Assistant Professor (Education) in Water Resources Management (Dubai – flying faculty) - School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences - 99548

Position Details

Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK - (Flying Faculty)

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £42,149 to £50,296, with potential progression once in post to £56,587.

Grade 8

Part Time - 50% FTE

Permanent

Closing date: 5th June 2022

Background

Assistant Professor in Water Resources (teaching-focused)

An opportunity has arisen to become part of the University of Birmingham and to join our mission to deliver a world-class British university education in the global city and international hub of Dubai. We opened a campus in Dubai in November 2017, becoming the first global top 100 and Russell Group University to establish a campus in this rapidly developing international education hub. The University of Birmingham Dubai provides opportunities for students to study on a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes to the same recognised standards as those delivered on our UK campus.

Our Phase 2 Dubai campus which opened early in 2022 will provide an academic home for up to 2,900 students, a community for Birmingham alumni in the region and a hub for local and global outreach and engagement activities.

The postholder will be based on our Edgbaston Campus, travelling to Dubai to deliver block teaching in the capacity of a flying faculty as required, for which allowances (including accommodation, air ticket and full travel insurance) will be paid and relevant visas will be arranged. An ideal candidate should be flexible to travel to Dubai whilst being based in Birmingham as a part of the role requirements under Birmingham employment terms and conditions.

Successful candidates will demonstrate a commitment to equity and be expected to broaden participation among members of under-represented groups; demonstrate through their research, teaching, and/or public engagement multiple perspectives as the foundation of a rich learning experience; integrate diverse experiences into instructional methods and research tools; and/or provide leadership in developing pedagogical techniques designed to meet the needs of diverse learning styles, populations, and intellectual interests.

Role Summary

We are looking to appoint an Assistant Professor in Water Resources to assist in the launch and subsequent delivery of our new Water Resources Management MSc to be run at our Dubai campus from September 2022. The programme will be international in its focus and we are looking for an academic who has experience of research and teaching on key issues associated with the sustainable management of water resources. As noted above the post is based at our Edgbaston campus and will involve the block teaching of modules at the Dubai campus.

The successful applicant must be able to teach and lead modules on Groundwater Hydrology and Hydroclimatology and be able to contribute to modules on Water Quality. They must also have experience of post-graduate dissertation supervision and be able to demonstrate teaching innovation both in classroom and field based teaching. Given that the programme is soon to be launched the post-holder will also be expected to contribute to building long-term linkages with local institutions in Dubai.

The Water Resources Management (Dubai) MSc will have significant linkages with the highly successful PGT programmes delivered on the Birmingham campus (incl. MSc programmes in Applied Meteorology & Climatology, Hydrogeology, and River Environments and their Management). Therefore, one key aspect of the role will be to draw on the School’s world leading inter-disciplinary research and teaching in developing this new programme

Main Duties

Teaching focused role-holders will:

• Contribute to leading curriculum development and/or renewal;

• Develop and manage approaches to teaching and learning that are innovative to the subject area or institution;

• Advise others on aspects of learning, teaching and assessment;

• Deliver (where appropriate to the discipline) specific professional programmes;

• Advance the practice of teaching in their modules and within the school, and play an important role in student academic support;

• Inform their teaching practice by discipline based research;

• Frequently update their own subject expertise, and undertake personal professional development in teaching, including self-reflection on own teaching, using student and peer review feedback, to enhance own teaching and learning processes;

• Develop and make substantial contributions to knowledge transfer and enterprise (including business engagement, public engagement) and similar activity that is of manifest benefit to the College and the University.

• In addition, they may play an important role in the recruitment and admission of students; and co-supervise, with a research focused or research and teaching focused member of staff, doctoral students to completion.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience 

Applicants should:

• Normally, hold a higher Degree (usually PhD) in Environmental Science, Engineering, Physical Geography, or a closely related discipline or equivalent qualifications and/or experience.

• Have evidence of the potential to conduct hydrological research of an international standard.

• Have a record of successful teaching and learning experience; preferably at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

• Be able to demonstrate high-level analytical capability, the ability to design and deliver module materials successfully, use and implement innovative teaching and learning approaches, to assess and organise resources effectively and evidence of an ability to undertake related administration and contribute to broader management/administration processes

• Have teaching experience and scholarship within the subject specialism

• Be able to devise, advise on and manage learning.

• Possess skills in managing, motivating & mentoring others successfully.

The University of Birmingham is an Athena Swan Bronze award holder and committed to providing a supportive work environment for our staff and providing equal opportunities in our recruitment process. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and will take flexible working options into consideration during the process.

Further details relating to this position as well as our developing Dubai Campus can be found at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/dubai/work-with-us/index.aspx

Please register and submit your application through our careers website, we do not accept unsolicited resumes by email.

Informal Enquiries: please contact Dr John Round, Head of Education, [email protected] or Dr Chris Bradley, Senior PGT Tutor; [email protected] , School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences.

Valuing excellence, sustaining investment

We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working.