Assistant Professor in Condensed Matter Physics (Research & Education) (PHYS_02)

Working at Durham University

A globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a warm and friendly place to work, a unique and historic setting - Durham is a university like no other.

As one of the UK's leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career. The University is located within a beautiful historic city, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and surrounded by stunning countryside. Our talented scholars and researchers from around the world are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives.

We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things in the world. Being a part of Durham is about more than just the success of the University, it's also about contributing to the success of the city, county and community.

Our University Strategy is built on three pillars of research, education and wider student experience, but also on our keen sense of community and of inspiring others to achieve their potential.

Our Purpose and Values

We want our University to be a place where people can be free to be themselves, no matter what their identity or background. Together, we celebrate difference, value one another and are each responsible for creating an inclusive community that is respectful and fair for all.

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The Department

The Department of Physics at Durham University is one of the top UK Physics departments with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research and employability of our students. Ranked in the top 10 in REF2022 in terms of power, 96% of Durham Physics research was considered either to be of "internationally excellent quality" or "world leading". The Department of Physics is committed to building and maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment. It is pledged to the Athena SWAN charter, where we hold a silver award, and has the status of IoP Juno Champion. We embrace equality and particularly welcome applications from women, black and minority ethnic candidates, and members of other groups

that are under-represented in physics.

The Department seeks to appoint a dynamic individual to the role of Assistant Professor in the Condensed Matter Physics research section. We welcome applications from those with research and teaching interests in the field of soft condensed matter physics that are complimentary to our existing research activities, strengthening our current research excellence and enabling additional collaborations within Durham and more widely.

This post offers an exciting opportunity to make a major contribution to the development of internationally excellent research and to our teaching programme, providing unrivalled opportunities to develop and progress and embed your career in an exciting and progressive institution. For more information, please visit our Department pages at www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/physics/ and the webpage for Condensed Matter Physics www.durham.ac.uk/cmp .

Assistant Professors at Durham

Assistant Professors on the Education and Research track are encouraged to focus on research and teaching, but are also expected to engage in wider citizenship to enhance their own development, support their department and discipline, and contribute to the wider student experience.

Academic colleagues are supported to publish excellent research in their area of interest with a focus on high quality outputs (including monographs and journal articles), rather than quantity. We aim to support your research needs, including practical help such as resources to attend conferences and to fund research activities, as well as a generous research leave policy and a designated mentor.

Durham University is also committed to ensuring outstanding teaching quality, stimulating learning environments, and innovative curricula for all our students. You will be supported to develop your teaching expertise and skills.

We are confident that our recruitment process allows us to attract and select the best talent to Durham. We therefore, offer a reduced probation period of 1 year for our Assistant Professors and thereafter, subject to satisfactory performance, your position will be confirmed as permanent.

Applicants must demonstrate high quality research in the field of soft condensed matter physics, with the ability to teach our students to an exceptional standard and to fully engage in the services, citizenship and values of the University.

We strive to provide a working and teaching environment that is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate these key principles as part of the assessment process.

Assistant Professor in Soft Condensed Matter Physics

Applicants must demonstrate research excellence in the field of soft condensed matter physics, coupled with the enthusiasm and dedication to develop and deliver teaching for our students to a high standard. Applicants must also aim to understand and engage with the services, citizenship and values of the University. The University provides a diverse working and teaching environment which is inclusive and welcoming, where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate the key principles of equality, diversity and inclusion as part of the assessment process.

For this post within theoretical soft matter, we keen to hear from candidates with track records in the general areas of theoretical soft matter physics, including fluid dynamics across scales, solid-liquid interfaces, rheology, lubrication and wetting, as well as machine learning or metamaterials. We are particularly interested in applicants enabling collaborations with our soft matter experimentalists and/or industrial partners. We will also consider soft matter experimentalists aligned with our existing research infrastructure and complementing our internationally recognised activities involving optical- and atomic force microscopy based techniques.

Key responsibilities:

• To pursue research that is high quality in terms of originality, significance and rigour commensurate with the Department's continuing emphasis on international excellence.
• To develop clear plans for the pursuit of suitable national and international funding opportunities to support research, collaborations and dissemination, and where relevant, wider impact.
• To contribute to attracting and supervising postgraduate research students and to enhance the Department's commitment to its vibrant and inclusive postgraduate culture.
• To play a role in relevant teaching and research supervision, and contributing to the ongoing delivery of the teaching programmes and to curriculum development.
• Contribute to enhancing the quality of the research environment in Condensed Matter Physics, the Department, the wider University and beyond through collaborative research activity.
• Demonstrate a willingness to contribute to the administrative work, citizenship and values of the Department
• To deliver lectures, seminars and tutorials at undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels, as well as proactively engaging in related activities such as academic assessment and advisory support.
• To play a role in wider citizenship, i.e. the administrative duties, roles and committees required for the delivery of the Departmental activities across research and teaching.
• To enhance the Department's commitment to its vibrant and international postgraduate culture.
• To fully engage in and enhance the values of the Department.
• To carry out other duties as specified by the Head of Department.

Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion

Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key component of the University's Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our Purpose and Values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. It's important to us that all colleagues undertake activities that are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.

We welcome and encourage applications from those who are currently under-represented in our work force, including people with disabilities and from racially minoritised ethnic ...