Durham Law School is recruiting a Career Development Fellow in Intellectual Property Law. This fixed-term position offers a combination of teaching and research responsibilities. See the details below.
Working at Durham University
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.
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.
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.
Career Development Fellowships
The University is committed to enabling all our colleagues to achieve their full potential. Durham University’s Career Development Fellowships are fixed term positions, which include structured development support for early career academics to deliver outstanding education, innovative research/scholarship, and to engage in citizenship activities. The post-holder will be a full academic member of the Department, working alongside world-class colleagues, with the support of a designated mentor.
We welcome applications from candidates working in any area of intellectual property law and policy. The existing team has expertise in copyright, patents, innovation policy, AI and emerging technologies, and UK, EU and Asian intellectual property law.
The successful candidate will join a small and supportive IP group committed to nurturing early career academics. You will benefit from a collegial environment in which colleagues are approachable, collaborative and invested in your professional development.
Durham Law School is looking for a Career Development Fellow in Intellectual Property Law. This fixed-term role combines teaching and research, offering an excellent opportunity for an early career academic to develop an independent research profile while contributing to the teaching of Intellectual Property Law at undergraduate (LLB) and postgraduate taught (PGT) levels.
Given the developmental nature of this role, the post will not typically be extended beyond the agreed fixed term duration to allow others the opportunity of a CDF post and the career development that it provides. Following the end of the term, the role-holder will be in a strong position to apply for relevant permanent academic roles, should they arise, at Durham or elsewhere.
Successful applicants will, ideally be in post by 2 November 2026.
Applicants should normally hold a PhD in a relevant field. We also welcome applications from candidates who are close to completing their PhD, including those who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting their viva examination. The role is aimed at early career academics, typically within eight years of PhD completion, although career breaks, including parental leave and periods of ill health, will be taken into account. Applications are also welcomed from individuals returning to academia following a career in another sector.
The University provides 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.
Durham Law School is ranked joint 49th globally for Law and Legal Studies in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, 4th in the UK for Law in The Guardian University Guide 2026 and 3rd in The Complete University Guide 2026, with 100% of research impact and environment ranked 3* or 4* (REF 2021).
For more information, please visit our Department pages at Durham Law School - Durham University.
The successful candidate will contribute to teaching Intellectual Property Law across Durham Law School’s LLB and LLM programmes, with the ability to teach foundational law modules being desirable. Alongside teaching, the role provides protected time to develop an independent research agenda, supported by Durham University's vibrant research environment, mentoring, and resources. It should be noted that the precise content of each Career Development Fellowship will vary dependent on the experience of the role-holder, their career aspirations, and the business need of the Department.
At the outset of the Fellowship a personal development plan will be produced in discussion with the Head of Department, which will outline any training needs, or other experience the post-holder wishes to gain to develop their academic career.
During the course of the Career Development Fellowship the successful candidate will gain valuable experience in a wide spectrum of academic activities. Examples include:
You’ll receive 30 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 42 days per year. The University closes between Christmas and New Year.
We offer a generous pension scheme, and as a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS).
No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have ample parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies. You can also take advantage of our cost-effective and environmentally friendly Tusker Car Benefit Scheme, allowing you to lease a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle with savings on tax and National Insurance.
We have a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities.
You can access exclusive discounts via our benefits portal including money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, eating out and days out at various attractions.
Various salary sacrifice schemes are also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits.
If you are moving to Durham, you may be eligible for help with removal costs, and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools. If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest-free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas.
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. Visa sponsorship for this role is available.
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 groups.
If you have taken a career break or periods of leave that may have impacted on the volume and recency of your research outputs and other activities, such as maternity, adoption or parental leave, you may wish to disclose this in your application. The selection committee will take this into account when evaluating your application.
The University has been awarded the Disability Confident Leader status. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.
