Role: Assistant Professor in Environment & Society and Hoogenboom Scholarship programme leader
Grade and Salary: Grade 7 (£37,694 - £47,389) / Grade 8 (£47,389 - £58,225)
FTE and working pattern: Full Time (1FTE), Fixed Term for 5 months
Annual Leave: 33 days, plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday). Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided.
Detailed Description
Heriot-Watt University has been awarded a significant philanthropic gift to set up the Hoogenboom Scholarship programme which will fund 30 black women from Africa to study for Masters courses that will provide them with the skills and knowledge to tackle environmental challenges confronting their home nations. The programme will run for five years (September 2026 onwards) and the Lyell Centre for Earth & Marine Science & Technology is responsible for ensuring the delivery of the programme. Students applying for this scholarship can choose from the following MSc courses: Global Environmental Change & Policy, Sustainable Geoenergy, International Marine Science.
We wish to recruit an academic to join The Lyell Centre with research interests that can cut across our research themes and those of the wider University. You will be a social scientist with demonstrable experience of applying your research in community settings internationally particularly in developing countries or low medium income countries.
The Lyell Centre focuses both on the Earth and marine domains hence candidates that can apply their research in both contexts will be preferred. We are a multidisciplinary research-intensive Global Research Institute with extensive collaborations across the entire University and internationally. We welcome individuals who are demonstrably collaborative based on research track-record to date. You will be expected to contribute to the teaching of the Global Environmental Change & Policy MSc programme and to develop a parallel programme of enhancement training and development for the Hoogenboom scholars.
Your main administrative function will be to ensure the smooth running and onboarding of students enrolling on the Hoogenboom scholarship programme, providing students with a first point of contact as students navigate their way on their scholarship journey.
The successful candidate is expected to commence no later than 1 September 2026.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Teaching and Research
- To ensure the smooth running and operation of the Hoogenboom scholarship programme working collaboratively with professional support teams.
- Contribute to teaching on the GECP MSc programme and develop enhancement training for the Hoogenboom scholars.
- Engage in individual and collaborative research, which aligns to the strategic direction of the University, establish a distinctive programme of research and disseminate results through regular publication in high impact journals, books and conference proceedings
- Identify appropriate sources of funding, prepare research proposals for funding bodies and manage grants awarded
- Supervise research students and staff as required, providing direction, support and guidance
- Design, teach and assess a range of teaching and learning, supervision and assessment activities across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes including online/digital programmes where required
- Contribute to curriculum review and enhancement, in a manner that supports a research-led approach to student learning
- Participate in the Schools international engagement activities as required e.g delivering teaching, contributing to joint programmes and recruitment of students
- Participate in, and develop, networks and collaborations both internally and externally to the Division/School/University
- Participate in the administrative processes of the Division/School/University including committee membership, quality assurance procedures and recruitment and admission of students
- Evidence of successful co-ordination, support, supervision, management and/or mentoring of research students and staff
- Evidence of developing effective learning environments and approaches to student support and guidance to enhance the student experience
Please note that this job description is not exhaustive, and the role holder may be required to undertake other relevant duties commensurate with the grading of the post.
The post is based at our Edinburgh UK campus, and we expect colleagues to be on campus in person a minimum of three days per week on average (pro rata if in a job share).
Education, Qualifications & Experience
Essential
Qualifications
- PhD in a relevant topic fitting within the environment and society theme.
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
- Established track record of high quality published research in field appropriate journals
- Postdoctoral experience working in community settings
- Field work experience and experience working in an international context
- A record of involvement in applications for external funding for research and/or knowledge transfer
- Experience of supervising dissertation projects across the range of undergraduate/ postgraduate and of supervising doctoral students Able to show an empathetic and supportive approach to students.
- Experience of providing high quality teaching across a range of programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate level preferably including online/digital programmes
- Experience of designing and delivering course modules
- Evidence of successful co-ordination, support, supervision, management and/or mentoring of others
Desirable
Qualifications
- Higher Education teaching qualification or equivalent e.g. PGCert and/or holding an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) and be working towards Fellowship
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
- Evidence of collaborative research with other institutions and interdisciplinary work
- Demonstrates a thorough understanding of effective approaches to teaching and learning support as a key contribution to high quality student learning
- Evidence of programme innovation and development
- Evidence or knowledge to support international activities
- Evidence or knowledge of the Higher Education context and regulatory framework
- Experience in lecturing in an academic role
- Multi-lingual
- Able to demonstrate a commitment to advancing equality, diversity and inclusion.
About The Lyell Centre for Earth and Marine Sciences and Technology
The Lyell Centre is one of four global research institutes at Heriot-Watt University, brings together expertise in Earth and marine sciences with cutting-edge technologies to address global challenges confronting the planet, nature and people. As a leading centre in these fields, we strengthen Scotland’s research base and contribute to its innovation strategy through socially and industrially relevant research.
Our science spans both fundamental and applied research, using innovative technologies to address global challenges. From the deep sub-surface of the Earth to the surface of our oceans and the catchments of rainforests, from polar regions to the tropics, we are committed to finding sustainable solutions to the grand challenges facing human society and our planet.
By collaborating with business and industry, we develop and implement evidence-based solutions across the Earth's surface, sub-surface, oceans, and atmosphere. Through this research and innovation, we foster transformative ideas and science that transcends traditional boundaries.
Funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Scottish Funding Council and Heriot-Watt, the Lyell Centre builds on interdisciplinary expertise to encourage an outstanding science culture. Advanced facilities include biogeochemistry, geoenergy, microbiology and marine ecology laboratories, deep sea research, state of the art aquaria and marine operations workshops.
Research themes, directed by global science challenges, include climate, water, life in surface and subsurface environments; energy from the Earth; risk, hazards and uncertainties. These challenges are adapted as the societal, economic and research landscape evolves and new challenges arise.
We maintain a vibrant research culture with a dedicated community of academic experts and a vibrant early career researcher and PhD student community researching across a wide range of disciplines. We contribute to undergraduate teaching and lead masters programmes in Global Environmental Sustainability and Sustainable Geoenergy. Find out more about our team.
How to Apply
Please submit via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment system (1) Cover letter describing their interest and suitability for the post; (2) Full CV.
Applications can be submitted until midnight on the 27th of May 2026.
Shortlisting is expected to take place on 28–29 May, with invitations to interview expected on 2 June, followed by in-person interviews on 23rd June.
The successful candidate is expected to commence no later than 1 September 2026.
For information please either contact Professor Michel Kaiser (m.kaiser@hw.ac.uk) co-Director of the Lyell Centre or Dr Ingrid Kelling (i.kelling@hw.ac.uk) programme leader of GECP MSc.
About Heriot-Watt University
At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.
Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.
Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities.Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.
Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/ .
We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part-time working and job share options.
Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.
