Assistant Professor of Computational Chemistry for Synthesis & Materials - School of Chemistry [...]

Position Details

College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £46,485 to £55,295 with potential progression once in post to £62,098

Grade: 8

Full Time, Permanent

Closing date: 2nd February 2025

Interviews will be scheduled for 13th and 14th March 2025

Academic Development Programme - new Assistant Professors will undertake a 5-year development programme, at the end of which they are expected to be promoted to Associate Professor. The programme consists of a variety of development opportunities and the time to reflect and develop.

Background

The School of Chemistry at the University of Birmingham is a vibrant and thriving academic community, with over 150 academic and research staff, 20 professional services staff and over 600 students. We provide an inclusive and supportive environment where we strive to support every member of staff in realising their career potential. With a strong focus on our four Research Themes of Energy, Sustainability, Environment and Health, and a number of interdisciplinary Interest Groups serving as testbeds to explore new and emerging areas of interest, we are a dynamic place to work. We have ambitious plans to expand our research activity and are in an exciting period of growth: major investment from the University has delivered a state-of-the-art molecular sciences research building, and new multi-million pound high-performance computing facilities, which will ensure UK-leading compute capability. These investments build on a major recent expansion of our academic staff and investment in our teaching and learning provision, with our Collaborative Teaching Laboratory, which opened September 2018, already revolutionising how we teach undergraduate practical chemistry.

We are seeking outstanding candidates and invite applications for an Assistant Professor position in Computational Chemistry for Synthesis and Materials, potentially co-aligning with areas of existing or emerging strengths in the School of Chemistry and other schools in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. Demonstrated experience in theoretical or computational aspects of synthesis for sustainability, and/or experience in ML/AI/Digital Chemistry, is particularly valuable. The candidate is expected to act as a member of the School of Chemistry associated with the growing Research Theme of Computational Chemistry. The candidate will be expected to collaborate with the Research Themes of Synthesis, Materials and the emergent Centre for Research, Development and Applications in Mechanochemistry.

This post will bring opportunities for career development, enable you to realise your ambitions in research and teaching, and enhance your leadership and management skills. You will initiate, conduct and disseminate original research, which will have measurable outcomes reflected in your growing national – and ideally international – reputation. In teaching, you will make substantial contributions to the management, development and delivery of teaching and assessment, and to enhancing the student experience and employability. Management and administration activities will allow you to make important contributions at School level and to managerial/leadership activities (e.g., working groups) across the wider University.

We are a collegiate School community. You will demonstrate academic citizenship, develop and maintain generous, mutually respectful and supportive working relationships with the School, ensuring the way you carry out your role impacts positively on how others carry out theirs.

Role Summary

You will contribute to a range of research, teaching and administration. In addition, you will be expected to demonstrate academic citizenship, developing and maintaining generous, mutually respectful and supportive working relationships with all staff and students, and ensuring the way you carry out your role impacts positively on how others can carry out theirs.

Teaching is likely to include a substantial contribution to: (a) the management, development (including programme/module review) and delivery of teaching and assessment; and (b) enhancement of the student experience or employability. The role will typically also involve developing and advising others, including: (a) providing expert advice to staff and students, (b) supervising and examining PhD students, and (c) developing and advising others on learning and teaching tasks and methods.

Research is likely to involve initiating, conducting and disseminating original research. Your research will have measurable outcomes reflected in your growing national (and ideally international) reputation. The candidate is expected to act as a member of the School of Chemistry associated with the growing Research Theme of Computational Chemistry. The candidate will be expected to collaborate with the Research Themes of Synthesis, Materials and the emergent Centre for Research, Development and Applications in Mechanochemistry. The successful candidate will help bridge and create activities in the Schools, and also attract diverse funding, including industry sponsorships.

Management and administration is likely to involve contributions at Departmental and School level, and/or making an important contribution to some managerial/leadership activities (e.g. working groups) within the University. This may include developing and making substantial contributions to knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, public engagement, widening participation, schools outreach, or similar activities at Department/School level or further within the University.

Main Duties

Education

• Using a variety of methods in teaching and advising individuals and groups of undergraduates, postgraduates, or CPD students, including (as appropriate):
• Teaching and examining courses at a range of levels;
• Planning and reviewing your own teaching approaches and encouraging others to do the same;
• Designing contemporary, inclusive, engaging and academically challenging curriculum content;
• Working collaboratively with colleagues to design and deliver teaching, learning and assessment;
• Using digital resources/environments effectively to support learning and assessment;
• Developing programme proposals and making substantial contributions to the design of teaching programmes more widely;
• Where appropriate, undertaking and developing the full range of responsibilities in relation to supervision, marking and examining;
• Developing and advising others on learning and teaching tasks and methods;
• Developing and making substantial contributions to knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, public engagement activities or similar on own specialism that enhances the student experience or employability and which benefits the College and University;
• Devising and supervising projects, student dissertations and practical work.

