The Littauer Chair of Engineering Materials

University of Surrey; England; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Surrey invites applications for The Littauer Chair of Engineering Materials, an endowed professorship within the School of Engineering. The appointee will lead and expand materials research, interacting with trustees and shaping an internationally recognised programme.

The candidate should demonstrate leadership, a record of funding, and the ability to collaborate with industry and Defence partners to advance Surrey's national and international profile.

Qualifications

• An academic leader with national and international visibility and a strong publication track record.
• A research portfolio in materials science and engineering with a track record of securing significant funding.
• Experience engaging with industrial partners and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Littauer Chair and shape the materials research agenda at Surrey.
• Build collaborations, secure external funding, and grow the research community.
• Engage with Defence, Security partners and industry as part of the role.
• Mentor and inspire the wider materials community within the School of Engineering.

Skills

Academic leadership

Research funding

Industry engagement

Mentorship

Communication

Job description

Organisation/Company UNIVERSITY OF SURREY Research Field Engineering Researcher Profile Leading Researcher (R4) Established Researcher (R3) Application Deadline 4 Oct 2026 - 00:00 (UTC) Country United Kingdom Type of Contract Permanent Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

We are now seeking an outstanding academic leader to join us as The Littauer Chair of Engineering Materials, a prestigious endowed professorship offering an exceptional opportunity to shape and grow engineering materials research at Surrey.

This professorship is named in honour of Ernest and Deveda Littauer. Before a remarkable career in Materials Engineering, with Lockheed Martin in the US, Ernest studied BSc Metallurgy and PhD Electro-Metallurgy at Battersea College of Technology (Surrey’s predecessor) in the 1950s and 60s. The successful candidate will liaise with the trustees of the Littauer estate.

As an endowed chair, the post comes with an annual budget to support the post holder's research and impact activities, providing an outstanding platform from which to develop an ambitious and internationally recognised programme of research.

The Littauer Chair will play a central role in strengthening and expanding the Engineering Materials research within the School of Engineering contributing to Surrey's wider multidisciplinary Materials research agenda and enhancing our national and international profile. We are seeking an academic whose research demonstrates both strong synergy with, and complementarity to, existing strengths in Materials Science and Engineering at Surrey. Candidates with expertise in Materials Ageing, Performance and Lifetime Prediction are particularly encouraged to apply. A willingness to engage with Defence and Security partners, and experience of working with industry, would also be highly valued. The role is open to someone with an excellent academic track record with any balance between experimental and modelling expertise.

The successful candidate will bring an established research portfolio and the vision and leadership to develop new collaborations, secure significant external funding and build a vibrant research community, helping to shape the future direction of materials research and education at Surrey.

This is an exceptional opportunity for an ambitious and accomplished academic to lead and shape the next phase of Engineering Materials research at the University of Surrey.

About you

You will be:

• An academic leader with national and international visibility with a strong publication track record.
• A research leader with a considerable portfolio of ongoing research in the field of materials science and engineering, with a strong track record of securing significant research funding.
• A leader who can inspire, mentor, shape and grow the wider materials community in the School of Engineering (and more widely across the Faculty and University).
• An adept communicator with substantial experience of engaging with industrial partners and external stakeholders.

The University of Surrey is committed to providing an inclusive environment that offers equal opportunities for all. We place great value on diversity and are seeking to increase the diversity within our community and particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups, including people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups and people with disabilities