Assistant or Associate Professor in Civil Engineering (Research and Education) - School of Engi[...] in Birmingham

Position Details

School of Engineering

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Grade 8: full‑time starting salary £47,389 to £56,535 with potential progression once in post to £63,606.

Grade 9: full‑time starting salary £58,225 to £67,468 with potential progression once in post to £87,974.

Grade: 8 or 9 Full Time, Permanent

Closing date: 15th December 2025

Background

This is an exciting time to join the University of Birmingham and advance your academic career. Following the creation of the School of Engineering in 2016, which brought together the disciplines of Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Electronic, Electrical & Systems Engineering, we are now entering Phase 2 of our renaissance. We are investing significantly in people and infrastructure, including our new £65m signature building, the world‑leading £26m National Buried Infrastructure Facility, and the £28m UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN), all of which have opened in the past few years. These state‑of‑the‑art facilities have not only enhanced our research capabilities but have also solidified our position as a leading research and education institution, enabling groundbreaking discoveries and providing an exceptional learning environment for our students.

The School boasts a rich history of world‑class research and takes pride in its robust and wide‑reaching connections with industry. These partnerships ensure the rapid application of our pioneering research in practical settings. The 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) ranked Engineering among the top 10 institutions in the UK.

In line with our ongoing investments, we are seeking to appoint a driven and highly research‑active Civil Engineer to join our Department of Civil Engineering and help us create the future. The Department of Civil Engineering encompasses research in Geotechnical; Structures, Fluids; Resilient systems and climate action; and Railway Engineering. For this current recruitment we are particularly interested in applications from candidates who can demonstrate ambition, innovation, and leadership, and who are undertaking research and teaching in any of the following areas:

• Computational geotechnical and structural engineering, including AI‑supported modelling, data‑driven soil‑structure interaction, and the use of field and laboratory data for geo‑infrastructure design.
• Digital twins, automation, and robotics in construction, covering AI‑driven asset management, predictive maintenance, autonomous inspection, computer vision, and smart construction processes.

The successful candidate will be expected to create and disseminate knowledge through initiating and conducting original research, through publication and through developing and delivering undergraduate, postgraduate and CPD programmes, as appropriate to the disciplinary area. In addition, to contribute to the department/school through management/leadership, and enterprise activities, as appropriate.

The successful candidate will have a PhD (or equivalent qualification) in the area of civil, geotechnical, structural or construction engineering. Industrial experience, either through working in or with industry would also be desirable. They will be expected to engage actively with external partners in academia, government and industry in the UK and internationally.

The School of Engineering is dedicated to upholding the principles of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in all its endeavours, and we strongly encourage applications from individuals belonging to under‑represented groups.

Role Summary

The role holder will be based in Edgbaston. Key duties and responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

• giving lectures and seminars and supervising undergraduate/post‑graduate students,
• course development and innovation,
• taking an active part in examinations,
• carrying out innovative research and writing papers on topics relevant to the specialist subject area (including journals, books and other material), and
• obtaining research grant funding.

The successful applicant will have a PhD in a relevant specialist subject area, as well as post‑doctoral experience. 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 successful candidate will also have a track record in teaching at a higher education institution.

Appointments will be made at either an Assistant Professor or Associate Professor level. Please specify which role you are applying for in your application.

Informal enquiries to Professor Asaad Faramarzi, email: a.faramarzi@bham.ac.uk, Head of Department of Civil Engineering and Professor Karl D. Dearn, email: k.d.dearn@bham.ac.uk, Head of School of Engineering.

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 a key part of our strategy.