Northumbria University, Newcastle, is a research rich, business focused professional university with a global reputation for academic excellence. Colleagues are passionate about the principles and applications of Science and Technology in all its forms and strive to be excellent in research, teaching and innovation.

Working within the Department of Applied Sciences you will provide expertise in one of our areas of forensic science to further enhance research, teaching and entrepreneurial activities. This will include designing, developing, and delivering high quality teaching provision, undertaking research to produce quality academic outputs, and participating in external activity to generate income and promote the subject area.

Forensic Science is an established part of the Department’s research and teaching portfolio, with state-of-the-art facilities including well equipped teaching and research laboratories as well as a 3 storey, bespoke, crime scene house with a separate laboratory and a wet room facility for the research and reconstruction of blood patterns. Academic expertise includes the forensic disciplines of DNA, criminalistics, body fluids, taphonomy, databases and evidence interpretation, with openings for the development of new and existing provision. With a critical mass of ten forensic science academics researching and contributing to these subjects, as well as connections to law and policing, there is a broad scope of collaborative opportunity within and beyond the Department.

The Department has a wealth of research allied to forensic science, including the areas of biochemistry and molecular biology, chromatography coupled with an extensive range of mass spectrometers, a well-developed microscopy suite (including fluorescence and confocal microscopy) and a dedicated low copy number DNA analysis laboratory, complemented by high performance computing and dedicated facilities for metabolomics, proteomics and genomics (including MySeq and PacBio sequencing platforms). Supporting about 80 academic, 20 research fellows and 40 PhD students, the multi-disciplinary breadth and depth of the Department provides extensive opportunities and working relationships for new colleagues.

Our research-informed teaching supports all our CSoFS accredited undergraduate and postgraduate Forensic Science programmes. Our Forensic Science Research Group is building a strong research profile, following the department’s confident contribution to the Universities’ REF2021 submission. Members of the group have expertise in forensic genetics, proteomics, toxicology, gunshot and explosive residues, fibres, blood pattern analysis, evidence interpretation, archaeology, anthropology and taphonomy.

The successful candidate must hold a first degree and be qualified to doctoral level in a relevant discipline. They will have subject expertise to contribute to our BSc and MSc forensic science provision with specialist knowledge gained through research, professional practice or consultancy. A proven ability to deliver high quality research-led teaching and evidence of research outputs which are of high quality, consistent with criteria for inclusion in future Research Excellence Framework submissions. In REF 2014 our Departmental profile placed Northumbria in the top 50 Universities for research power.

For informal enquiries about this post, please contact Professor John Dean via email: John.Dean@northumbria.ac.uk

To apply for this vacancy please click ‘Apply Now’, and submit a covering letter, a CV that includes your research focus, areas that you can teach across all our undergraduate and postgraduate forensic science courses, any current or planned funding applications and a full publications list.

Northumbria University takes pride in, and values, the quality and diversity of our staff. We welcome applications from all members of the community. The University holds an Athena SWAN Bronze award in recognition of our commitment to improving employment practices for the advancement of gender equality and is a member of the Euraxess network, which delivers information and support to professional researchers.

We welcome applications from the UK and across the world.Visit our web pages for details about the Information and Support for International Colleagues.

Currently, due to COVID-19, academic staff will normally be on campus for approximately two days per week when face to face teaching is scheduled, and as required to undertake research using specialist facilities.  

Please note this vacancy will close on 18/04/2021