Assistant Professor in International Relations

The School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA) at Durham University seeks to appoint two exceptional scholars at the rank of Assistant Professor.

For one post we are looking for candidates whose research falls within the methodological traditions of International Political Theory and/or International Political Sociology. For the second, we are looking for candidates with a research focus on international security, broadly understood. For both posts candidates whose research background and plans engage non-Western, decolonial, indigenous or other approaches that speak to 'Global IR' will be at an advantage.

Both candidates will become members of the Group for Research in International Politics (GRIP). Both posts offer an exciting opportunity to make a major contribution to the development of internationally excellent research and teaching while allowing unrivalled opportunities to progress and embed your career in an exciting and progressive institution.

The successful candidates will benefit from individual research support funding, access to SGIA and University-wide research funding and be entitled to apply for sabbatical leave on a basis of one term of leave in each seven terms of service.

The successful candidates will get involved in the development of our research community in International Relations including its connections with other Durham departments and other institutions and research centres, and innovative educational practice to enhance the learning experience of both undergraduate and postgraduate students, including PhD candidates. Among our EDI initiatives, the School is currently in the process of diversifying its curriculum, and this is a project we would be keen for the post-holder to contribute to.

Assistant Professors on the Education and Research track are encouraged to focus on research and teaching, but are also expected to engage in wider citizenship to enhance their own development, support their department and discipline, and contribute to the wider student experience. Academic colleagues are supported to publish excellent research in their area of interest with a focus on high quality outputs (including monographs and journal articles), rather than quantity.

Durham University is committed to ensuring outstanding teaching quality, stimulating learning environments, and innovative curricula for all our students. The University offers a reduced probation period of 1 year for Assistant Professors and thereafter, subject to satisfactory performance, the position will be confirmed as permanent.

Key Responsibilities:
- To pursue research that is high quality in terms of originality, significance and rigour.
- To develop clear plans for the pursuit of national and international funding opportunities to support research and end-user engagement.
- To 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.
- Demonstrate a willingness to contribute to the administrative work, citizenship and values of the Department.
- To deliver lectures, seminars and tutorials at undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels, 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 inclusive postgraduate culture.
- Carry out other duties as specified by the Head of Department.

Essential Research Criteria:
- Qualifications: a good first degree and a PhD in International Relations or a related subject (or within six months of expected completion).
- Outputs: evidence of research outputs in International Relations/International Politics that are, or have the potential to be recognised as world leading.
- Personal Research Plan: a maximum of two pages showing evidence of a clearly articulated 3–5 year research strategy, outlining a clearly defined research programme, planned publication submissions, funding applications, and potential impact-related activities.

Essential Education Criteria:
- Quality: evidence of the development and delivery of effective and engaging teaching.
- Innovation: experience, skills and/or achievements demonstrating contribution to new programme or module development and innovation in the design and delivery of high-quality teaching and assessment.
- Strategic: evidence of strategic teaching development or achievements demonstrating potential to engage in the design of excellent research-informed teaching programmes.

Essential Services, Citizenship and Values Criteria:
- Citizenship contribution: evidence of participation in the citizenship/administrative activities of an academic Department, Faculty or University.
- Leadership: experience, skills and/or achievements demonstrating engagement in activities contributing to the administrative functioning of an academic Department, Faculty, University and/or discipline.
- Communication: excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of students and colleagues across a variety of forums.

Desirable Criteria:
- Qualification: hold or have the ability to attain the rank of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (or equivalent).
- Research Leadership: experience, skills and/or achievements demonstrating a contribution or potential to contribute to the leadership of research groups and mentoring of early career researchers.
- PhD Supervision: involvement in the provision of excellent supervision for PhD students.
- Research Impact: evidence of or the potential to demonstrate the impact of the candidate's research beyond their institution.
- Income Generation: evidence of engagement in the development of successful research projects and quality research grant proposals.

The Department:
Since its founding in 2004, SGIA has developed into one of the UK's leading departments in Politics and International Relations. The School combines strong core disciplinary foundations with embedded regional expertise. SGIA is currently ranked among the top six Politics and IR departments in the UK by the Complete University Guide and the Guardian, and is placed within the QS World University Rankings top 100 globally for Politics and International Studies. In REF 2021, over 80% of our research was rated internationally excellent or world leading.