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
Since its founding in 2004, the School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA) has developed into one of the UK’s leading departments in Politics and International Relations. The School combines strong core disciplinary foundations with embedded regional expertise, reflecting a long-standing commitment to integrating area studies within mainstream political science and IR scholarship. SGIA is currently ranked among the top Politics departments in the UK by the Complete University Guide and is placed within the QS World University Rankings top 100 globally for Politics and International Studies.
We offer three single honours undergraduate programmes (BA Politics, BA International Relations, and BA Politics & International Relations), alongside joint honours degrees with Philosophy and Economics, and a PPE programme. We also contribute substantially to Combined Honours in Social Sciences and Liberal Arts pathways.
At postgraduate level, we offer a diverse portfolio of taught Masters programmes, including practitioner-oriented MSc degrees. We are home to a vibrant postgraduate community of research students and taught postgraduate students. Across all levels, our teaching is explicitly research-led and supported by a highly international academic and student body, a defining strength of the School.
Demand for our programmes remains consistently high, attracting students of outstanding calibre who progress into careers across academia, government, international organisations, the private sector and civil society. Our strategic priorities include widening participation, enhancing diversity, strengthening international partnerships, and fostering a research-led learning community that equips students to address complex global challenges.
In REF 2021, over 80% of our research was rated internationally excellent or world leading, confirming SGIA’s position as a major centre of research excellence. Within the School, four core research groupings structure intellectual activity: Comparative Politics, International Political Economy, International Politics and Security, and Political Theory. These are complemented by cross-cutting institutes and centres. The successful candidate will join colleagues in the Centre for Institutions and Political Behaviour, which provides a stimulating and supportive environment for developing and refining research projects and outputs, networking with colleagues within and beyond Durham and providing pump-priming financial support for research.
Job Description
The School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA) at Durham University seeks to appoint an exceptional scholar as an Assistant Professor with research and teaching expertise in Comparative Politics, whose work uses quantitative research methods and has a regional focus on Africa, Asia, Latin America or the Middle East.
This post offers an exciting opportunity to make a major contribution to the development of internationally excellent research and teaching while allowing unrivalled opportunities to progress and embed your career in an exciting and progressive institution. For more information, please visit our School page at School of Government and International Affairs - Durham University as well as the web page of the Centre for Institutions and Political Behaviour - Durham University.
The successful candidate will benefit from individual research support funding, access to SGIA and University-wide research funding and be entitled to apply for sabbatical leave on a basis of one term of leave in each seven terms of service. SGIA and Durham University provide high-quality administrative support to assist with applications for research funding, to facilitate research-based engagement and impact work with non-academic communities, and to enable the introduction and dissemination of new educational practice.
The successful candidate will get involved in the development of our research community in Comparative Politics, including its connections with other Durham departments and other institutions, and innovative educational practice to enhance the learning experience of both undergraduate and postgraduate students, including PhD candidates. Among other EDI initiatives, the department is currently in the process of diversifying its curriculum, and this is a project we would be keen on the post-holder to contribute to.
For more information, please visit our department pages at www.dur.ac.uk/sgia/.
Assistant Professors at Durham
Assistant Professors on the Education and Research track are encouraged to focus on research and teaching but are also expected to engage in wider citizenship to enhance their own development, support their department and discipline, and contribute to the wider student experience.
Academic colleagues are supported to publish excellent research in their area of interest with a focus on high-quality outputs (including monographs and journal articles), rather than quantity. We aim to 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 outstanding teaching quality, stimulating learning environments, and innovative curricula for all our students. You will be supported to develop your teaching expertise and skills.
We are confident that our recruitment process allows us to attract and select the best 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.
The successful applicant will play an important role in leading the development of research and teaching in Comparative Politics within the School of Government and International Affairs. The person appointed will be required to undertake research in Comparative Politics that uses quantitative research methods, has a regional focus on Africa, Asia, Latin America or the Middle East, and makes a significant contribution to the academic literature. The successful candidate will also actively pursue research grant applications and contribute to the growth and development of the Centre for Institutions and Political Behavior and its MSc in Public Policy.
Applicants must demonstrate research excellence in the field of Comparative Politics, and an innovative approach towards the use of methods that can be applied to generate new insights and research questions. Candidates must establish their demonstrated ability to teach our students to an exceptional standard and to fully engage in the services, citizenship and values of Durham University.
We strive 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:
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To pursue research that is high quality in terms of originality, significance and rigour.
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To develop clear plans for the pursuit of national and international funding opportunities to support research and end-user engagement.
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To 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.
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Demonstrate a willingness to contribute to the administrative work, citizenship and values of the Department.
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To deliver lectures, seminars and tutorials at undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels, 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 inclusive postgraduate culture.
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Carry out other duties as specified by the Head of Department.
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
1. Qualifications – a good first degree and a PhD in political science, political economy, international relations or a related subject.
2. Outputs – evidence of research outputs in Comparative Politics that use quantitative research methods, have a regional focus on Africa, Asia, Latin America or the Middle East, and have the potential to be recognised as world-leading. Candidates are asked to submit two research outputs with their application (as outlined below).
3. Personal Research Plan – a maximum of two pages showing evidence of a clearly articulated 3–5 year research strategy, outlining planned publications, funding applications, collaborations, and impact activities.
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
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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).
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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.
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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.
Services, 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
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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).
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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).
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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 this post (for which candidates should provide evidence of some if not all criteria) are:
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Qualification – candidates to hold 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).
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Research Leadership – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of, or the potential to, contribute 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).
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PhD Supervision – involvement in the provision of excellent supervision for PhD students.
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Research Impact – evidence of or the potential to demonstrate the impact of the Candidate’s research beyond their institution.
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Income Generation – evidence of engagement in the development of successful research projects and quality research grant proposals.
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Education – evidence of the potential to contribute teaching on the MSc in Public Policy.
Contact Information
Department contact for academic-related enquiries
Moritz Osnabrügge – [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]
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. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).
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:
A CV
A covering letter which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out above.
Personal research plan.
Two of your most significant pieces of written work.
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.
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 key members of the Department. The assessment for the post will normally include a presentation to staff and students in the Department followed by an interview and we anticipate that the assessments and interviews will take place over two days around mid-January 2027. The ideal start date is the 1st of September 2027.
If 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
