Assistant Professor in Urban Planning and Data AnalyticsEducation Dubai - School of Geography E[...]

The University of Birmingham; Dubai; On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Birmingham Dubai is seeking an Assistant Professor in Urban Planning and Data Analytics to support innovative teaching in urban analytics and AI. The role involves developing curricula, engaging with students, and contributing to research in this critical field. This position represents an exciting opportunity to join a global university and play a key role in shaping future urban environments.

Qualifications

• Higher degree (usually PhD) relevant to Urban Analytics or Urban Planning.
• Experience in teaching and research in urban analytics, GIS, and AI applications.
• Skills in curriculum design and development.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to MSc Urban Analytics and AI for Planners education.
• Integrate industry-led case studies into teaching methodologies.
• Support research projects in urban data science and planning.

Skills

Urban Analytics

Data Science

GIS

AI

Education

PhD in Urban Planning or related field

Job description

Description

Position
Details

School of
Geography Earth and Environmental
Sciences

University of Birmingham Dubai
campus

Salary:
Competitive

Grade: 8

No. of
positions: 1

Full
time

Location: Dubai
UAE

Closing date: 12th May
2025

UK and International travel may be required
for this
post

University
of Birmingham
Dubai

Having established
ourselves in Dubai International Academic City in 2018 we have now
moved to our new stateoftheart campus which opened in Sept 2021.
These posts represent an excellent opportunity to join an ambitious
World Top 100 University as we continue to grow our longterm
strategic mission in Dubai the UAE and the wider region. Our campus
reflects the very best of Birmingham through our presence in
Dubai.

Background

We
are currently recruiting an Assistant Professor in
Urban Planning and Data Analytics who will join the
highly interdisciplinary School of Geography Earth and
Environmental Sciences (GEES) at the University of Birmingham Dubai
campus. The position fixed term initially for 3 years offers an
exciting opportunity to support the teaching and leadership of the
MSc Urban Analytics and AI for Planner a pioneering programme
integrating urban planning data science and AI as well as
supporting the MSc Urban Planning and MSc Sustainable Urban Design
programmes.

We are keen to attract candidates
whose work engages with contemporary urban planning issues
particularly the application of AI data analytics urban and
mobility modelling and digital technologies to planning and urban
design. The post holder will contribute to the development and
delivery of modules related to urban analytics transport modelling
spatial data science and smart city planning. They will also
support our MSc Urban Planning and MSc Sustainable Urban Design
programmes.

The University of Birmingham is an
equalopportunity employer wishing to recruit talented individuals
from anywhere around the world. We encourage applicants from all
sections of the community.

Successful
applications will receive a competitive package and play a key role
in our ambitious Universitys expansion as we enhance our
international reputation and global
footprint.

Academic Development
Programme new Assistant Professors will undertake a
5year development programme at the end of which they are expected
to be promoted to Associate Professor. The programme consists of a
variety of development opportunities and the time to reflect and
develop.

Role
Summary

You will
contribute to a range of educationrelated activities primarily in
support of our MSc Urban Analytics and AI for Planners. In addition
you will be expected to demonstrate academic citizenship developing
and maintaining mutually respectful and supportive working
relationships with all staff and students and ensuring the way you
carry out your role impacts positively on how others carry out
theirs.

Teaching is likely to include a
substantial contribution to: (a) the management development and
delivery of teaching and assessment and (b) enhancement of the
student experience and employability. The role will typically also
involve developing and advising others including: (a) providing
expert advice to staff and students and (b) developing and advising
others on learning and teaching tasks and methods with a particular
focus on approaches suitable for urban planning data science and AI
applications.

You will be expected to deliver
excellent teaching that inspires students and is informed by
disciplinebased research or professional experience in urban
analytics and datadriven planning ensuring alignment with industry
and accreditation standards while delivering highquality teaching
across all programmes including MSc Urban Analytics the MSc Urban
Planning and MSc Sustainable Urban Design and BSc
Sustainability.

Develop and teach as part of
modules in urban data analytics AI for planning GIS and spatial
modelling smart cities and urban systems design while supervising
postgraduate dissertations and research projects focused on
datadriven urban solutions. Innovate teaching methods such as
through AIdriven tools computational approaches or urban simulation
models and enhance the curriculum by integrating industryled case
studies and practitioner
engagement.

Main
Duties

Education
Research and Knowledge
Exchange

You will contribute
across the range of teaching and learning
activities:

• Contribute to curriculum
  development and/or renewal for urban analytics and AI in
  planning.
• Develop and manage approaches to
  teaching and learning that are best practice in datadriven
  urbanism.
• Advise others on aspects of learning
  teaching and assessment.
• Play an important role
  in student academic support.
• Inform your
  teaching practice from disciplinebased research and/or professional
  practice in urban analytics GIS and AI for
  planning.
• Update your subject expertise and
  undertake personal professional development in teaching including
  selfreflection using student and peer review
  feedback.
• You may play an important role in the
  recruitment and admission of
  students.
• Contribute to researchled
  teaching.

