)

We are seeking a Postdoctoral researchers on the area of consumer experience and decision-making in virtual reality to join us at Gamification Group (Gamification Group | GL! HF! GG…), Tampere University, particularly within the research domains related to the MetaMarketing project and under the general research context of the UNITE Flagship focusing on the use of gamification and virtual reality technologies for sustainability (see What is gameful forest interaction?).

Are you intrigued by the evolving role of virtual and artificial realities in shaping and redefining consumer experiences, decision-making, and human-computer interaction for green consumption, circular economy, and ethical and sustainable business? Do you have a deep interest in exploring the intersection of psychology, technology, and business within the expanding landscape of the metaverse? If so, we invite you to join our cutting-edge research team. 

As virtual technologies like VR, AR, and XR revolutionise industries such as marketing, retail, finance, and communication, they create entirely new ways to engage with all stakeholders, especially consumers. From enhancing decision-making processes to offering sensory-rich experiences, these technologies hold incredible potential for driving business innovation. Our research goes beyond simply replicating real-life experiences—we explore how these technologies transform consumer interactions, optimise decision-making, and elevate business performance in both effective and efficient ways, driving innovation toward achieving sustainable development goals.

JOB DESCRIPTION

We invite applications from highly motivated postdoctoral researchers or PhD candidates who are excited by the challenge of exploring these uncharted territories. Ideal candidates will possess a strong understanding of the business applications of virtual technologies, particularly in consumer studies, and have hands-on experience in empirical research methods—especially experiments. This position is a key part of the Business Finland-funded project – MetaMarketing, which examines consumer decision-making in multisensory, multiuser environments within the metaverse. The candidate is expected to contribute to research that bridges psychology, business, and technology. Moreover, the candidate is expected to participate in project-wide and funding acquisition. 

REQUIREMENTS

The requirements below are the qualities we envision to be suitable for the tasks defined in this project. However, we encourage all candidates from any disciplinary background who see themselves contributing to the project to apply. 

  • Minimum qualifications: 
  • Applicable degree: Doctoral degree in relevant fields
  • Research interests or expertise in some of the following:  
  • Metaverse, Virtual reality, Augmented reality, 3D environment, Game, Gamification, Immersive technology, Virtual media 
  • Retailing, Branding, Advertising, Social media, Consumer behavior, Social psychology, Consumer literacy, Consumer experience, and Cultural dimensions 
  • Applicants should possess expertise in one or more of the following research skills:
  • Quantitative research: has expertise in conducting quantitative research, especially the design and implementation of experiments (including e.g. laboratory, field, or online experiments), as well as psychophysiological measurements and quantitative data analysis, AND/OR
  • Qualitative research: Proficiency in designing and conducting interviews, workshops, or focus groups, and experience in qualitative data analysis
  • Advantageous qualities: 
  • Good scientific writing, presentation, and communication skills in English (Finnish language skills are not required) 
  • Experience with multimodal interface implementation and psychophysiological measurements in virtual environments
  • Supervision and teaching abilities
  • Skills in design, development, and programming
  • Project management experience
  • Proven academic writing and publication productivity
  • A strong drive for conducting rigorous, high-impact research
  • Motivation for a career in academic research

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

LIFE IN TAMPERE

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:

HOW TO APPLY

Please see the details for application in this link. The closing date for applications is December 2, 2024 (at 23.59 EET / 20.59 UTC). 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:

  • CV
  • 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.

CONTACT:

Assoc. Prof. Nannan Xi, nannan.xi@tuni.fi