Assistant Professor Innovation Management​/Strategy Transitions

Job description

In this role, the candidate will contribute to research and education that explores how design-driven innovation management approaches support organizational transformation and system-level change. The position emphasizes socio-technical and design-oriented research, focusing on innovation management / strategies and intervention logics that enable transitions toward more sustainable, resilient, and responsible systems.

The candidate will work in an interdisciplinary environment within IDE and across TU Delft, collaborating with designers, economists, engineers, and social scientists (e.g., business administration and psychology), as well as external partners in industry, government, and civil society. The department values research that bridges theory and practice and contributes to both academic advancement and societal impact.

Teaching responsibilities include contributing to Bachelor’s and Master’s programs in Industrial Design Engineering, particularly in courses related to innovation management, innovation strategy, organizational structures, systems thinking, and transitions. The candidate will supervise BSc and MSc projects and actively contribute to the development of education that equips future designers to operate as strategic actors in complex organizational and societal contexts.

Overall, this profile supports DOS’s mission to strengthen the role of design as a strategic driver of organizational change and societal transitions, and to educate designers who can engage with complexity, uncertainty, and responsibility in shaping the future through innovations with impact.

• A PhD in Business Administration, Strategic Design, Innovation Management, Organization Studies, Management of Technology, Economics or a closely related field.
• A strong research profile in design-driven innovation, innovation management, new product marketing, organizational strategy and structure, or transition studies, evidenced by publications in relevant peer-reviewed journals.
• Experience with, or strong affinity for quantitative, and qualitative research approaches.
• Ability and willingness to work across disciplinary boundaries, collaborating with designers, economist, engineers, and social scientists.
• Affinity with translating research insights into actionable frameworks, strategies, or interventions for organizational and societal contexts.
• Teaching experience in higher education, particularly in areas related to innovation management/strategy, new product marketing, organizational strategy and structure, and/or systems thinking. A university teaching qualification is considered an asset.
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken. Proficiency in Dutch language is an asset.
• Interests in contributing to research acquisition, program development, and academic service within the department. Experience in grant writing and acquisition is highly valued.

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale.

That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Matching the evolution of people with the speed of the revolution of technology. This is the focus of the Faculty of Industrial Design…