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Job Description – Assistant or Associate Professor in Particle Physics Phenomenology (26000998)
Job Description
Assistant or Associate Professor in Particle Physics Phenomenology (Job Number: 26000998)
Department of Physics
Open-Ended/Permanent – Full Time
Closing Date
28-Sep-2026, 10:59:00 PM
Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement : Not Applied.
Working at Durham University
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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 Particle Physics Phenomenology (IPPP) is one of the leading international centres for research in particle physics phenomenology. Currently we have 18 permanent members of staff, 19 research staff, 5 support staff and approximately 20 postgraduate research students. The IPPP is a joint venture of Durham University and the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). Our mission is: to perform world-leading research in particle physics phenomenology; to promote and develop new theoretical ideas aimed at addressing key science questions that are experimentally accessible; to provide a critical mass of research excellence in particle physics phenomenology, that will engage pro-actively with the UK and international particle physics communities, and help to share the future programme, providing leadership, vision and strategic advice; to support and stimulate the UK particle physics community through an active programme of workshops and other meetings and to boost the ability of the UK to contribute at world-leading level; to provide training and opportunities for research students, both to sustain and further develop research in particle physics and to contribute to the economic competitiveness of the United Kingdom; to promote public understanding of fundamental science. We also have close ties to colleagues in the Institute for Computational Cosmology, housed in the Ogden Centre West.
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 Particle Physics Phenomenology (IPPP). We welcome applications from those with research interests in the broad field of particle physics phenomenology. Applications are encouraged from all areas that complement and strengthen the internationally recognised research activities of the Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology, including collider phenomenology, Higgs physics and QCD, neutrino and flavour physics, beyond the Standard Model and astro-particle physics. Candidates should also have a strong record of engagement with experimental particle physics groups.
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 IPPP webpage https://www.ippp.dur.ac.uk/.
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 particle physics phenomenology 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 theoretical particle physics that supports the IPPP’s remit as the UK National Centre for particle physics phenomenology.
- 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 to research students, and to enhance the Department’s commitment to its vibrant and international postgraduate culture.
Contribute significantly to the administrative functioning and collegial environment of the Department and wider University, undertaking leadership activities which support the functioning of the Department and wider University.
To fully engage in, champion and enhance the values of the Department.
Carry out such other duties as specified by the Head of Department.
Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key component of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our Purpose and Values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive.
We welcome and encourage applications from those who are currently under-represented in our work force, including people with disabilities and from racially minoritised ethnic groups.
If you have taken a career break or periods of leave that may have impacted on the volume and recency of your research outputs and other activities, such as maternity, adoption or parental leave, you may wish to disclose this in your application. The selection committee will take this into account when evaluating your application.
The University has been awarded the Disability Confident Leader status. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.
Person Specification
Candidates will have completed their PhD (or be close to completion) and should outline their experience, skills and achievements to date, which demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria.
Research
Candidates must have the capacity for and be progressing towards the independent development of internationally excellent research that produces high-quality outcomes, including some work that is recognised as world-class or that has world-class potential.
Essential Research Criteria – Assistant Professor (Grade 8):
1. Qualifications –- a good first degree and a PhD (or close to completion at the time of application) inPhysics or a related subject.
2. Outputs – evidence of high-quality outputs, some of which are recognised as internationally excellent or world-class.Candidates are asked to submittwo research papers with their application (as outlined in the How to Apply section below). Candidates may additionally choose to submit evidence such as external peer review of their outputs.
3. Personal Research Plan – evidence of a personal research plan which supports and enhances theDepartment’s and IPPP research strategy.
4. Income or resource generation – evidence of engagement in the development of successful research projects and quality research proposals for grant income generation, commensurate with career stage.
1. Qualifications – a good first degree and a PhD in Physics or a related subject.
2. Outputs – evidence of outputs that are consistently recognised as internationally excellent, with at least one output regarded as world class. Candidates are asked to submit two research papers with their application (as outlined in the How to Apply section below). Candidates may additionally choose to submit evidence such as external peer review of their outputs.
3. Personal Research Plan – evidence of a personal research plan which supports and enhances the Department’s and IPPP research strategy. The research plan may be used to demonstrate how the candidate’s future research programme will support the IPPP’s remit as the UK National Centre for particle physics phenomenology.
4. Research Leadership – contribution to the leadership of research groups and the mentoring of early career researchers. Candidates may choose to include information about role leadership, mentoring etc.
5. PhD Supervision – involvement in the provision of excellent supervision for PhD students.
6. Research Impact – demonstrable evidence of the impact of the Candidate’s research beyond their institution.
7. Income or Resource Generation – significant evidence of engagement in the development of successful research projects and quality research grant/resource proposals commensurate with career stage.
8. International Standing – evidence …
1. Qualification – candidates must be or have the ability to attain the rank of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/individuals/fellowship/fellow), which is the national body that champions teaching excellence (or Equivalent).
2. Quality – evidence of the development and delivery of effective and engaging teaching. (Candidates may choose to provide student evaluation scores and/or peer reviews of teaching).
3. Innovation – experience, skills and…
4. Strategic – evidence of strategic teaching development ….
1. Qualification – candidates ….
2. Quality – …
3. Innovation – evidence of successful …
4. Strategic – Significant …
Essential Services, Citizenship and Values Criteria – Assistant Professor (Grade 8):
1. Citizenship contribution – evidence …
2. Leadership – experience …
3. Communication – candidates must …
Essential Services, Citizenship and Values Criteria – Associate Professor (Grade 9):
1. Citizenship contribution – a significant …
2. Leadership – evidence …
3. Communication – candidates must …
The desirable criteria for Assistant Professor (Grade 8) (for which candidates should provide evidence of some if not all criteria) are:
1. Research Leadership – …
2. PhD Supervision – …
3. Research Impact – …
4. Income Generation – …
The desirable criteria for Associate Professor (Grade 9) (for which candidates should provide evidence of some if not all criteria) are:
1. Organisation of international conferences or workshops.
2. Contributions to national or international research strategy.
Contact Information
Department contact for academic-related enquiries: Professor Valentin Khoze, valya.khoze@durham.ac.uk
Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application
If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk (we will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).
Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time.
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