Grade 8/9: - Grade 8 £47,389 - £56,535 per annum Grade 9 £59,966- £67,468 per annum
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.
The Department
The Physics Department at Durham is one of the largest in the UK and a vibrant centre for world leading research and education.
A World Top 100 department in the 2025 QS subject rankings, our research spans advanced instrumentation, astronomy and astrophysics, condensed matter physics, cosmology, particle physics and quantum physics. It has real world impact, informing developments in energy storage, improved cancer imaging, quantum computing, nuclear fusion, pandemic modelling and faster digital technologies. We pride ourselves on closely aligning our teaching with the University’s research intensive ethos. Research led learning is embedded at every stage of our undergraduate programmes—from first year laboratory reports to our flagship final year MPhys individual research projects—ensuring our students develop the skills and insight needed for future roles in STEM.
The Department incorporates the Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics and is home to the Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology and the Institute for Computational Cosmology.
The Institute for Computational Cosmology is one of the leading international centres for research in computational cosmology and astrophysics. We deliver world-leading science using high-performance computing, using it as a foundation to inspire future generations of scientists at all levels. The ICC’s 17 academic staff work across a range of research areas including cosmological surveys; comparison of simulations to extragalactic observations; relativistic simulations; planetary science simulations; galactic dynamics; weak and strong gravitational lensing; and next generation radio interferometric survey science. We operate the ‘COSMA’ series of supercomputers on behalf of the STFC funding council, providing a Tier-1 service to the UK community, and seeding research into computing efficiency and net-zero goals. We collaborate closely with colleagues in the Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy, some of whom are jointly appointed with the ICC, and with the Centre for Advanced Instrumentation. Together, these groups are housed in the purpose-built, architecturally award-winning Ogden Centre West. We also have close ties to colleagues in the Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology, who are housed nearby in Ogden Centre East.
The Department of Physics at Durham University seeks to appoint a talented individual to the role of Assistant or Associate Professor, in the Institute for Computational Cosmology (ICC). We welcome applications from those with research interests in the field of computational cosmology or astrophysics. Applications are particularly encouraged from candidates with a future interest in collaboratively building new generations of world leading simulations. For example, we are particularly interested in candidates who wish to develop or deploy new numerical methods, subgrid models, or applications of simulations to multimessenger astronomy. However, applications will be considered in any area that complements the ICC’s current research interests.
The post offers an exciting opportunity to make a major contribution to the development of internationally excellent research and 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 www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/physics/ and the webpage of the ICC https://astro.dur.ac.uk/ICC/
Assistant and Associate Professors at Durham
The University is committed to enabling all of our colleagues to achieve their full potential. We promote and maintain an inclusive and supportive environment to ensure that all colleagues can thrive. Academic colleagues are supported to publish world-class research in their area of interest with a focus on quality in high impact journals, rather than quantity. We will fully support your research needs including practical, help such as resources to attend conferences and to fund research activity, as well as a generous research leave policy and a designated mentor. Sitting alongside world class research; teaching quality and innovation is critical to ensure a first class learning environment and curricula for all of our students. You will be supported to develop your teaching expertise and to engage in teaching innovation to embed our student experience.
All of our Assistant and Associate Professors on the Education and Research track are encouraged to focus on research and teaching while also engaging in wider citizenship activities that enhance their own professional development, support the Department and wider discipline, and contribute to an outstanding student experience.
Applicants must demonstrate research excellence in the field of computational cosmology or astrophysics with 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 provides a working and teaching environment which 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.
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 and Associate Professors and thereafter, subject to satisfactory performance, you will be confirmed in post.
The role is full-time, but we will consider requests for flexible working arrangements including potential job shares.
Key responsibilities - Assistant Professor (Grade 8):
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Pursue research that is high quality in terms of originality, significance and rigour, commensurate with the Department's continuing emphasis on international excellence.
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To be developing clear plans for the pursuit of suitable national and international funding opportunities to support research and end-user engagement.
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Play a role in relevant teaching and research supervision, and contribute to ongoing curriculum development.
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Contribute to enhancing the quality of the research environment in the Department, the wider University and beyond through collaborative research activity, especially in the area of collaborative simulation code development and planning.
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Demonstrate a willingness to contribute to the administrative work, citizenship and values of the Department.
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Deliver lectures, seminars and tutorials at undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels, with the opportunity to teach more widely within the Department, as well as engaging in related activity such as assessment.
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To fully engage in and enhance the values of the Department.
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To contribute to attracting and supervising research students, and to enhance the Department’s commitment to its vibrant and international postgraduate culture.
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Carry out other duties as specified by the Head of Department.
