College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences                          Vacancy Ref: 13228

School of Design

Professor & Head of Department of Design

Academic role: Substantive post, full-time and permanent

Head of Department additional role: 4 years from date of appointment

Competitive Salary, starting from £60,410 per annum

The School of Design has recently been created as a new academic department within the College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences (CEDPS). It consists of the former Department of Design and the Division of Digital Media, previously part of Electronic & Computer Engineering. The School of Design brings  together Brunel’s world-renowned product design programmes with its growing expertise in digital service design, branding and visual effects and motion graphics, to better meet the needs of the rapidly expanding Creative Industries in the UK and internationally. New pathways will be developed between the programmes   aimed at preparing students for professional or research careers as product designers, digital designers, VFX specialists/generalists and motion designers.

Brunel University London is seeking to appoint a Head of Department on the Professorial pay scale to lead this exciting new development. Candidates for the post will be visionary leaders, preferably with a proven track record in successful leadership and management in Higher Education, with strong engagement with the Creative Industries and an eye on what is happening now and in the future within that sector. Some experience in working in the Creative Industries is desirable.

Design at Brunel University London is in the 1st Quartile for its subject area in the UK HE National League Tables. It has a strong brand, Brunel Design, strengthened further by its student-led graduate degree show, Made In Brunel, held annually in central London and regularly at venues around the World. The educational approach places the  user at the centre and balances the key design methods and creativity with technology and business (management) concepts. The provision is research-led, which is reflected in the repeatedly successful REF submissions and a  strong intake of PGR students. The research is organised in three research themes: Human-centred Design, Design for Sustainability and Design for Innovation and the Creative Industries.

The Digital Media Division lies at the intersection of Creative Arts, Design and Technologies. As a result of this vivid interaction and with significant and continuous input from industry colleagues working in the Creative Industries a stream of New  forms of digital creativity are generated to an industry standard, much through live, industry-led projects, which are promoted online through the web-portal www.bruneldigital.ac.uk under the brand name “Brunel Digital” and also via a number of shows and exhibitions that take place throughout the year, most notably the Brunel Digital Degree Show. Under the leadership of Professor Marios Angelides, the Division has developed cutting-edge degree programmes which as a result have seen both its student and staff population grow rapidly. The Division benefits from state-of-the-art production facilities that include an industry-standard Green Screen post-production studio, which is used regularly by commercial studios when not in use by our students, and also access to an industry-grade Immersive Dome, which was set-up in collaboration with the technical team that installed and maintain the Immersive Dome at the National Space Centre in Leicester.

The Head of Department will lead the development of the new degree pathways and build on the international leading brands of Brunel Digital and Made in Brunel to enhance and improve student engagement and satisfaction, employability, departmental research income, industry engagement and the external profile of Design at Brunel University London.

To assist the Head of Department and further grow the new School of Design, two further academic posts, at lecturer and senior lecturer/Reader levels, will soon be advertised. Applicants may want to consider if they have any suitable candidates for these positions that they would like to bring to the attention of the search committee.

We welcome applicants who are female or who are from other under-represented groups.  However, this role is open to all and the position will be awarded to the best candidate.  The additional role of Head of Department will be for four years from appointment.  At the end of this 4-year term, the post-holder will either revert to a substantive post in the School of Design or continue as Head of Department by mutual agreement with the University.

Please ensure that your application includes your experience and why you feel you are suitable for the role.  Should you wish to discuss the role before submitting your application, please contact the Vice-Provost and Dean of CEDPS, Professor Stefaan Simons, at the following e-mail address: stefaan.simons@brunel.ac.uk

Closing Date for applications: 17 November 2019. 

COMMITTED TO EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND REPRESENTING THE DIVERSITY OF THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE