Are you looking for a new opportunity in the field of dual use acceleration in an organization that strongly supports professional growth? Would you like to use your expertise to drive a resilient future while working in an inspiring international community at the cutting edge of science and technology? VTT might be just the place for you.
VTT is one of the leading applied research organisations in Europe. What unites us are curiosity, a passion for learning, and a purpose: to solve the biggest challenges of our time and turn them into sustainable growth and well-being. Our cross-disciplinary community of over 2000 brilliant minds focuses on creating impact through science-based innovation. Get to know us further by exploring VTT's tech & infra and Invest in innovation.
We are now looking for Manager, Dual Use Acceleration to join our Incubation and Acceleration team.
As Manager, Dual Use Acceleration, you will manage the delivery of the NATO DIANA acceleration program as well as other dual use acceleration services VTT may provide in the future. In this role, you are expected to create a meaningful network with stakeholders across other accelerator partners, industry players and investors both locally and globally, and drive systematic and goal-oriented collaboration. In this position, you will have an essential role in ensuring we deliver a globally attractive and competitive accelerator program. Part of your role is to explore the possibilities of growing and developing complimentary dual-use acceleration activities.
Perhaps you are currently working within the startup incubation / acceleration / venture capital scene and would like to take your next career step into an inspiring international community at the cutting edge of science and technology?
In this position, we offer you the possibility to work in an invigorating startup environment that helps to create new business to solve great challenges in the world.
About VTT Incubation and Acceleration
Our main responsibility is to deliver the VTT LaunchPad incubator program and set up new acceleration programs. The science startup incubator was founded in 2019 to support individual teams to develop VTT owned IPR into fundable startups geared for an international growth path.
The Incubation and Acceleration team is a continuously learning and evolving unit with LEAN spirit. We constantly evaluate the ways of working based on what we have learned and improve as we go. In addition to individual responsibilities and strengths, often our work tasks are shared among team mates based on availability and competence.
As Manager, Dual Use Acceleration, you will ensure the successful fluid operations in our team by:
- Designing and planning an acceleration program within a set framework on a globally competitive and attractive level.
- Delivering the acceleration program in collaboration with local and global ecosystem partner with the goal of enabling participating teams achieve their targets with greatness.
- Polish and improve the operations with a lean, continuous learning mentality.
- Ecosystem collaboration
- Active participation with the DIANA central team to
- Maintain contact and coordinate activities with university partners, defence industry partners, mentors and investors
- Activate Innovators before and during application period and maintain active contact and coordinate innovator interaction during the accelerator program.
Who we are looking for:
- Experience with managing acceleration operations or other similar programs.
- Experience in either the private or public defense sector.
- Design, planning and organizing skills, to deliver the program.
- Good documentation & administration skills.
- Experience in ecosystem collaboration with strategic end goals and good communication, presentation, and networking skills.
- User centered approach that will take the accelerated Innovators' needs and development targets as the focal point in the delivery of the program.
- Personal interest in startups, innovation, and venture capital.
- Coaching experience.
- Fluent in written and spoken English.
As a person, we hope that you are:
- A proactive team member and independent self-starter with a can-do and problem-solving attitude.
- Team player, who actively contributes to the success and development of our entire team.
- Equipped with strong soft skills
- Easily approachable.
- Curious and open mindset, willing to try, learn and adapt.
- Flexible and able to tolerate incompleteness in a constantly developing environment.
With VTT, you'll enjoy:
- Work with a strong purpose.At VTT, you'll get to use your professional expertise to help solve the greatest challenges of our time through science and innovation. Our research agenda is dedicated to creating solutions for systemic and technological challenges, such as reaching carbon neutrality and creating superior digital systems. At VTT, you'll get to do your part in driving this meaningful change through your professional skills. Read more about our strategy,the path of exponential hope,andour organisational cultureas the builder of the world's most meaningful place to work.
- An inspiring community.VTT houses all the cutting-edge fields of innovation, from quantum technology to synthetic biology, under one roof. As a professional at VTT, you'll witness and influence the future of science and technology as it happens.
- Career and learning opportunities.As a scientific expert organisation, we emphasise learning and development and support our people in reaching their full potential. People stay at VTT for more than ten years, as we offer opportunities to develop and grow into new responsibilities. If you're curious, ambitious, and willing to learn, VTT is the place to take your career to the next level.
- Support for your well-being.Our people are our main asset, so we take good care of them. We aim to nurture excellent team spirit and leadership and offer versatile well-being services to enable a good work-life balance. On top of 6 weeks of paid holidays (after one year of employment), we offer exercise and culture benefits, hobby clubs, and voluntary well-being services such as meditation and cognitive ergonomics training.
Apply now and join our community of brilliant minds!
Pleasesend your CV and application with your salary request via our recruitment system as soon as possiblebut at the latest by 17 August 2025. We will process applications as they come in and fill the position as soon as we find the right candidate. A security clearance procedure may be conducted during the recruitment process.
Interested and want to know more?
For further information, please contact Head, Incubation and Acceleration, Lotta Partanen, lotta.partanen@vtt.fi
We look forward to hearing from you!
Apply between 17 July 2025 and 17 August 2025 23:59 (Europe/Helsinki)
Employment type: Full-time, Fixed term until end of 2026
VTT
VTT is a visionary research, development and innovation partner. We drive sustainable growth and tackle the biggest global challenges of our time and turn them into growth opportunities. We go beyond the obvious to help the society and companies to grow through technological innovations. We have 80 years of experience of top-level research and science-based results. VTT is at the sweet spot where innovation and business come together.
VTT - beyond the obvious.
