Associate Professor Silicon Detector Instrumentation for Particle Physics (Research and Educati[...]

University of Birmingham; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 56,000 - 66,000

Job description

Position Details

School of Physics and Astronomy

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £56,921 to £65,814 with potential progression once in post to £85,544.

As this vacancy has limited funding the maximum salary that can be offered is Grade 9, salary £65,814.

Full Time, Permanent

Closing date: 18th May 2025

UK and International travel may be required for this role.

Role Summary

The School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Birmingham (UoB) seeks to appoint a high quality, motivated academic with a specialisation in silicon tracking detectors, to help drive activity as part of the Birmingham Instrumentation Laboratory for Particle physics and Applications (BILPA).

The post holder will play a role in all aspects of the BILPA work, including our ongoing experiments and R&D, as well as helping build new activities. An important priority will be to play a leading role in Birmingham work on the MAPS-based Silicon Vertex Tracker for the ePIC experiment at the US Electron Ion Collider (EIC). There may also be opportunities to contribute to directing the laboratory.

The BILPA facility is a 200 m2 suite of well-equipped clean rooms, supported by further substantial recently refurbished laboratory space. Its core user team currently includes two academics in addition to the appointee, four PDRAs, one engineer and four technicians, with numerous PhD students also engaging. Workstreams include:

• Major construction projects, currently including contributions to the silicon-strip detectors for the ATLAS ITk upgrade at the LHC and the MAPS-based silicon vertex tracker for the ePIC detector at EIC.
• Strategic R&D into CMOS sensors and 4D tracking technologies for next generation facilities.
• Projects leading to wider societal impact, for example based on the use of particle tracking detectors for imaging and dosimetry in proton cancer therapy.
• Work towards the creation of a unique facility for radiation-hardness characterisation, based on proton and neutron beam facilities in Birmingham.

The successful candidate will be expected to teach in our undergraduate degree programmes. Applicants are expected to demonstrate academic citizenship, develop and maintain mutually respectful and supportive working relationships with staff and students, and ensure their role impacts positively on others.

Main Duties

Education

• Contribute across the range of teaching and learning activities.
• Make a significant contribution to the pedagogical knowledge base of the subject that advances teaching.
• Lead on the management and the development of approaches to teaching and learning.
• Engage students in curriculum design.
• Supervise doctoral students to completion.

Research

• Pursue sustained research activity through original research and scholarship.
• Contribute to the management of research activities.
• Lead successful funding bids.

Management/administration

• Lead activities in the Department/School and represent the School on committees.
• Contribute significantly to the development of the Department’s research and/or learning and teaching strategy.

Person Specification

• Normally, a higher degree relevant to the research/teaching area (usually PhD) or equivalent qualifications.

Demonstrated excellence in at least Research, with competence in Learning and Teaching and Management and Administration.

Learning and teaching requirements

An excellent teaching profile and performance in terms of both impact and quality.

Research requirements

An excellent national reputation and a developing international profile through significant original research work.

Management and administration-related requirements

Demonstrated significant achievement in management and administration-related activities.

Informal enquiries to Professor Paul Newman, email: [e-mail] or Professor Cristina Lazzeroni, email: [e-mail].