Assistant Professor in X-Ray Computed Tomography with Environmental Applications

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Job Description - Assistant Professor in X-Ray Computed Tomography with Environmental Applications

Job Number:

Department: Department of Engineering

Contract Type: Open-Ended/Permanent - Full Time

Contract Duration: Permanent

Working Arrangements: Monday to Friday

Closing Date:

03-Apr-2025, 10:59:00 PM

Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement: Not Applicable.

Working at Durham University

A globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting - Durham is a university like no other.

As one of the UK's leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career while enjoying a high-quality work/life balance. We are home to some of the most talented scholars and researchers from around the world who are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives.

Our University Strategy is built on three pillars of research, education and wider student experience, but also on our keen sense of community and of inspiring others to achieve their potential.

The Department

The Department of Engineering at Durham University is continuing a period of strategic growth. This is an exciting opportunity to join an expanding, unified Engineering Department which is recognised as one of the very best in the UK, with a reputation for excellence in teaching, research and employability of our graduates. The University is in the QS Top 100, and the Department itself is ranked 6th in both the 2025 Times and Guardian tables and 4th in the Complete University Guide 2025. In the REF2021 exercise, 95% of our Engineering outputs were graded 3 or 4 , and the Department is committed to an ethos of research-led and industrially-relevant education at all levels of our taught programmes.

This role is for an Assistant Professor with expertise in X-Ray Computed Tomography with Environmental Applications. The role will concentrate on research for the first three years, with a minimal amount of teaching. Thereafter, the role will include teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

The successful candidate will join the SMART (Soil Microbiome Augmentation and Restoration Technologies) Soils team, led by Professor Karen Johnson, in the Department of Engineering. There are seven new posts being created across the University in 2025. Durham University is investing in SMART Soils through this cross-Faculty initiative in recognition of the need for a revolution in the way we work with soils in order to address the global challenges facing the environment, and help us deliver a just transition to a more sustainable future.

This post offers an exciting opportunity to make a major contribution to the development of internationally excellent research and (in due course) teaching while allowing you unrivalled opportunities to progress and embed your career in an exciting and progressive institution.

Key responsibilities:

• Pursue research that is high quality in terms of originality, significance and rigour.
• Develop clear plans for the pursuit of national and international funding opportunities to support research and end-user engagement.
• Play a role in relevant teaching and research supervision and contribute to ongoing curriculum development.
• Deliver lectures, seminars and tutorials at undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels across the Department.
• Engage fully in and enhance the values of the Department.
• Contribute to attracting and supervising research students, and to enhancing the Department's commitment to its vibrant and inclusive postgraduate culture.

Person Specification

Candidates applying for this post should meet all the essential criteria.

Research

• Qualifications - a good first degree and a PhD in Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Physics, Materials, Soil Science or a related subject.
• Outputs - evidence of high-quality outputs, some of which are recognised as world-class.
• Demonstrated ability or potential to engage with industry with an interest in developing collaborative funding opportunities.

Education

• Quality - evidence of the development and delivery of effective and engaging teaching in an engineering context especially in Environmental Engineering or Materials.
• Innovation - evidence of contribution to new programme development and innovation in the design and delivery of high quality teaching.

Service, Citizenship and Values

• Citizenship contribution - evidence of participation in the citizenship/administrative activities of an academic Department, Faculty or University.
• Leadership - engagement in activities that contribute to the administrative functioning of an academic Department, Faculty, University and/or discipline.
• Communication - candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of students and colleagues across a variety of forums.

Contact Information

If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, please send enquiries by email to

How to Apply

We prefer to receive applications online.

All applicants are asked to submit:

• A CV
• A covering letter which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out above.
• A personal research plan for the next 3-5 years.
• Four of your most significant pieces of written work.

We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process.