Never Neutral: Going Beyond(er)
Our newly reconceptualised department emerges from the convergence of the Birmingham School of Architecture and Design and the College of the Built Environment — not as a pragmatic consolidation, but as a bold re-founding. We are shaping a Place of Praxis where architectural, spatial, technical and environmental design are understood first and foremost as agency. Every drawing, join, gesture, proposal, and policy carries ethical and political consequence, the built environment is never neutral: it shapes lives, structures power and distributes concern and care.
Our studios, seminars, and lecture halls are places of studied speculation and exquisite experimentation — where research meets practice, where imagination meets responsibility, and where design becomes an instrument of social transformation.[HI1]
The Role
Birmingham School of Architecture, Building, Computing and Engineering is seeking to appoint an ambitious and visionary Senior Lecturer in Architecture to take a leading role in the development, delivery, and continual evolution of our B.Arch and M.Arch Programmes.
The successful candidate will join a forward-looking course built on teaching excellence, critical design thinking, and student wellbeing grounded in professional responsibility. Our programme values intellectually rigorous learning, strong student support, and an educational culture that prepares graduates to contribute ethically and creatively to contemporary practice.
As Senior Lecturer, you will have extensive experience in both architectural practice and education, (ideally with experience of module, year and course leadership), and be familiar with both ARB and RIBA Accreditation and Validation Processes. The successful candidate will fill a vital role helping shape the future direction of our courses and ensuring their ongoing relevance, inclusivity, and excellence within a rapidly changing disciplinary landscape.
Person Specification:
As an experienced Architect/educator you will bring professional knowledge from architectural practice, design intelligence and a reflective, evidence-based approach to teaching that raises student ambition and develops their confidence as emerging professionals.
You will demonstrate considered and fair student support, recognising that academic quality is strengthened by a respectful, supportive and professional studio culture.
The ideal candidate will be a UK Registered (ARB) and Chartered (RIBA) Architect and have prior significant experience teaching in a UK School of Architecture.
Duties:
As a Senior Lecturer, you will:
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Provide academic leadership within the programmes, contributing to strategic planning, course direction, and enhancement of the student experience.
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Lead curriculum development, ensuring innovative, research-informed, industry-engaged, and socially responsive approaches across modules and studio pathways.
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Teach across undergraduate and postgraduate studios, with a focus on integrated design, spatial resolution, and real-world practice.
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Deliver research-informed, practice-aligned teaching that strengthens abilities in drawing, modelling, detailing, representation, digital workflows, material specification and spatial strategy.
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Model excellence in research-informed pedagogy, embedding sustainable, inclusive, and ethically grounded design principles.
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Mentor and support staff and students as makers, thinkers, activists, practitioners, and researchers.
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Champion diversity and belonging, fostering a learning environment that values multiple cultures, experiences, and perspectives.
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Provide responsible pastoral support, encouraging engagement, wellbeing, academic integrity and professional conduct.
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Help students connect design ideas to real-world considerations, including technical requirements, ethical implications, industry and regulatory standards.
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Contribute to industry-focused learning activities, such as external talks, practice workshops, or live briefs that enhance professional awareness and employability.
Powered by our distinctive STEAM agenda, we are committed to transforming the lives of our students and the communities we serve. We champion practice-based learning, socio-cultural and techno-political awareness, and design as a transformative force. Our studios are spaces of experimentation, speculation, and responsibility—cultivating a radically disruptive constituency of care and nurturing imaginative, socially engaged futures.
To drive this mission forward, we are investing in exceptional academic staff who are at the cutting edge of practice, research, and pedagogy. Through active, immersive, hands-on learning, our educators empower students to achieve significant educational gain and profound personal transformation. Together, we aim to shape designers capable of building a more just, inclusive, and caring world.
There has never been a more exciting moment to join us.
Be part of a School in motion — reformative, imaginative, and never neutral.
We are happy to consider job share/fractional appointments. Please feel free to discuss this with the hiring manager.
Further Information
Applicants are welcome to contact Peter Baldwin at [email protected] with any queries about the post.
Why not explore our campuses using our interactive map: Interactive Map | Birmingham City University
Why work for us
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Work–life balance – Generous leave and hybrid working (role dependent).
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Career development – Opportunities to grow, develop and progress your career.
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Reward and wellbeing – Competitive pay, pension, wellbeing support and staff benefits.
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Inclusive culture – A supportive, diverse environment where everyone belongs.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and to an environment that supports lawful free speech and academic freedom. We will continuously review and improve our policies, practices, and procedures to ensure that we are promoting these in all aspects of our operations. We believe that by working together, combining our many different backgrounds and life experiences, we will empower each other to reach our full potential.
Disability Confident Employer
Birmingham City University is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview.
