Associate Professor in Quantum Technologies (Research and Education) - School of Physics and Astronomy - 103224 - Grade 9

Full Job Description

Position Details

School of Physics and Astronomy

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

As this vacancy has limited funding the maximum salary that can be offered is Grade 9, salary £64,914.

Full Time, Permanent

Closing date: 21st April 2024

Please note: We are advertising both an Assistant Professor (4075) and an Associate Professor (4073), however there is only 1 post available

UK and International travel may be required for this role

Background

The School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Birmingham (UoB) seeks to appoint an Associate or Assistant Professor in Quantum Technologies.

The successful candidate will join a thriving quantum technology research base at the University. Since 2014, the University has led the UK Quantum Technology Hub in Sensors and Timing. Bringing together academic partners from seven universities, the British Geological Survey and the National Physical Laboratory, this interdisciplinary Hub is active in translating quantum technology research into applications, including over 200 collaborative projects with industry. This includes research in areas such as atom interferometry for civil engineering and navigation, magnetometry for healthcare, and precision timing based on optical clocks for advanced radar systems. The University is also active in several projects across the Quantum Technologies for Fundamental Physics programme. Recently, UoB announced the formation of the Birmingham Institute in Quantum Technologies to create an enabling framework for cross-institutional activity to support research and the realisation of impact across areas including quantum science, applied physics, engineering, and beyond. This new Institute will bring together a vibrant research community to enable collaborations across disciplines and across career stages. We are looking for candidates who will actively contribute to our portfolio and community, through pursuit of research that will bring new opportunities, synergies, and interdisciplinary collaboration. 

The School of Physics and Astronomy is a world-leading physics department, excelling in both research and teaching. Our physics research was recently ranked top in the UK for 4-star-category research, and 4th by GPA, by the Research Excellence Framework 2021. The 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Professor Mike Kosterlitz and Professor David Thouless jointly for their work into the discoveries of the properties of matter, work which started when they were at Birmingham together. The 2017 Prize was awarded for the detection of gravitational waves, in which Birmingham staff played a key role. The School is an excellent environment for an upcoming academic.

The School’s research portfolio is wide-ranging, and covers three principal themes: Quantum Matter; Particle and Nuclear Physics; and Astronomy and Experimental Gravity. It has over 120 academic and research staff together with 120 graduate students with around 50 technical and clerical support staff.

The School of Physics and Astronomy is an Institute of Physics Juno Champion since 2014 and holder of the Athena SWAN Silver Award. Both initiatives recognise the School’s commitment to promote diversity and equality, and to encourage better practice for all members of the community, whilst also working towards developing an equitable working culture in which all students and staff can achieve their full potential. We welcome applications from all qualified applicants, and encourage applications from traditionally under-represented groups in physics and astronomy including, but not limited to, women and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic.

Role Summary

You will contribute at a senior level to teaching, research, and administration. In addition you will be expected to contribute to academic citizenship, likely to be demonstrated through generous, mutually respectful and supportive working relationships with all staff and students.

Teaching is likely to include: (a) development and leadership of major teaching programmes or equivalent; and (b) enhancement of the student experience or employability.

Research is likely to involve an established national and international reputation through significant original research work and a clear record of impact.

Management and administration is likely to include Departmental/School leadership and management activity with University wide involvement – for example through sustained high value research, knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, and public engagement or similar activities. 

Main Duties

Education

You will contribute across the range of teaching and learning activities:

• making a significant contribution to the pedagogical knowledge base of the subject that advances teaching through the enhancement of practice, the development of teaching resources and/or through practice-based research; 
• leading on the management and the development of approaches to teaching and learning, including designing innovative approaches to digital resources/environments and supporting colleagues to use them that are innovative to the subject area or institution;
• leading on curriculum design at module and programme level to ensure it is contemporary, inclusive, engaging and academically challenging;
• actively engaging students in curriculum design and sharing evidence of “what works”;
• making an impactful, high quality contribution to debates about education policy, methods and practices through internal and external publications, subject societies and conference activity;
• developing an external profile evidenced through engaging in external quality assurance activities related to teaching, eg. external examining and engaging with/supporting education in other institutions;
• playing an important and sustained role in the recruitment and admission of students; 
• co-supervising doctoral students to completion; 
• leading the development of teaching, learning and assessment policies and strategies;
• acting as an education mentor to colleagues in the School/Department/College or more widely;
• leading the development of new and appropriate approaches to learning and teaching. This may be underpinned by research and evaluation of teaching methods and systems 
• leading sustained high value impact in knowledge transfer and enterprise (including business engagement, public engagement) that enhances the student experience and/or or employability, and is of manifest benefit to learning and teaching in the College and the University
• undertaking own teaching, which will include teaching and examining courses at a range of levels, planning and reviewing own teaching approaches, developing programme proposals, supervision, marking and examining. You will ensure that your teaching practice is informed by discipline based research, through participating in the research culture of the School. 

