Assistant Professor of Chemistry (Education) - School of Chemistry - 107852 - Grade 8 in Birmingham

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

As this vacancy has limited funding the maximum salary that can be offered is Grade 8, salary £47,389.

Grade: 8

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to February 2028

Closing date: 26th August 2026

UK and International Travel may be required for this role.

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: The School of Chemistry seeks to recruit an Assistant Professor in Chemistry (Teaching-focused), for a fixed term of 18 months from 14 September 2026. The Assistant Professor will be involved with the delivery of courses in chemistry to students studying for BSc, MSci and PhD qualifications, at all levels, including assessments. This will include leading tutorial sessions, laboratory demonstrating and delivering lectures. Experience in teaching Python would be advantageous.

Across the School, you will contribute to a range of teaching and administration. In addition, you will be expected to demonstrate academic citizenship, developing and maintaining generous, 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 can carry out theirs.

Applicants should have a first degree in Chemistry and a PhD in chemistry; the successful candidate must be fluent in written and spoken English.

Teaching is likely to include a substantial contribution to:

• (a) the management, development (including programme/module review) and delivery of teaching and assessment; and
• (b) enhancement of the student experience or employability.

Management and administration is likely to involve contributions at School level, and/or making an important contribution to some managerial/leadership activities (e.g. working groups) within the University. This may 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

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

• contribute 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 undergraduates, postgraduates, or CPD 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, student dissertations and practical work.

Management/Administration

Contributing to School administration, including:

• contributing to the administration/management of research and/or teaching across the School;
• 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 major contribution to some 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;
• actively manages equality, diversity and inclusion through monitoring and evaluation and actively challenging unacceptable behaviour.

Citizenship

Contributing to an inclusive working environment:

• demonstrating a willingness to be involved in a variety of activities supporting University life (e.g., participation in graduation, School committees);
• demonstrating support for colleagues, such as sharing resources, providing advice;
• willingness to volunteer for one-off duties (such as supporting School and College 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.

Providing research, teaching, management and citizenship support for the School of Chemistry, at the same or comparable level as other faculty members in the School. Helping create healthy, collaborative and productive links between the School of Chemistry and other schools.

Person Specification

Applicants should have a first degree in Chemistry and a PhD in chemistry. Extensive research and/or teaching experience and innovative scholarship within subject specialism. Proven ability to devise, advise on and manage learning/research.

Skills in managing, motivating and mentoring others successfully at all levels

Teaching

Ability to design, deliver, assess and revise teaching programmes in chemistry. Experience in developing appropriate approaches to learning and teaching, and advising colleagues. Experience and success in knowledge transfer, enterprise and similar activity that enhances the student experience or employability.

Management Administration

Ability to contribute to School management processes. Ability to assess and organise resources effectively. Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes. Experience of championing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in own work area. Ability to monitor and evaluate the extent to which equality and diversity legislation, policies, procedures are applied. Ability to identify issues with the potential to impact on protected groups and take appropriate action.

Informal enquiries to John Snaith, email: j.s.snaith@bham.ac.uk

Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.

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