Overview

This position offers the candidate the opportunity to focus on research and grant income generation. Associate Professors on the Education and Research track are encouraged to focus on research and teaching but are also expected to engage in wider citizenship to enhance their own development, support their department and discipline, and contribute to the wider student experience.   

For this specific post, the teaching will be significantly reduced to allow for extra grant capture and research activities. Applicants are expected to provide a significant contribution to securing external funding and to support the activities of the JusTN0W team. It will be expected that the candidate has demonstrable experience in grant capture and successful bid writing, commensurate with career stage. The candidate should have a well-established network. It is important for the success of JusTN0W that the team grows and works together towards implementing the key objectives of the project and to develop the project. Academic colleagues are supported to publish internationally excellent research in high impact outputs including (including monographs and journal articles), in their area of interest with a focus on quality rather than quantity. We will fully support your research needs including practical help such as resources to attend conferences and to fund research activity, as well as a generous research leave policy and a designated mentor. Sitting alongside world class research; teaching quality and innovation is critical to ensure a first-class learning environment and curricula for all our students.   Durham University is also committed to ensuring outstanding teaching quality, stimulating learning environments, and innovative curricula for all our students. You will be supported to develop your teaching expertise and skills.   We are confident that our recruitment process allows us to attract and select the best international talent to Durham. We therefore offer a reduced probation period of 1 year for our Assistant Professors and thereafter, subject to satisfactory performance, your position will be confirmed as permanent. Applicants must demonstrate research excellence in the field of international law and sustainability broadly construed, with the ability to teach our students to an exceptional standard and to fully engage in the services, citizenship and values of the University.  We strive to provide a working and teaching environment that is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate these key principles as part of the assessment process. 

Key responsibilities:   

  • Make a significant contribution to successful income generation and research grant capture.
  • To pursue research that is world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour, commensurate with the Department’s continuing emphasis on international excellence;
  • To make a leading contribution to the objectives of JusTN0W.
  • To make a leading contribution to capacity building and Continuous Professional Development.
  • To make a significant contribution to the development of successful research project/ fellowship proposals in pursuit of suitable national and international funding opportunities to support research and end-user engagement.
  • Deliver excellent teaching offering lectures, seminars and tutorials at undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels.  Contribute significantly to the development and delivery of high-quality teaching, including the design of excellent learning environments and curricula.
  • Contribute to enhancing the quality of the research environment in the Department, the wider University and beyond.  Contribute to establishing and leading research groups within and beyond the University, and engaging in the mentoring of early career researchers;
  • To attract and provide excellent supervision to research students, and to enhance the Department’s commitment to its vibrant and international postgraduate culture.
  • Contribute significantly to the administrative functioning and collegial environment of the Department and wider University, undertaking leadership activities which support the functioning of the Department and wider University.
  • To fully engage in, champion and enhance the values of the Department;
  • Carry out such other duties as specified by the Head of Department.

Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion

Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key component of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do.  We also live by our Purpose and Values and our Staff Code of Conduct.  At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. It’s important to us that all colleagues undertake activities that are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.    We welcome and encourage applications from those who are currently under-represented in our work force, including people with disabilities and from racially minoritised ethnic groups.   If you have taken a career break or periods of leave that may have impacted on the volume and recency of your research outputs and other activities, such as maternity, adoption or parental leave, you may wish to disclose this in your application. The selection committee will take this into account when evaluating your application.    The University has been awarded the Disability Confident Employer status. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.  

Person Specification

Candidates must demonstrate research excellence in the field of international law, environmental law and/or sustainability with the ability to teach our students to an exceptional standard and to fully engage in the services, citizenship and values of the University.

Research 

Candidates must have the capacity for and be progressing towards the independent development of internationally excellent research that produces high-quality outcomes, including some work that is recognised as world-class or that has world-class potential.

Essential Research Criteria 

  1. Qualifications – a good first degree and a PhD in international law/environmental law /climate law/sustainability or a related subject.
  2. Income Generation – significant evidence of engagement in the development of successful research projects and quality research grant proposals.
  3. Outputs – that are consistently recognised as internationally excellent, with at least one output regarded as world class.
  4. Candidates are asked to submit two research papers with their application (as outlined in the How to Apply section below).  Candidates may additionally choose to submit evidence such as external peer review of their outputs
  5. Personal Research Plan – two pages max, covering the next five years – which supports and enhances JusTN0W and the Department’s research strategy.
  6. Research Impact – demonstrable leadership of research that has impact beyond the Candidate’s institution(s), commensurate with career stage.

Education

Candidates must demonstrate significant contribution to the development and delivery of high-quality teaching with a demonstrable contribution to the design of excellent learning environments & curricula, including curriculum development, that enable students to achieve their potential.

As part of a strategic research initiative, you will have a significantly reduced teaching workload for the first few years of the investment to allow for additional research and grant capture activity.