Research

To pursue sustained research activity through original research and scholarship, including other research-related contributions through conference papers and presentations and/or consultancy projects and advice, including (as appropriate):

• contributing to the management of research activities and/or supervising other research staff;
• leading successful funding bids;
• consistently publishing internationally excellent research, with some research regarded as world leading, that results in a sustained, highly respected reputation of international quality;
• supervising and examining PhD students, both within the institution and externally;
• providing expert advice internally and externally;
• peer reviewing articles for peer reviewed academic journals and grant applications by research councils and/or other major funding bodies; 
• leading sustained impact activity including public engagement and makes a significant contribution to policy development at a national and international level;.
• supervising and examine PhD students, both within the institution and externally;
• as appropriate, managing research activities and/or supervising other research staff;
• developing novel methodologies and techniques appropriate to the type of research being pursued.

Management/administration 

Lead activities in the Department/ School and represent the School on College/ University committees or working groups. Where appropriate to the discipline, this is likely to include some but not all of the responsibilities listed below: 

• making an important contribution to the development and running of the Department or School, for example, leading activity on research and/or teaching assessment 
• leading a successful international engagement at School or College level;
• developing and managing staff and resources in support of major research and/or teaching activities
• making important contributions to the development of the Department’s research and/or learning and teaching strategy
• contributing significantly to the development and delivery of knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement and public engagement activities with sustained high value impact of manifest benefit to the College and the University;
• promoting a culture (including policies and procedures) that embeds equality and values diversity and inclusion
• leading, serving on and assisting the work of committees and task and finish groups beyond School/ Research Institute, e.g., Senate, Council, University Education or Research Committee etc.;
• leading external committees, e.g., those associated with public/professional bodies or delivery of activities for an external body at an appropriate level, e.g., chairing sub committees associated with large elements of work;
• leading/project managing a team to devise and implement a new and/or revised process (e.g. a new research initiative, or a recruitment drive);
• making a sustained contribution to widening participation, schools outreach and/or public understanding of the discipline;.
• contributing to administrative activities within the University (e.g. appeals panels, working groups).

Citizenship

• identifying wellbeing issues within the School/College/University and developing appropriate solutions to address these;
• taking collective ownership of challenges faced by the School or College and working with colleagues to develop solutions;
• mentoring and coaching of colleagues, particularly those in the early stages of their career.

Person Specification

• Normally, a higher degree relevant to the research/teaching area (PhD).
• 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. The teaching quality demonstrated to be informed by an appropriate level of scholarship. 

Where appropriate, evidence of success under the following headings:

• High national reputation for the development of teaching and learning excellence within the discipline
• Successful and sustained use of a range of appropriate teaching methods, and assessment strategies that promote high quality learning, including learning that is flexible, distinctive and current and stimulates learners’ natural curiosity
• Significant and sustained contribution to one or more of the following: strategic development of new programmes; approaches to learning; the development of learning resources
• High quality and sustained contributions to fostering excellence in teaching activities more widely, i.e. in the Department/School or College and/or externally
• Track record of substantial and sustained high value impact on the enhancement of the student experience, and/or employability
• Mentoring and expert advice which develops the skills of colleagues in teaching and in fostering learning

Research requirements

An excellent national reputation and a developing international profile through significant original research work and a clear record of impact. Evidence of success under the following headings, as appropriate to the discipline:

• High level peer esteem as evidenced by
  • Excellent reputation in the UK and often internationally, reflected in sustained high quality output, level of innovation, impact on subject and recognition
  • An excellent and sustained record of peer reviewed research publications
• Successful and sustained supervision of doctoral students to completion
• Substantial and sustained research income generation, e.g. through research grants, contracts, research consultancy or other external funding
• Sustained high value impact knowledge transfer and enterprise that is of manifest benefit to the College and University

Management and administration-related requirements

Demonstrated significant achievement in management and administration-related activities, which may include leadership of activities/initiatives. Evidence of success under the following headings

• Successful and sustained performance in significant administrative/managerial role (s) (e.g. exams officer)
• Significant and sustained high quality innovative contributions to the management/administration of the Department/School/College or University
• Successful and sustained contribution to the corporate life of the School/College/University, displaying willingness to contribute actively to committees, collaborative teaching and administrative tasks
• Actively promotes equality and diversity to internal and external stakeholders
• Able to use data to identify equality and diversity issues
• Experience of developing interventions to address equality and diversity issues

You should make sure to attach the following to your application:

• A full academic CV, including full publication list;
• A statement of future research plans and objectives (max 3 pages);
• A statement on your teaching approach and experience (max 2 pages); 
• Contact details for three referees.

Informal enquiries to Professor Michael Holynski, email:  and Professor Yeshpal Singh, email:

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 one of our values. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone  on our website .