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About us

The Department of Geography (www.geog.ucl.ac.uk) is widely recognised as one of the leading Geography departments in the world (6th worldwide in the QS Ranking 2023, 4thin the Shanghai world rankings 2021). It has been highly rated in all seven UK Research Assessment Exercises, and the 2021 REF confirmed that 96% of the Department’s research activity is considered World Leading (4*) or Internationally Excellent (3*).

UCL Geography spans a broad range of Human and Physical Geography and we are committed to cross-disciplinary teaching and research. Research within the Department is currently organised into seven clusters and staff are actively engaged in cross-disciplinary initiatives in UCL, including the Institute of Advanced Studies, the Urban Lab, the UCL Anthropocene initiative, and the Sarah Parker Remond Centre for the study of Racism and Racialisation. In addition, UCL geographers collaborate with staff in Archaeology, Anthropology, the Bartlett School, Political Science, Earth Science, Computer Science, Genetics, Evolution and Environment (GEE), Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering (CEGE), as well as through the new interdisciplinary programmes at UCL East. Collaboration in environmental research across UCL is also supported and facilitated centrally by the Environment Domainand the UCL Climate Hub.

Research in Physical Geography is supported by two main laboratory facilities, the Geography Laboratories and the Bloomsbury Environmental Isotope Facility(BEIF), which includes the UCL Environmental Radiometric Facility(ERF). BEIF is a joint facility with the Department of Earth Sciences. Please see the full job description and person specification linked at the bottom of this page for more information on our laboratory facilities.

The Department is committed to the idea of Geography as a global discipline and welcomes applicants with regional expertise from across the world. We are dedicated to increasing understanding of the world as precursor to making the planet a better, fairer place, and we are searching for a colleague who shares that goal. Our staff and students often engage with local community groups, campaigning organizations, government, international organisations, businesses and schools in order to connect global knowledge to specific local issues. We are very proud that research and teaching undertaken by members of the Department of Geography at UCL has had an impact in changing the world for the good in both big and small ways. This post will continue UCL’s tradition of disruptive thinking that seeks to be honest about complexity and to reflect critically about how knowledge is created and shared and how global issues, such as climate change and environmental degradation, can be addressed. We are searching for a new colleague who shares our commitments to collegiality, inclusivity and openness.

About the role

The Department of Geography at UCL invites applications for two Lectureships in the broad area of Environmental Change. The Lectureships are open-ended, full-time, appointments to be taken up in the next academic year (2023/24).

The Department especially welcomes applications from physical geographers, environmental scientists, climate scientists, and ecologists/palaeoecologists with field and laboratory experience, and expertise in the impacts of environmental change on biota and/or biogeochemical processes. We are looking for excellent teachers who can contribute to our undergraduate Geography curriculum and to our postgraduate programmes, especially MSc Aquatic Conservation and Restoration, MSc Climate Change, MSc Conservation, and MSc Environmental Modelling.

UCL Geography values excellence in education. The Department works closely with its undergraduate and MSc Student-Staff Consultation Committees on course development. The Department has an established work load model, which typically allows for staff to devote 50% of their time to research, and 50% to delivering education and administration.

Duties and Responsibilities
1. Undertake and publish internationally excellent research in environmental sciences and related areas.
2. Develop and deliver high-quality education, assessment and feedback at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
3. Make a strong contribution to the Department’s research culture and environment.
4. Make an effective contribution to Departmental administration.
5. Build excellent relations with related academic and non-academic communities, including governments, businesses and other stakeholders and practitioners as appropriate.

The post holder, like all academic staff, is expected to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to academic excellence; that is, to the conduct of research, publication, education, enabling and other forms of knowledge transfer, at the highest levels of international achievement.

UCL is committed to building a diverse, equitable and truly inclusive University. For this post we particularly welcome applications from women and ethnic minorities.

About you

Candidates must hold a PhD in a relevant discipline by the time they begin their appointment. Applicants will be evaluated particularly on the originality, quality, and significance of their research and its alignment with Departmental interests. Successful applicants must demonstrate a strong aptitude for research and associated field and laboratory work.

Please see the full job description and person specification linked at the bottom of this page for more information.

When applying, please include:

• a covering letter outlining proposed research and teaching contributions and how you meet the essential criteria, combined in one PDF with a current CV
• copies of three recent or forthcoming publications combined in a second PDF
• the names and addresses of three referees.

Informal questions about the post and the Department may be directed to the Head of Department, Prof. Jason Dittmer ([email protected]).

If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact Claire Betts, Department Manager ([email protected]).

Application closing date: Monday 1st May 2023, 23:59 (UK time)

Interviews are planned for mid May 2023

What we offer

Visit: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/reward-and-benefits to find out more.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

UCL Geography is committed to the values of equality, diversity and inclusion(EDI) and we have active networks for BAME, women, and LGBTQ+ staff and students. The Department recognises the importance of family-friendly working and we try, as far as possible, to organise meetings and events with staff responsibilities as parents and carers in mind. The Department currently holds an Athena SWAN Silver Award. Above all, the Department aims to be a supportive environment for both its staff and students. New academic staff are allocated a mentor from senior members of staff to provide guidance while establishing themselves at UCL.

Further details of the department are at https://www.geog.ucl.ac.uk/.