Key responsibilities - Associate Professor (Grade 9):
Deliver excellent teaching offering lectures, seminars and tutorials at undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels. Contribute significantly to the development and delivery of high-quality teaching, including the design of excellent learning environments and curricula.
Contribute to enhancing the quality of the research environment in the Department, the wider University and beyond. Contribute to establishing and leading research groups within and beyond the University, and engaging in the mentoring of early career researchers.
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.
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.
Person Specification
Candidates will have completed their PhD (or be close to completion) and should outline their experience, skills and achievements to date, which demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria.
Research
Candidates must have the capacity for and be progressing towards the independent development of internationally excellent research that produces high-quality outcomes, including some work that is recognised as world-class or that has world-class potential.
Essential Research Criteria - Assistant Professor (Grade 8):
1. Qualifications –- a good first degree and a PhD (or close to completion at the time of application) in Physics or a related subject.
2. Outputs – evidence of high-quality outputs, some of which are recognised as internationally excellent or world-class. Candidates are asked to submit two research papers with their application (as outlined in the How to Apply section below). Candidates may additionally choose to submit evidence such as external peer review of their outputs.
3. Personal Research Plan – evidence of a personal research plan which supports and enhances the Department’s and ICC research strategy. The research plan may be used to demonstrate a commitment to contributing to new generations of cosmological simulations.
4. Income or resource generation - evidence of engagement in the development of successful research projects and quality research proposals for grant income generation and/or resource allocation such as computer time, commensurate with career stage.
Essential Research Criteria - Associate Professor (Grade 9):
1. Qualifications - a good first degree and a PhD in Physics or a related subject.
2. Outputs - evidence of outputs that are consistently recognised as internationally excellent, with at least one output regarded as world class. Candidates are asked to submit two research papers with their application (as outlined in the How to Apply section below). Candidates may additionally choose to submit evidence such as external peer review of their outputs.
3. Personal Research Plan - evidence of a personal research plan which supports and enhances the Department’s and ICC research strategy. The research plan may be used to demonstrate a commitment to contributing to new generations of cosmological simulations.
4. Research Leadership - contribution to the leadership of research groups and the mentoring of early career researchers. (Candidates may choose to include information about research group leadership, mentoring of research colleagues, invitations to external events, engagement with international networks or projects).
5. PhD Supervision - involvement in the provision of excellent supervision for PhD students.
6. Research Impact - demonstrable evidence of the impact of the Candidate's research beyond their institution.
7. Income or Resource Generation - significant evidence of engagement in the development of successful research projects and quality research grant/resource proposals commensurate with career stage.
8. International Standing - evidence of an established international reputation appropriate to career stage through invited presentations, editorial activity, leadership roles, service to the discipline, or comparable indicators of esteem.
Education
Candidates must demonstrate the development and delivery of high-quality teaching that contributes to providing a supportive and enabling learning environment and curricula which encourage students to achieve their potential.
Essential Education Criteria - Assistant Professor (Grade 8):
1. Qualification - candidates must be or have the ability to attain the rank of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/individuals/fellowship/fellow), which is the national body that champions teaching excellence (or Equivalent).
2. Quality – evidence of the development and delivery of effective and engaging teaching. (Candidates may choose to provide student evaluation scores and/or peer reviews of teaching).
3. Innovation – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate your contribution to new programme development and innovation in the design and delivery of high-quality teaching and assessment of learning. This can include lectures, small group learning and/or using technology or other techniques to enhance learning and/or assessment.
4. Strategic – evidence of strategic teaching development, or achievements that demonstrate the potential to engage in the design of excellent teaching programmes which are research informed and led.
Essential Education Criteria - Associate Professor (Grade 9):
1. Qualification - candidates must be or have the ability to attain the rank of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/individuals/fellowship/fellow), which is the national body that champions teaching excellence (or Equivalent).
2. Quality - making a significant contribution to the development and delivery of high-quality teaching at a nationally competitive level. Contribution to training, educating and mentoring other teachers in the department and/or the University in relationship to learning and teaching. (Candidates may choose to provide student evaluation scores and/or peer reviews of teaching).
3. Innovation – evidence of successful new programme development and innovate in the teaching methods for the design / delivery of high-quality teaching at a nationally competitive level including lectures, small group learning and/or using technology or other techniques to enhance learning and/or assessment.
4. Strategic - Significant contribution to the design and deliver of excellent teaching activities and the creation of learning envrionments that enable students to achieve their potential.
Service, Citizenship and Values
Active engagement in administrative and citizenship requirements and to fostering a respectful environment, including the active contribution to the creation of a welcoming environment in which colleagues feel included and valued.