Using a variety of methods
in teaching and advising individuals and groups of undergraduates
and postgraduates (contact and online settings) including (as
appropriate):

• Teaching and examining
  modules at a range of levels with teaching activities also taking
  place during weekends and evening.
• Planning and
  reviewing your own teaching approaches and encouraging others to do
  the same.
• Designing contemporary inclusive
  engaging and academically challenging curriculum
  content.
• Working collaboratively with
  colleagues to design and deliver teaching learning and
  assessment.
• Competent in using digital
  resources; for example AIdriven spatial analysis and transport
  modelling including Autodesk Forma UNA UMI Space Syntax;
  effectively to support learning and
  assessment.
• Undertaking and developing the full
  range of responsibilities in relation to supervision marking and
  examining.
• Developing and advising others on
  learning and teaching tasks and
  methods.
• Devising and supervising student
  dissertations and practical
  work.

Academic
Leadership Management and
Administration

To contribute to
programme and School administration. This may
include:

• Contributing to the
  administration/management of teaching within the
  School.
• Leading and managing a team to devise
  and implement a new and/or revised process (e.g. new MSc programme
  or a recruitment drive).
• Advising on personal
  development of colleagues and students.
• Making
  a contribution to administrative activities within the University
  (e.g. accreditation processes programme
  committees).
• Developing and making
  contributions to knowledge transfer enterprise public engagement
  and collaboration with industry
  professionals.
• Promoting equality diversity and
  inclusion through monitoring evaluation and active
  engagement.
• Collaborate with faculty in the UK
  and Dubai campuses to enhance interdisciplinary teaching and
  research.

Industry and
Professional
Engagement

• Strengthen
  links with local and international urban planning consultancies
  smart city initiatives AI and tech firms and government
  agencies.
• Promote student employability by
  integrating realworld projects internships and applied research
  opportunities.

Citizenship

Contributing
to an inclusive working
environment:

• pursuing your activities
  in a way that helps others to pursue their activities effectively
  and efficiently;
• demonstrating a willingness to
  be involved in a variety of activities supporting University life
  (e.g. participation in graduations School
  committees);
• demonstrating support for
  colleagues such as sharing resources providing
  advice;
• willingness to volunteer for oneoff
  duties (such as supporting School
  projects);
• positively engaging in School
  strategic initiatives;
• proactively supporting
  and engaging in activities specifically contributing to a positive
  and inclusive community spirit across the
  School/College/University.

Person
Specification

• Normally
  a higher Degree relevant to the discipline area (usually PhD) or
  equivalent qualifications and/or professional experience in Urban
  Analytics Urban Planning Urban Design Data Science GIS or a related
  field.
• Teaching experience and scholarship
  and/or training within subject
  specialism.
• Proven ability to devise advise on
  and manage learning.
• Excellent interpersonal
  skills with the ability to work effectively in a team environment
  collaborate with colleagues and communicate ideas clearly to
  others.

Teaching

• Experience
  of delivering teaching align with the programme aims. The post
  holders must be able to create and contribute to/lead on modules
  including AI and Big Data in Urban Analytics Theory and Practice
  Research Skills for Urban Scientists and Urban Lab: Data Modelling
  and Transport Systems..
• Experience in
  curriculum design assessment of student work and organisation
  (leadership) of modules.
• Experience and
  demonstrated success in developing appropriate approaches to
  learning and teaching and advising
  colleagues.
• Experience and achievement in
  knowledge transfer enterprise and similar activity that enhances
  the student experience or
  employability.
• Experience using innovative
  teaching methods.
• Experience or understanding
  of teaching diverse student
  cohorts.

Management
Administration

• Ability
  to contribute to School management
  processes.
• Ability to assess and organise
  resources effectively.
• Understanding of and
  ability to contribute to broader management/administration
  processes.
• Experience of championing Equality
  Diversity and Inclusion in own work
  area.
• Ability to monitor and evaluate the
  extent to which equality and diversity legislation policies
  procedures are applied.
• Ability to identify
  issues with the potential to impact on protected groups and take
  appropriate action.
• Experience managing
  projects including planning scheduling and coordination of
  resources.

For
informal enquiries please contact Mohammad Radfar email:
(Dubai Campus) or John Round email: (Edgbaston
Campus)

We
believe there is no such thing as a typical member of University of
Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength
that underpins the exchange of ideas innovation and debate at the
heart of University life. We are committed to proactively
addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community
and are proud to hold Athena SWAN Race Equality Charter and
Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity
and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the
University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has
the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability
which is a key part of our strategy.
You can find out more about our work to create a
fairer university for
everyoneon our
website.

Key Skills
Client Server,Marketing
& Promotions,GIS,Dsp,Marketing & Operations
Employment Type : Full-Time
Experience: years

Vacancy: 1