Job announcement: Lecturers/Senior Lecturers in Human Geography (Big Data)

University of Groningen; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 73,000; Part time

Job description

Job announcement: Lecturers/Senior Lecturers in Human Geography (Big Data)

University of Birmingham - School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Lecturer: Starting salary is normally in the range £38,896 to £46,414. With potential progression once in post to £52,219 a year.

Senior Lecturer: Starting salary is normally in the range £47,801 to £55,389. With potential progression once in post to £72,224 a year.

Deadline: 17th December 2015

The University of Birmingham is continuing to make strategic investments across its research base in the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences. We are seeking to appoint a Lecturer and a Senior Lecturer in Human Geography with expertise in one or more of the following fields: Big Data and Geocomputation, GIS and Quantitative Geography, Economic Geography, and Regional Science. The successful candidate will join the Human Geography research group, which has specialisms cutting across: economic geography and big data; energy and environment; spatial policy; cultural geography; political geography and geopolitics.

Quantitative scholars within the group are currently responsible for running the Big Data lunchtime seminar series funded by the university’s Institute for Advanced Studies, bringing together interdisciplinary expertise from across campus, stretching from the Business School and Economics to Computer Science, Engineering, and Physics. The School is also a partner within a NERC-ESRC Centre for Doctoral Training (DREAM: Data, Risk and Environmental Analytical Methods) alongside Cranfield, Newcastle, and Cambridge, providing funding for 30 PhD studentships.

It is expected that the appointees will contribute to building a long-term strategy around Big Data/economic geography through both research and teaching innovations. The undergraduate Geography programme is being reshaped to incorporate cutting-edge computational and visualization methods, with an emphasis on research-led teaching. Research into urban geography cuts across the interests of both physical and social scientists within the School and there are significant opportunities for interdisciplinary activities. The candidate will be expected to supervise PGT and PGR projects in relevant areas.

There would be an expectation that the appointee will engage internationally, building on the strong links already established by the university with European funding agencies and partners (including the JRC), and through a Global Engagement strategy that has partnerships in Brazil, China, India, and North America as well as through Universitas 21.

Evidence of a strong track record in publishing work of the highest academic quality and impact is essential, and (for a senior appointment) obtaining external research funding is important. In addition to demonstrating (or showing potential for) internationally excellent research, applicants must have a commitment to delivering excellent teaching and learning in Human Geography at all levels (i.e., undergraduate, postgraduate, and higher research degrees) and communicating the relevance and impact of their research to stakeholders. The successful candidates will be involved in administrative tasks (appropriate to their appointment grade) to support delivery of research and teaching within the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences.

The School welcomes applications from candidates looking for flexible part-time/job share arrangements as part of the appointment.