Hannu Piekkola has worked as professor in economics at University of Vaasa since 2007. He teaches on macroeconomics, macroprudential policy, public economics and Finnish Economy and European Integration. Prior to working at the University of Vaasa, he was assigned as a Head of unit (labour market research) in ETLA The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy 1999-2006 and senior researcher in PT Labour institute of Economic research 1995-1998. He also worked as Head of Economics and Business Law unit in 2010-12 and 2015-.

Piekkola's research interests focus on innovations and investments in them  - more specifically intangible capital, urbanization, environmental investments at company level and European competitiveness.