Assistant Professor (Education) in Palaeobiology - School of Geography, Earth and Environmental[...]

Position Details

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £47,389 to £56,535 with potential progression once in post to £63,606

Grade: 8

Part Time (18.75 hours per week)

Fixed Term contract up to August 2027

Closing date: 2nd June 2026

Academic Development Programme

New Assistant Professors will undertake a 5-year development programme, at the end of which they are expected to be promoted to Associate Professor. The programme consists of a variety of development opportunities and the time to reflect and develop.

Role Summary

You will contribute to a range of education-related activities. In addition, you will be expected to demonstrate academic citizenship, developing and maintaining mutually respectful and supportive working relationships with all staff and students, and ensuring the way you carry out your role impacts positively on how others carry out theirs.

Teaching is likely to include a substantial contribution to:

• the management, development and delivery of teaching and assessment at all levels, most notably within Palaeobiology and wider Earth Sciences modules and programmes;
• enhancement of the student experience and employability.

The role will typically also involve developing and advising others, including:

• providing expert advice to staff and students, and
• developing and advising others on learning and teaching tasks and methods.

You will be expected to advance teaching and learning practice in your modules within the school, take a role in leading curriculum development, and play an important role in student academic and pastoral support. You will deliver excellent teaching that inspires students and is informed by discipline-based research.

Management and administration is likely to include developing and making substantial contributions to knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, public engagement widening participation, schools outreach, or similar activities at School level or further within the University.

Main Duties

Education

• Contribute collaboratively to leading curriculum development and/or renewal;
• Develop and manage approaches to teaching and learning that are best practice in the subject area or institution;
• Advise others on aspects of learning, teaching and assessment;
• Deliver (where appropriate to the discipline) specific professional programmes;
• Advance the practice of teaching in their modules and within the school, and play an important role in student academic support;
• Inform your teaching practice by discipline based research;
• Frequently update your subject expertise, and undertake personal professional development in teaching, including self-reflection on own teaching, using student and peer review feedback, to enhance own teaching and learning processes;
• You may play an important role in the recruitment and admission of students, and co-supervise doctoral students to completion.

Using a variety of methods in teaching and advising individuals and groups of undergraduate students, including (as appropriate):

• Teaching and examining courses at a range of levels;
• Planning and reviewing your own teaching approaches and encouraging others to do the same;
• Designing contemporary, inclusive, engaging and academically challenging curriculum content;
• Working collaboratively with colleagues to design and deliver teaching, learning and assessment;
• Using digital resources/environments effectively to support learning and assessment;
• Developing programme proposals and making substantial contributions to the design of teaching programmes more widely;
• Where appropriate, undertaking and developing the full range of responsibilities in relation to supervision, marking and examining;
• Developing and advising others on learning and teaching tasks and methods;
• Developing and making substantial contributions to knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, public engagement activities or similar on own specialism that enhances the student experience or employability and which benefits the College and University;
• Devising and supervising projects and practical work.

Management/Administration

• Contributing to the administration/management of teaching across the Department/School;
• Where appropriate, leading and managing a team to devise and implement a new and/or revised process (e.g. new programme or a recruitment drive);
• Advising on personal development of colleagues and students;
• Making a contribution to administrative activities within the University (e.g. appeals panels, working groups);
• Managing enterprise, business development, and public engagement activities;
• Developing and making substantial contributions to knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, public engagement, widening participation, schools outreach;
• Promoting equality, diversity and inclusion through monitoring and evaluation and actively challenging unacceptable behaviour.

Citizenship

• Pursuing your activities in a way that helps others to pursue their activities effectively and efficiently;
• Demonstrating a willingness to be involved in a variety of activities supporting University life (e.g., participation in graduation, Departmental/School committees);
• Demonstrating support for colleagues, such as sharing resources, providing advice;
• Willingness to contribute, within agreed workload expectations, for one-off duties (such as supporting School, Institute, and Departmental projects);
• Positively engaging in School strategic initiatives;
• Proactive support and involvement in activities specifically contributing to a positive and inclusive community spirit across the School/College/University.

Person Specification

• Ability to start the position on the 1st September 2026.
• A higher degree relevant to the discipline area (usually PhD) or equivalent qualifications.
• Relevant and demonstrable teaching experience and scholarship within the subject specialism, Palaeobiology.
• Proven ability to devise, advise on and manage learning.
• Skills in managing, motivating.