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Job Description – Assistant or Associate Professor in Computational Astrophysics or Cosmology (26000989)
Job Description
Assistant or Associate Professor in Computational Astrophysics or Cosmology
Job Number:
26000989
Department of Physics
Open-Ended/Permanent – Full Time
Closing Date
28-Sep-2026, 10:59:00 PM
Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement : Not Applicable.
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.
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.
Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Join Us? – Information Page
Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here .
The Department
The Physics Department at Durham is one of the largest in the UK and a vibrant centre for world leading research and education.
A World Top 100 department in the 2025 QS subject rankings, our research spans advanced instrumentation, astronomy and astrophysics, condensed matter physics, cosmology, particle physics and quantum physics. It has real world impact, informing developments in energy storage, improved cancer imaging, quantum computing, nuclear fusion, pandemic modelling and faster digital technologies. We pride ourselves on closely aligning our teaching with the University’s research intensive ethos. Research led learning is embedded at every stage of our undergraduate programmes-from first year laboratory reports to our flagship final year MPhys individual research projects- ensuring our students develop the skills and insight needed for future roles in STEM.
The Department incorporates the Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics and is home to the Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology and the Institute for Computational Cosmology.
The Institute for Computational Cosmology is one of the leading international centres for research in computational cosmology and astrophysics. We deliver world-leading science using high-performance computing, using it as a foundation to inspire future generations of scientists at all levels. The ICC’s 17 academic staff work across a range of research areas including cosmological surveys; comparison of simulations to extragalactic observations; relativistic simulations; planetary science simulations; galactic dynamics; weak and strong gravitational lensing; and next generation radio interferometric survey science. We operate the ‘COSMA’ series of supercomputers on behalf of the STFC funding council, providing a Tier-1 service to the UK community, and seeding research into computing efficiency and net-zero goals. We collaborate closely with colleagues in the Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy, some of whom are jointly appointed with the ICC, and with the Centre for Advanced Instrumentation. Together, these groups are housed in the purpose-built, architecturally award-winning Ogden Centre West. We also have close ties to colleagues in the Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology, who are housed nearby in Ogden Centre East.
The Position
The Department of Physics at Durham University seeks to appoint a talented individual to the role of Assistant or Associate Professor, in the Institute for Computational Cosmology (ICC). We welcome applications from those with research interests in the field of computational cosmology or astrophysics. Applications are particularly encouraged from candidates with a future interest in collaboratively building new generations of world leading simulations. For example, we are particularly interested in candidates who wish to develop or deploy new numerical methods, subgrid models, or applications of simulations to multimessenger astronomy. However, applications will be considered in any area that complements the ICC’s current research interests.
The post offers an exciting opportunity to make a major contribution to the development of internationally excellent research and teaching while allowing you unrivalled opportunities to progress and embed your career in an exciting and progressive institution. For more information, please visit our Department pages at www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/physics/ and the webpage of the ICC https://astro.dur.ac.uk/ICC/
Assistant and Associate Professors at Durham
The University is committed to enabling all of our colleagues to achieve their full potential. We promote and maintain an inclusive and supportive environment to ensure that all colleagues can thrive. Academic colleagues are supported to publish world-class research in their area of interest with a focus on quality in high impact journals, rather than quantity. We will fully support your research needs including practical, help such as resources to attend conferences and to fund research activity, as well as a generous research leave policy and a designated mentor. Sitting alongside world class research; teaching quality and innovation is critical to ensure a first class learning environment and curricula for all of our students. You will be supported to develop your teaching expertise and to engage in teaching innovation to embed our student experience.
All of our Assistant and Associate Professors on the Education and Research track are encouraged to focus on research and teaching while also engaging in wider citizenship activities that enhance their own professional development, support the Department and wider discipline, and contribute to an outstanding student experience.
Applicants must demonstrate research excellence in the field of computational cosmology or astrophysics with the ability to teach our students to an exceptional standard and to fully engage in the services, citizenship and values of the University. The University provides a working and teaching environment which 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.
We are confident that our recruitment process allows us to attract and select the best international talent to Durham. We therefore offer a reduced probation period of 1 year for our Assistant and Associate Professors and thereafter, subject to satisfactory performance, you will be confirmed in post.
The role is full-time, but we will consider requests for flexible working arrangements including potential job shares.
- Pursue research that is high quality in terms of originality, significance and rigour, commensurate with the Department’s continuing emphasis on international excellence.
- To be developing clear plans for the pursuit of suitable national and international funding opportunities to support research and end-user engagement.
- Play a role in relevant teaching and research supervision, and contribute to ongoing curriculum development.
- Contribute to enhancing the quality of the research environment in the Department, the wider University and beyond through collaborative research activity, especially in the area of collaborative simulation code development and planning.
- Demonstrate a willingness to contribute to the administrative work, citizenship and values of the Department.
- Deliver lectures, seminars and tutorials at undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels, with the opportunity to teach more widely within the Department, as well as engaging in related activity such as assessment.
- To fully engage in and enhance the values of the Department.
- To contribute to attracting and supervising research students, and to enhance the Department’s commitment to its vibrant and international postgraduate culture.
- Carry out other duties as specified by the Head of Department.
Key responsibilities – Associate Professor (Grade 9):
Pursue research that is world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour, commensurate with the Department’s continuing emphasis on international excellence.
To be making significant contributions to the development of successful research project/ fellowship proposals in pursuit of suitable national and international funding opportunities to support research and end-user engagement.
Deliver excellent teaching offering lectures, seminars and tutorials at undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels. Contribute significantly to the development and delivery of high-quality teaching, including the design of excellent learning environments and curricula.
Contribute to enhancing the quality of the research environment in the Department, the wider University and beyond. Contribute to establishing and leading research groups within and beyond the University, and engaging in the mentoring of early career researchers.
Attracting and providing excellent supervision
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