Assistant Professor in Aerospace Engineering (2700)

Directorate: School of Engineering & Physical Sciences

Salary: Grade 8 (£45,585-£54,395)

Contract Type: Full Time (1FTE), Open Ended

Rewards and Benefits: 33 days annual leave, plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday) for all full time staff. 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

Personal invitation to view our brochure here https://indd.adobe.com/view/8d559023-1c2f-43e0-b0f0-21234ab83bc6

Detailed Description

We are looking for talented and highly motivated individuals to contribute to teaching and research in Aerospace Engineering, as part of the Institute of Mechanical, Process & Energy Engineering (IMPEE), School of Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPS). You will have evidence of developing an international research portfolio and should possess a clear research vision in Aerospace Engineering and related areas. The applications should concern research and/or teaching experience in Aerospace Engineering with specialisation on Space topics. You will have opportunities for the development of an independent research portfolio, in collaboration with our existing research groups across the School. 

You will also be involved in teaching and learning activities in the Mechanical Engineering discipline of the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPS) at the Edinburgh Campus, delivering and assessing undergraduate and postgraduate taught courses in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at our Edinburgh campus in collaboration with colleagues at our overseas campuses in Dubai and Malaysia. 

Key Responsibilities 

Work activities will vary according to the requirements of the job and individual areas of teaching and research responsibility, however general responsibilities are typically, but not restricted to, the following: 

• Leading and engaging in research and actively contributing to the university’s research profile, including managing, and supervising and mentoring research-active staff where appropriate.
• Actively pursuing research funding through the submission of high-quality grant proposals.
• Establishing collaborative research and teaching links outside the university via funding councils, industry, business, and public bodies.
• Developing cross-Research Institute, School, University, and external research links and networks, with a view to maximising research funding opportunities and associated activities.
• Contributing to School, Institute and research group strategic planning where required, as well as carrying out general research administration.
• Publicising research through the preparation and submission of journal and conference papers and participating in academic conferences.
• Representing the institution in a professional capacity, particularly with regard to research dissemination and development e.g. conferences, meetings, with industrial partners, etc.;
• Supervising and mentoring undergraduate students, postgraduate students and research associates’ research work.
• Teaching through the delivery of lectures, tutorials and laboratories, assessing the relevant students’ work as well as setting and marking examinations and coursework.
• Designing and developing teaching materials and new teaching methods, using personal research to inform teaching where appropriate.
• Carrying out general academic administration, including participation on committees and exam boards, taking responsibility for key discipline-specific administration tasks and mentoring students.
• Undertaking continuous professional development (CPD) and participating in staff development activities.

Education, Qualifications and Experience

Essential Criteria 

• First degree in mechanical engineering, electrical or chemical engineering (or a closely related discipline)
• PhD within the area of Aerospace or related engineering (e.g. Mechanical Engineering)
• Demonstrated research portfolio within the field of Aerospace Engineering
• Demonstrated initiative in obtaining research funding.
• Research portfolio complementary to Heriot-Watt’s approach to impact-led projects.
• Demonstrable track-record of high-quality research published in internationally renowned journals.
• Evidence of teaching and assessment of undergraduate and graduate engineering students in aerospace engineering topics, with priority given to Space topics such as space propulsion, space vehicles, space systems and space dynamics
• Evidence of general academic research leadership (can be initiating joint proposals, influencing colleagues to work in teams, etc.)
• Effective and engaging communicator
• Good oral and written presentation skills.

Desirable Criteria 

• CEng or working towards CEng status 
• Demonstrates evidence of willingness to be involved in collaborative research. 
• Demonstrates willingness to participate in international delivery of programmes.
• Evidence of leadership of research teams, including successful supervision of PhD students and managing post-Docs. 
• Experience of playing and/or developing a significant role in collaborative academic-industrial research projects.

About our Team  

The School of Engineering & Physical Sciences (EPS) was created in August 2002. We are a community of over 340 staff and around 3,000 students across our three campuses in Scotland, Dubai and Malaysia. The School is recognised as an international leader in education, research and the application of knowledge to benefit society globally, committed to excellence with a purpose. We are striving to establish ourselves as partners of choice for world leading institutions, consistently delivering an environmentally and financially sustainable growth by aligning to the opportunities and requirements of our modern times to address local and global needs

Our research ranges from fundamental sciences through to engineering applications, all of which are supported by strong external funding. We have over 150 full-time academic staff who drive this research activity and are based in 5 research institutes:  the Institute of Chemical Sciences, the Institute of Photonics & Quantum Sciences, the Institute of Mechanical, Process & Energy Engineering, the Institute of Sensors, Signals & Systems and the Institute of Biological Chemistry, BioPhysics & BioEngineering. In REF2021, our Physics was top in the UK for world-leading research outputs. Our joint submission to Engineering with the University of Edinburgh was ranked 1st in Scotland and 3rd in the UK for quality and breadth of research (based upon the standard Research Power formula as used by the Times Higher Education). 

We provide world-class education to our students across six undergraduate programmes: Chemistry; Physics; Electrical, Electronic & Computer Engineering; Chemical & Process Engineering; Mechanical Engineering and Brewing & Distilling and will soon add Aerospace Engineering to our undergraduate programme portfolio. We also offer a range of postgraduate taught programmes. In the recent The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023, our Chemical Engineering is the 6th in the UK (the 2nd in Scotland), Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering is the 7th in the UK (the 1st in Scotland) and General Engineering is the 9th in the UK (the 1st in Scotland). In the 2022 National Student Survey (NSS), we are ranked the 4th in the UK for overall satisfaction in Chemical Engineering, the 2nd in Scotland in Electrical Engineering and Physics, and are the top ranked in the UK in Food & Beverage discipline (which includes our Brewing & Distilling discipline, where we have achieved a 100% students overall satisfaction). 

We are seeking an experienced and leading academic researcher to lead and develop research and teaching activities in areas related to advanced materials, aerospace or solid mechanics.

The post holder will be line managed by the Head of the Institute for Mechanical, Process and Energy Engineering (IMPEE) and assigned teaching responsibilities by the Mechanical Engineering Senior Programme Director.

How to Apply 

Applications submitted will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until a suitable candidate is appointed.

Interested applicants must submit via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment system: (1) a cover letter describing their interest and suitability for the post; (2) a full CV; (3) A summary of their scholarship and teaching plans and ambitions; and (4) a  list of publications.  

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.