Northumbria was ranked in the UK top 50 for research power in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, with the biggest rise in research power ranking of any UK university. Our commitment to research excellence has continued. Since 2014 we have invested significantly to attract research-active staff and are achieving our ambition of being a research-intensive modern university. We have seen a notable increase in research awards marking an upswing in national and international recognition. The most recent Times Higher Education World University Rankings rank Northumbria in the top 20% in the world, and 35th in the UK, for research citations, signalling the University’s growing research stature and influence. In the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, we were ranked 50^th in the world for research, stewardship, outreach, and teaching in pursuit of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Northumbria expects to see this step-change reflected in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework outcomes and we will continue to invest in outstanding academics who have externally recognised research outputs of a quality that are internationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour, and demonstrable success in securing research funding.

We are currently recruiting in key subject areas and are keen to invest and attract outstanding candidates with expertise in our areas of research excellence:

Solar and Space Physics: theory, numerical modelling, observations of solar and space plasma, data intensive science, and a growing reputation for space-related hardware. Our long-term research programme involves understanding all aspects of the solar-terrestrial connection and we are also interested in broadening our expertise to the study of plasma in all astrophysical systems.

Renewable Energy: photovoltaics, thin film materials, batteries, materials characterisation, electrical power engineering, heat, sustainable design, and the built environment.

Cold Environments: cold and palaeo-environments, including the evolution of the Earth’s great ice sheets and their interaction with the ocean and broader climate system. Areas of expertise may include geophysical analysis, subglacial processes, environmental monitoring, atmospheric circulation, snow modelling, polar/alpine fieldwork, fluid dynamics, and/or 3D & 4D modelling and visualisation.

Global Development: research that addresses inequality, poverty, conflict and the climate emergency through the development of equitable partnerships, collaboration and co-production, developing innovative interdisciplinary research that fosters new thinking, to ensure our research is relevant to and shared effectively with key stakeholders to shape impact.

Human Digital Interaction: research into socially responsible technologies that are ethically sound and realise the positive transformational benefits emerging technologies can have for diverse members of society. Research strengths include participatory and co-design techniques for technology development, social computing, speculative and critical design approaches and UX design/consulting/research.

Creativity and Cultural: Research that explores the processes of creativity and creativity’s relationship to health, politics, culture and society. Research into cultural heritages, their construction and contestation, including participatory and design-led research. Areas of expertise may include creative practice, cultural value, visual and material cultures, connected and transnational histories and literatures, print cultures, environmental arts and humanities, health humanities and arts, creative communities.

Further details:

Cultural Partnerships
Cultural Impact
Department of Humanities Research

Multi-omic technologies for health and society: Our state-of-the-art facilities support research in genomics, microbiome and health, nutritional metabolomics, industrial biotechnology and multi-omic analysis and manipulation of microbial genomes in the built environment. Our technological, physiological and biological engineering expertise provides a broad platform for supporting novel approaches to studying human physiology, behaviour, health, and disease and to sustainable living and industrial development. 

Further details:

NU-OMICS
Exploring and exploiting microbial diversity
Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment

As an Academic at Northumbria you can expect to work alongside world class colleagues who are experts in their field and who have a passion for their subject and for enhancing the University’s national and international reputation. You will be rewarded with a competitive salary and benefits package, alongside an Academic Career Pathway which provides promotion opportunities at every level.

If you are ambitious, committed and are excited by our vision please let us know of your interest in joining us. Apply using the button below and state within your covering letter the research area and role you would be interested in.

For more academic opportunities please visit Northumbria University/JoinUs

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 Relocation Assistance Scheme

Please note this vacancy will close on 13/02/2022