Research

• Planning and carrying out research, including (as appropriate):
• Planning and publishing high quality research, including winning financial support;
• Project managing research activities, and/or supervising other research staff;
• Presenting findings in publications and conference proceedings;
• Effectively supervising and mentoring PhD students or early Career Researchers;
• Providing expert advice to staff and students within the discipline;
• Participating in research-related enabling activities such as adding value to a cross disciplinary network;
• Applying knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding;
• Developing and making substantial contributions to knowledge transfer, and enterprise (including business engagement, public engagement) and similar activity that is of benefit to the College and the University, including ensuring that the impact of your activities is realized fully and the impact is documented.

Management/Administration

• Contributing to Departmental/School administration, including:
• Contributing to the administration/management of research and/or teaching across the Department/School;
• Leading and managing a team to devise and implement a new and/or revised process (e.g. new programme or a recruitment drive);
• Advising on personal development of colleagues and students;
• Making a major contribution to some administrative activities within the University (e.g. appeals panels, working groups);
• Managing enterprise, business development, and public engagement activities;
• Developing and making substantial contributions to knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, public engagement, widening participation, schools outreach.
• Actively manages equality, diversity and inclusion through monitoring and evaluation and actively challenging unacceptable behavior.

Citizenship

• Contributing to an inclusive working environment:
• Demonstrating a willingness to be involved in a variety of activities supporting University life (e.g., participation in graduation, Departmental/School committees);
• Demonstrating support for colleagues, such as sharing resources, providing advice;
• Willingness to volunteer for one-off duties (such as supporting School, Institute, and Departmental projects);
• Positively engaging in School strategic initiatives;
• Proactive support and involvement in activities specifically contributing to a positive and inclusive community spirit across the School/College/University.

Person Specification

• Normally, a higher degree relevant to the research/teaching area (usually PhD) or equivalent qualifications
• Extensive research and/or teaching experience and innovative scholarship within subject specialism, in particular in theoretical and computational aspects of chemistry, including the theoretical and computational aspects of areas such as solid-state chemistry, organic or inorganic chemistry, green chemistry, materials and/or sustainable chemistry.
• Proven ability to devise, advise on and manage learning/research
• Skills in managing, motivating and mentoring others successfully at all levels

Teaching

• Ability to design, deliver, assess and revise teaching programmes, helping bridge activities between School of Chemistry and other schools, and introducing topics of computational chemistry and how it informs sustainable chemistry
• Extensive experience and demonstrated success in developing appropriate approaches to learning and teaching, and advising colleagues
• Experience and success in knowledge transfer, enterprise and similar activity that enhances the student experience or employability

Research

• Experience and achievement reflected in a growing reputation
• Extensive experience and demonstrated success in planning, undertaking and project managing research to deliver high quality results
• Extensive experience of applying and/or developing and devising successful models, techniques and methods
• Experience and achievement in knowledge transfer, enterprise and similar activity
• Demonstrated experience of research activity and publications in the area of computational chemistry, including theoretical and/or modelling approaches
• Experience in attracting research funding
• Experience and demonstrated effectiveness in collaborative work, including participating in research networks and being a member of a team
• Evidence of international recognition and leadership, e.g. through publications, organisation of high-impact meetings.
• Experience in supervision of Ph.D. students

Management Administration

• Ability to contribute to School management processes
• Ability to assess and organise resources effectively
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
• Experience of championing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in own work area
• Ability to monitor and evaluate the extent to which equality and diversity legislation, policies, procedures are applied
• Ability to identify issues with the potential to impact on protected groups and take appropriate action

Please attach the following to your online application:

• CV (including full publication list, funding profile, evidence of esteem, outreach and engagement with industry)
• Statement on research vision (max 2 pages) to include a discussion of your future research objectives and directions.
• Highlight your top 3-5 publications with a brief statement as to their significance.
• Statement on teaching (max 1 page), highlighting your teaching experience and philosophy, including design, delivery and assessment methods as well as any evidence of innovation / future plans in these areas.
• Contact details of 3 referees

Informal enquiries to Prof. Neil Champness, Head of School n.champness@bham.ac.uk

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy.