Assistant Professor in Exercise and Brain Health (Research and Education) - School of Sport, Ex[...]

University of Birmingham; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Birmingham is seeking a full-time Assistant Professor in Exercise and Brain Health within the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences. Successful candidates will engage in teaching, research, and administration, contributing significantly to the new Centre for Movement and Wellbeing. Ideal applicants will hold a PhD and possess a strong background in clinical exercise physiology or related fields, with a focus on neurological health.

Qualifications

• Expertise in exercise interventions for clinical populations.
• Ability to design, deliver, and assess academic programs.
• Experience with neurological conditions.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to teaching and curriculum development.
• Conduct original research and secure research funding.
• Engage in university and public outreach activities.

Skills

Teaching

Research

Clinical evaluation

Education

PhD or equivalent degree in Exercise Sciences

Job description

Position Details

School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £46,735 to £55,755 with potential progression once in post to £62,728

Grade: 8

Full Time, Permanent

Closing date: 31st August 2025

Interview date: W/c 15th September 2025

Academic Development Programme - new Assistant Professors will undertake a 5-year 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

The School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences (SportExR) at the University of Birmingham, UK, is a world-leading department which combines innovative and translational research with evidence-based professional practice to promote lifelong engagement in physical activity, optimising health, wellbeing and performance for everyone. Consistently in the top 10 of the QS World University Rankings by Subject and in the top 5 in the latest UK’s Research Excellence Framework our research allows us to address societal challenges from multidisciplinary perspectives and enriches our degree programmes.

The School of Psychology has an international reputation for research that answers important questions, stimulates new ideas, and makes a difference to individuals, communities, and societies. We foster an inclusive environment in which our discovery, translational and applied research helps to find solutions to real-world problems.

We are seeking to appoint a full-time Assistant Professor in Exercise and Brain Health. They will substantially contribute to a range of research, teaching and administration. The role holder will be expected to show excellent academic citizenship, likely to be demonstrated through generous, mutually respectful, and supportive working relationships with all staff and students.

We would welcome applications from individuals with expertise and research interests which lie at the interface of brain health and physical health. We are seeking applications from individuals who work on one of the following: clinical exercise physiology; exercise or lifestyle intervention for prevention of disease or maintenance of brain health; rehabilitation of clinical groups for improved brain or physical health; applied health research in a clinical setting with an interest in neurological conditions and brain health.

This position is linked to our new Centre for Movement and Wellbeing (MoveWell), a centre of excellence for interdisciplinary research, education and service provision to address challenges to healthy lives and wellbeing, by fostering interactions between academics, external stakeholders, civic and regional communities. MoveWell provides an opportunity to deliver health and wellbeing interventions at scale, enabling the translational application of our discovery science, to benefit patients and achieve wider societal and economic impact. The post holder will have the opportunity to use existing cross-disciplinary links between SportExR, Psychology, the Centre for Human Brain Health (CHBH) and Institute for Mental Health (IMH). We invite individuals who can demonstrate a strong theoretical knowledge base and practical experience working with clinical cohorts, both performing appropriate clinical evaluations and prescribing interventions.

Your teaching is likely to include a substantial contribution to: (a) the management, development (including programme/module review) and delivery of teaching and assessment as an (clinical) educator; and (b) enhancement of the student experience or employability in practice-based learning. The role will typically also involve developing and advising others, including: (a) providing expert advice to staff and students, (b) supervising and examining students, and (c) developing and advising others on learning and teaching tasks and methods.

You will have an emerging track record in excellent research, and your role will involve initiating, conducting and disseminating original research. You will be expected to win funding and deliver impactful research outcomes, and to develop your leadership of high-quality data collection in a collaborative, interdisciplinary manner.

Management and administration are likely to involve contributions at School level, across the academic endeavour. This may include developing and making substantial contributions to education or research leadership, knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, public engagement, widening participation, or similar activities at School level or further within the University.

You will be joining a thriving community of physiologists, physiotherapists, health psychologists, and sport and exercise scientists with access to excellent research and teaching facilities. We work closely with clinical centres of excellence and are excited to extend our research and impact for the communities we serve via MoveWell.

In our diverse community where we believe in integration and support for everyone with different abilities, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, faith, and gender, you will actively respect and uphold these values.

The School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, having been awarded Athena SWAN Silver status, is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusivity, and therefore welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds to join our global community.

The University of Birmingham holds Advance HE Race Equality Charter and Athena Swan Charter bronze awards and is a Stonewall Global Diversity Champion. Further information about working at the University of Birmingham, including information about employee benefits and childcare provision is at https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/staff/index.aspx.

