Autto Hilja, LL.M., is a doctoral researcher at the University of Lapland, Faculty of Law and a project researcher at the University of Vaasa, School of Accounting and Finance, Business Law.

Autto's research interests include proactive contracting, contract design, information design, visualization, legal tech and AI, robotics, and sustainable development. She is part of the Law, Technology and Design Thinking research group at the University of Lapland, and works as a researcher in three projects. In HILMARI - Carbon sinks and climate benefits with controlled risks: Policy measures for forests and wood products - Autto explores the potential of proactive legal thinking and contract design to establish a carbon compensation scheme. In TOIVO - Smooth and sustainable RDI with actionable contracts - Autto participates in the creation of an RDI contract toolkit and a comprehensive guide for contract drafters. In BOOST - Biodiversity offsetting as an operational tool for a just sustainability transition towards no net loss of ecosystems and biodiversity - Autto is the lead contract designer, developing offset contract templates specifically tailored for use in offset markets.

In addition to research, Autto teaches proactive contracting and contract design and supervises bachelor's theses in environmental law at the University of Lapland.