Essential Services, Citizenship and Values Criteria - Assistant Professor (Grade 8):
1. Citizenship contribution – evidence of participation in the citizenship/administrative activities of an academic Department, Faculty or University. (Candidates may choose to evidence departmental or University roles, mentoring activity, pastoral and academic support of students, engagement with widening participation, carrying out departmental and interdepartmental activities effectively. Being involved in departmental activities such as open days, employability events, departmental meetings and committees and membership or engagement with external bodies).
2. Leadership – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate engagement in activities that contribute to the administrative functioning of an academic Department, Faculty, University and/or discipline, including leadership or responsibilities in an academic context. (Candidates may choose to detail any leadership roles which they have undertaken, preferably in, but not limited to, an academic context).
3. Communication – candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of students and colleagues across a variety of forums.
Essential Services, Citizenship and Values Criteria - Associate Professor (Grade 9):
1. Citizenship contribution – a significant contribution to the collegial work and environment of an academic Department, Faculty or University. (Candidates may choose to evidence departmental or University roles, Faculty or University level committees or projects, mentoring activity, pastoral and academic support of students, engagement with widening participation, proactive support of the work of professional services colleagues, contributions to departmental programme management and/or strategic development and membership or engagement with external bodies).
2. Leadership - evidence of leadership roles or a significant contribution to leadership activities that support the administrative functioning of an academic Department, Faculty or University and / or which support the development of the relevant discipline. (Candidates may choose to detail any leadership roles which they have undertaken, preferably in an academic context).
3. Communication - candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of students and colleagues across a variety of forums.
Desirable Criteria
The desirable criteria for Assistant Professor (Grade 8) (for which candidates should provide evidence of some if not all criteria) are:
1. Research Leadership – contribution to the leadership of research groups and mentoring of early career researchers. (Candidates may choose to include information about research group leadership, mentoring of research colleagues, invitations to external events, engagement with international networks or projects).
2. PhD Supervision – involvement in the provision of excellent supervision for PhD students.
3. Research Impact – demonstrable evidence of the impact of the Candidate’s research beyond their institution.
4. Income Generation – evidence of engagement in the development of successful research projects and quality research grant proposals.
5. Research software development - evidence of development of open source or otherwise collaborative software bases relevant for performing or analysing simulations.
The desirable criteria for Associate Professor (Grade 9) (for which candidates should provide evidence of some if not all criteria) are:
1. Research Software Development - evidence of leadership in open source or otherwise collaborative software bases relevant for performing or analysing simulations.
2. Organisation of international conferences or workshops.
3. Contributions to national or international research strategy.
Contact Information
Department contact for academic-related enquiries: Professor Andrew Pontzen, [email protected]
Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application
If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to [email protected] (we will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).
Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time.
University contact for general queries about the recruitment process
How to Apply
We prefer to receive applications online.
Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants - Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.
What to Submit
All applicants are asked to submit:
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A CV
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A covering letter which details your experience, strengths and potential against the requirements set out above.
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Personal research plan, maximum length four pages.
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Two of your most significant pieces of written work. Where possible your written work should have been published or submitted since 2021, however work prior to 2021 may be submitted where candidates have had career breaks.
Where possible we request that you provide accessible web links to your publications, which the hiring Department will use to access your work. The application form contains fields in which to enter each of the web links.
Please note we are unable to access publications behind a paywall.
In the event you are unable to provide accessible links to online hosting of your work, publications should be uploaded as PDFs as part of your application in our recruitment system.
Please ensure that your PDFs are not larger than 5mb. Your work may be read by colleagues from across the Department and evaluated against the current REF criteria.
All application documents should be uploaded with your name and document type as PDF files.
We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails.
Referees
You should provide 3 academic referees. They should not (if possible) include your PhD supervisor(s). The majority should be from a university other than your own (save for early career applicants applying for their first post). Please also include the details of your current line manager so that we may seek an employment reference (if they are not listed as an academic referee).
References will be requested for candidates who have been shortlisted and will be made available to the panel during the interview process.
As part of your application, you will be asked whether you give your consent to your academic references being sought should you be invited to attend an interview. We will only request references where permission has been granted.
Next Steps
All applications will be considered; our usual practice is for colleagues across the Department to read the submitted work of long-listed candidates.
Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University, either virtually or in-person and will have the opportunity to meet members of the Department. The assessment for the post will normally include a presentation on your research and future research goals to staff and students in the Department, an undergraduate teaching exercise followed by an interview and we anticipate that the assessments and interviews will take place over two days in January 2027.
In the event that you are unable to attend on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date.
Applicant Guidance
For further guidance on your application please see HERE
