Fiskars FORGE - R&D Early Career Program (Graduate Trainee)

Fiskars FORGE

R&D Early Career Program (Graduate Trainee)

Make. Learn. Prove. Launch.

Location: Finland (Hybrid), with global collaboration opportunities
Duration: 12 months, with a pathway to a permanent role

Don't Wait to Make Your Mark.

Fiskars FORGE is a 12-month R&D program for graduates who would rather test an idea than admire it from a distance.

This is not a traditional graduate scheme. We are not looking for traditional thinking.

Join a small cohort of ambitious early-career innovators and take on real R&D challenges, collaborate across disciplines, and turn promising ideas into products and solutions people can hold, test, and improve.

By the end, you will have more than a year of experience. You will have proof of what you can do, a clearer sense of where to go next, and the opportunity to step into a permanent role at Fiskars.

The Experience: Real Challenges. Real Ownership. Real Impact.

From day one, you will be part of meaningful product innovation work, not simply observing from the sidelines.

You will:

• Own a strategic R&D challenge sponsored by senior leadership.
• Work on real innovation and product development projects with measurable business impact.
• Take on flexible, sprint-based assignments shaped around your strengths, interests, and business priorities.
• Collaborate with engineers, designers, and commercial teams.
• Explore the full product innovation journey, from early ideas and development to commercialization.
• Present your recommendations, concepts, prototypes, and business cases to stakeholders.

Along the way, you will take part in innovation challenges, hackathons, leadership sessions, and Finnish cultural activities. You will also have a dedicated support network of mentors, senior leaders, HR, and peers to help you grow.

Your journey culminates in presenting your work and demonstrating the capabilities you have built, with the opportunity to transition into a permanent role aligned with your strengths and business needs.

What Makes FORGE Different?

Ownership from the Start
Work on strategic challenges that matter to the business, with real deliverables and visible impact.

Exposure Beyond R&D
Understand how ideas become products people buy, use, and trust by working across functions and disciplines.

Access to Leaders and Experts
Share your thinking with senior stakeholders, learn from experienced professionals, and build relationships across Fiskars.

Support Without Limits
Benefit from mentorship, coaching, feedback, and a network that challenges and supports you throughout the program.

A Career Beyond the Program
Build the experience and demonstrate the capabilities needed to move into a permanent role at Fiskars.

Who We're Looking For

We are looking for graduates with sharp ideas, practical curiosity, and the confidence to get into the work before every answer is neatly labeled.

You are:

• Curious, creative, and eager to learn by doing.
• Collaborative and comfortable working across disciplines.
• Consumer-minded and interested in understanding customer needs.
• Passionate about product innovation, engineering, design, or R&D.
• Comfortable with ambiguity, change, and new challenges.
• A problem-solver who turns questions into progress.
• Motivated to leave a physical, lasting mark through work that matters.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree (completed or graduating by June 2027) from a leading university in a relevant field, such as:
  • Engineering
  • Product Development
  • Industrial Design
  • Innovation Management
  • Or a related discipline.
• Up to 2 years of professional experience.
• Strong academic achievement and evidence of initiative.
• Internship, project, research, entrepreneurial, or international experience is advantageous.
• Fluent English communication skills.

What We Offer

• A paid, full-time, 12-month R&D program with the opportunity for a permanent role.
• Competitive salary and benefits.
• Relocation support and a housing stipend to help you settle in Finland.
• Real ownership and business impact from day one.
• Exposure to innovation, product development, and commercialization
• Access to senior leaders, experts, mentors, and a close-knit graduate cohort.
• Structured learning, coaching, feedback, and meaningful career development.

Application Process

We are looking for builders, creators, problem-solvers, and people who would rather make the thing than just talk about the thing.

As part of your application, show us something you have designed, built, researched, developed, improved, or created. Academic projects, prototypes, portfolios, innovations, entrepreneurial ventures, or other evidence of curiosity and initiative all count.

The selection process includes application screening, competency-based interviews, an innovation assessment, and conversations with Product Innovation & R&D leaders.

Ready to Make Your Mark?

We have been making progress since 1649. The next move is yours.

Apply now. Bring your curiosity, your sharpest ideas, and enough ambition to leave a mark people can actually hold.

Last day of application:

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At Fiskars, we value providing benefits that matter to you and cater to our diverse global workforce, no matter where you are in the world. While benefits may vary based on location, here are some of the incredible offerings you can expect when joining our team:

Competitive Compensation: We ensure that our employees are fairly compensated based on industry standards and local market factors.

Health and Wellness: Your well-being matters to us, no matter where you are. We offer various health and well-being focused programs and coverage, adapted to the requirements of each region.

Work-Life Balance: We understand the need for balance in your life. Our paid time off plans and flexible work arrangements and policies are designed to accommodate local customs and personal commitments, enabling you to thrive in both your professional and personal life.

Professional Development: We believe in nurturing talent and supporting professional growth. Through training programs, skill development initiatives and learning resources, we empower our employees to reach their full potential.

Inclusive and Diverse Environment: We value diversity and promote inclusivity. Join a workplace where your unique background and perspectives are celebrated, fostering collaboration and respect across all our markets.

Recognition and Rewards: We believe in celebrating and recognizing the contributions of our employees worldwide. Our recognition programs are designed to acknowledge exceptional performance and achievements, ensuring that your efforts are celebrated and valued.

Employee Discounts: We want to ensure our team members make each day the extraordinary with use of our products and offer product discounts across our brands.

Please note that specific benefits may vary based on local regulations, market conditions, and other factors. We are committed to providing competitive and meaningful benefits to our employees in every market we operate.

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Pioneering design to makethe everyday extraordinary

Fiskars Group (FSKRS, Nasdaq Helsinki) is the global home of design-driven brands for indoor and outdoor living. Since 1649, we have designed products of timeless, purposeful, and functional beauty, while driving innovation and sustainable growth. In 2025, Fiskars Group's global net sales were EUR 1.1 billion, and we had approximately 6,600 employees. We have two Business Areas (BA), Vita and Fiskars.

BA Vita offers products in the high-end homeware segment as well as fine branded jewelry. Its desirable brands include Georg Jensen, Royal Copenhagen, Wedgwood, Moomin Arabia, Iittala and Waterford. In 2025, BA Vita's reported net sales were EUR 613 million, and it had approximately 5,000 employees.

BA Fiskars offers functional innovations in the gardening and outdoor categories, in addition to the scissors and creating, as well as cooking categories. The brands include Fiskars and Gerber. In 2025, BA Fiskars' net sales were EUR 522 million, and it had approximately 1,300 employees.