Main Duties

Education

Using a variety of methods in teaching and advising individuals and groups of undergraduates, postgraduates, or CPD students, including (as appropriate):

• teaching and examining courses at a range of levels as an Educator;
• planning and reviewing your own teaching approaches with a focus on practice-based learning in Exercise Sciences, (Clinical Exercise) Physiology or Psychology;
• designing contemporary, inclusive, engaging and academically challenging curriculum content;
• working collaboratively with colleagues to design and deliver teaching, learning and assessment, assisting the Clinical Exercise Physiology provision within MoveWell to increase employability in students through practice-based learning;
• using digital resources/environments effectively to support learning and assessment;
• where appropriate, 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, demonstrating best practice in the delivery of exercise prescription to clinical populations;
• developing and making substantial contributions to knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, impact, public engagement activities or similar on own specialism that enhances the student experience or employability and which benefits the College and University;
• devising and supervising projects, student dissertations and practical work.

Research

Planning and carrying out research, including (as appropriate):

• supporting research activity within MoveWell with a particular emphasis on neurological conditions and brain health;
• planning and publishing high quality research;
• winning financial support for your research;
• project managing research activities, with expertise in the delivery of exercise to individuals with neurological conditions;
• providing expert advice to staff and students within the discipline of exercise for neurological populations;
• participating in research-related enabling activities such as adding value to a cross disciplinary network;
• applying knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding;
• developing and making substantial contributions to knowledge transfer, and enterprise (including business engagement, public engagement) and similar activity that is of benefit to the College and the University, including ensuring that the impact of your activities is realised fully and the impact is documented.

Management/Administration

Contributing to School administration, including:

• contributing to the administration and teaching across the School;
• advising on personal development of colleagues and students;
• making a major contribution to some administrative activities within the University (e.g. appeals panels, working groups);
• contributing to enterprise, business development, and public engagement activities;
• developing and making substantial contributions to knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, public engagement, widening participation, schools outreach;
• actively manages equality, diversity and inclusion through monitoring and evaluation and actively challenging unacceptable behaviour.

Citizenship

Contributing to an inclusive working environment:

• demonstrating a willingness to be involved in a variety of activities supporting University life (e.g., participation in graduation, School committees);
• demonstrating support for colleagues, such as sharing resources, providing advice;
• willingness to volunteer for one-off duties (such as supporting School, and Centre projects);
• positively engaging in School strategic initiatives;
• proactive support and involvement in activities specifically contributing to a positive and inclusive community spirit across the School/College/University.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• A higher degree (usually PhD) or equivalent qualifications relevant to Exercise Sciences, Clinical Exercise Physiology and/or neurological conditions

Desirable

• a PhD relevant to Exercise Sciences, Clinical Exercise Physiology and/or neurological conditions
• relevant experience as a Clinical Educator
• registration with the Academy of Healthcare Sciences (AHCS)
• experience of working with individuals living with neurological conditions

Teaching

Essential

• ability to design, deliver, assess and revise teaching programmes
• experience in enhancing learning in an applied setting with clinical populations
• experience and demonstrated success in developing appropriate approaches to learning and teaching, and advising colleagues
• experience and success in knowledge transfer, enterprise and similar activity that enhances the student experience or employability

Desirable

• experience in enhancing learning in an applied setting with clinical populations
• experience and demonstrated success in developing appropriate approaches to learning and teaching, and advising colleagues
• experience and success in knowledge transfer, enterprise and similar activity that enhances the student experience or employability

Research

Essential

• experience in designing exercise interventions for clinical populations, with a particular focus on brain health and neurological conditions
• expertise in understanding physiological and functional responses to exercise in individuals with clinical conditions, particularly those affecting brain health and neurological function, to support high-quality research data collection

Desirable

• experience and achievement reflected in a growing reputation
• experience and demonstrated success in planning, undertaking and project managing research to deliver high quality results
• experience of applying and/or developing and devising successful models, techniques and methods of exercise in neurological conditions
• experience and achievement in knowledge transfer, enterprise and similar activity

Management Administration

Essential

• ability to assess and organise resources effectively
• ability to contribute to academic administration

Desirable

• 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

Personal Attributes

Essential

• ability to co-ordinate and prioritise workloads – able to multi-task as well as be self-disciplined and highly motivated
• excellent interpersonal and organisational skills

Desirable

• ability to cope with unpredictable situations
• demonstrates a flexible approach to ensure personalised patient-care is delivered
• confident decision-making ability in the management of patients when exercising
• support individual patient care with understanding of co-morbidities

Informal enquiries to Sarah Aldred, email: [e-mail]

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 everyone on our website .