Assistant Professor in X-Ray Computed Tomography with Environmental Applications

Working at Durham University

A globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, 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 while enjoying a high-quality work/life balance. We are home to some of the most talented scholars and researchers from around the world who 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.

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 University Strategy

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Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Durham? information page.

The Department

The Department of Engineering at Durham University is continuing a period of strategic growth. This is an exciting opportunity to join an expanding, unified Engineering Department which is recognised as one of the very best in the UK, with a reputation for excellence in teaching, research and employability of our graduates. The University is in the QS Top 100, and the Department itself is ranked 6th in both the 2025 Times and Guardian tables and 4th in the Complete University Guide 2025. In the REF2021 exercise, 95% of our Engineering outputs were graded 3* or 4*, and the Department is committed to an ethos of research-led and industrially-relevant education at all levels of our taught programmes. We are a scholarly community that is open, representative and diverse: our commitment to this is expressed through work of the Department's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Group, and our Athena Swan Silver award.

The Department of Engineering demonstrates significant depth of research excellence across a range of disciplines, with activities that are currently concentrated around three Research Challenge areas: Sustainable Infrastructure, Future Energy Systems and Advanced Materials, Electronics and Communications. Thematically, our research is split into eight Research Nodes which group together our day-to-day activities and expertise. We are particularly proud of the collaborative interdisciplinary nature of our research, which also includes strong industrial partnerships.

This role is for an Assistant Professor with expertise in X-Ray Computed Tomography with Environmental Applications. The role will concentrate on research for the first three years, with a minimal amount of teaching. Thereafter, the role will include teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

The successful candidate will join the SMART (Soil Microbiome Augmentation and Restoration Technologies) Soils team, led by Professor Karen Johnson, in the Department of Engineering. There are seven new posts being created across the University in 2025. Durham University is investing in SMART Soils through this cross-Faculty initiative in recognition of the need for a revolution in the way we work with soils in order to address the global challenges facing the environment, and help us deliver a just transition to a more sustainable future. The Departments of Sociology (Professor Tiago Moreira) and Biosciences (Dr Stephen Chivasa) are also part of the SMART Soils project at Durham. Our ambition is to be a world-leading Institute of Living Soils by 2030.

SMART Soils is built on the understanding that soil is a living ecosystem with its microbiome key to its life-giving properties. Working with the soil microbiome, in both rural and urban environments, instead of against it, enables multiple co-benefits including carbon and water storage and better human and planetary health. Our vision requires not only a societal shift in our attitudes, behaviour and comprehension of soils but technological advances underpinned by digital innovation that allow us to put soil at the heart of a circular economy.

This post offers an exciting opportunity to make a major contribution to the development of internationally excellent research and (in due course) teaching while allowing you unrivalled opportunities to progress and embed your career in an exciting and progressive institution. For more information, please visit our Department pages at: https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/engineering

and the SMART soils webpages here: www.durham.ac.uk/smart-soils

Assistant Professors at Durham

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

Academic colleagues are supported to publish high-quality research in their area of interest with a focus on quality in high-impact outputs including monographs, essays in edited volumes, and book chapters, rather than quantity. We will fully 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 excellent teaching quality, stimulating learning environments, and innovative curricula for all of our students. You will be supported to develop your teaching expertise and to develop innovative teaching.

We are confident that our recruitment process allows us to attract and select the best international 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.

Assistant Professor in X-Ray Computed Tomography with Environmental Applications

Applicants must demonstrate research excellence in the field of X-Ray Computed Tomography with Environmental Applications, and the ability to teach our students to an exceptional standard and to fully engage in the services, citizenship and values of the University. The University aims 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.

Key responsibilities:

• Pursue research that is high quality in terms of originality, significance and rigour.
• Develop clear plans for the pursuit of national and international funding opportunities to support research and end-user engagement.
• Play a role in relevant teaching and research supervision and contribute to ongoing curriculum development.
• Contribute to enhancing engineering education within both existing and new programmes such as Environmental Engineering and Materials.
• Contribute to enhancing the quality of the research environment in the Department, the wider University and beyond through collaborative research activity.
• Demonstrate a willingness and ability to contribute to the administrative work, citizenship and values of the Department.
• Deliver lectures, seminars and tutorials at undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels across the Department, as well as engaging in related activity such as assessment, supervision of design, laboratories and practical work.
• Engage fully in and enhance the values of the Department.
• Contribute to attracting and supervising research students, and to enhancing the Department's commitment to its vibrant and inclusive postgraduate culture.
• Carry out such other duties as specified by the Head of Department.

Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion

Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work.

As a University, equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University's Strategy and a central part of everything we do.  We also live by our 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 of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.

We welcome and encourage ...