Thesis Worker

Would you like to join a global, growing company that innovates for a more sustainable tomorrow? UPM could be the team for you. We are frontrunners in developing renewable alternatives to fossil-based materials. Besides enabling both businesses and consumers make more sustainable choices, we strive to create a positive UPM experience for all our employees around the world. We live by our values – trust and be trusted, achieve together, renew with courage. Together we can renew the everyday, for a future beyond fossils! 

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We are now looking for a Thesis worker, Sterilization Methods in Pharmaceutical Packaging to join our UPM Adhesive Materials Tampere team. This position is temporary starting from March 2026 to July 2026, located in Tampere.

What you will do 

UPM Adhesive Materials is developing label materials for Pharmaceutical and Healthcare packaging applications. Sterilization is essential for packaging formats used in biologics, injectables, and other sensitive drug products.

In connection with this we are looking for deepen our understanding of different sterilization methods used in the pharmaceutical industry. The target of your thesis will be to provide comprehensive overview of the most commonly used sterilization techniques—such as steam sterilization, ethylene oxide (EtO), gamma irradiation, and newer technologies like vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP)—and assess their suitability across different packaging formats and label materials.

Your main tasks will include:

• Making comparative literature analysis of sterilization methods to understand better which methods are used for which packaging formats and pharmaceutical sub-segments
• Exploring insights into future developments shaping the sterilization landscape especially from sustainability perspective
• Highlighting gaps in UPM Adhesive label material’s suitability for the selected sterilization methods and make a recommendation for additional testing to build future proofed pharmaceutical label portfolio
• Developing our existing steam sterilization method to be better utilized in testing our label materials suitability for steam sterilization

Who you are

• You have relevant academic background and only thesis work remaining in the studies
• You have knowledge about packaging and material technologies
• You are doing Master's Thesis in University or Bachelor’s thesis at University of Applied Sciences.
• You are curios to learn new, enjoys finding and analyzing information from multiple sources
• You are capable on hands on work at laboratory environment

This is what we offer to you

• A meaningful job: We have an inspiring purpose "We renew the everyday for a future beyond fossils”. Our work is impactful and transformative. 
• A caring community: Our community is built on great team spirit and shared commitment. We care about each other and the well-being of our colleagues. We support the work-life balance of all our employees.
• Development opportunities: We offer you great opportunities to learn and grow throughout your career. We are an international, multi-business organization offering plenty of avenues for personal growth.
• Responsible employer: Sustainability is at the core of everything we do. We are committed to ambitious, science-based sustainability targets in all areas, from climate change mitigation to enhancing biodiversity. We foster diversity and inclusivity, offering a work environment in which everyone can be themselves.

Learn about our Rewarding and our Ways of working.

Additional information

For further information, please contact Eliisa Laurikainen, Senior Manager, Business Growth Pharma, EMEIA at [email protected] or tel. +358442943650.

Please apply and attach your CV and Cover Letter by February 8, 2026. Please note that we will go through the applications already during the application period and may invite candidates for interviews already before the end of the application period.

For support with submitting your application, please contact the HR Service Center at [email protected] or tel. +358204146600.

A security background check may be performed for those selected to UPM positions, in accordance with the company recruitment guidelines and the Security Clearance Act 726/2014.

UPM Adhesive Materials (formerly UPM Raflatac) offers high-quality self-adhesive paper and film products including label materials, graphics solutions and removable self-adhesive products. We operate 14 factories and deliver our innovative and sustainable products through our global network of distribution terminals. We are one of UPM’s growth businesses and employ around 3,200 people. Our sales reached almost EUR 1,6 billion (USD 1,7 billion) in 2024. Read more: www.labelmaterials.upm.com

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