Research Assistant in Cyber Security and Skills Development (Fixed -Term 9 months contract) in St Mary's

Research Assistant in Cyber Security and Skills Development (Fixed -Term 9 months contract)

TheUniversity of West London (UWL)is ranked as 41 st in the UK in The Guardian University Guide 2026 and isthe1 st London modern* universityin The Times/The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026. We are also ranked2 nd in London, 6 th in England and 8 th in the UK for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2026**.The UWL community is a diverse body of students and staff who work together to create an environment of success and achievement. We celebrate the diversity of our staff and promote our values in practice through our commitment to inclusivity, progression, and success.

* A modern university is a university established in 1992, or after. Excluding specialist providers.

** Calculated as the average of all questions, using registered populations.

The School

The School of Computing and Engineering is a professional and student focused School with high-quality teaching, student experience and research informed teaching at the top of its priority list. TheSchoolhas strong links with local, national and international partners and employability of graduates is the key to courses that we offer. TheSchoolenjoys state-of-the-art equipment and continues to invest heavily in its improvement. Our courses are fully accredited by relevant professional bodies across the board.

The Role

The School of Computing and Engineering is seeking a Research Assistant to support the delivery of the CyberPath project, an innovative initiative focused on enhancing cybersecurity skills development and workforce readiness. Working closely with the Project Lead and project team, the successful candidate will contribute to research, technical development, data analysis, evaluation, and stakeholder engagement activities.

The role offers an exciting opportunity to work at the intersection of cybersecurity, education, and digital innovation, supporting the development and evaluation of evidence-based learning pathways and technologies. The postholder will collaborate with academic colleagues, professional bodies, and learners, contributing to project outputs, dissemination activities, and future research and funding opportunities.

The Person

We are seeking a proactive and organised individual with an MSc or PhD in Cyber Security, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Education Technology, or a related discipline. The successful candidate will have strong research, analytical, and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a collaborative project team.

The ideal candidate will have an interest in cybersecurity, digital learning technologies, and workforce development, together with experience of data collection, analysis, report writing, and stakeholder engagement. A commitment to high-quality research, professional standards, and inclusive working practices is essential.

Experience of research projects, academic publications, cybersecurity education, or externally funded initiatives would be advantageous.

Interviews are expected to be held in the week commencing 21 September 2026.

For informal enquiries about the position please contact Dr Alireza Esfahani, Senior Lecturer in Cyber Security, Alireza.esfahani@uwl.ac.uk.

Our school is under-represented in terms of staff from minority ethnic backgrounds, of LGBT+ identities, and with disabilities. UWL is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce, supports the gender equality Athena SWAN Charter, and is a Disability Confident Employer. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, particularly those mentioned above to increase diversity in our workforce.

Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.

Please be advised that it is expected that appointment within a grade will normally be at the minimum point.

This position does not meetthe University criteria for Skilled Worker sponsorship.

We will intermittently review the applications as part of this open advert, therefore if successful, you will be shortlisted and contacted at any time.

The University of West London reserves the right to close the role prior to this date should a suitable applicant be found.