About The Role

Position Details

School of Mechanical Engineering

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £47,389 to £56,535 with potential progression once in post to £63,606

Grade: 8

Full Time, Permanent

Closing date: 21 st September 2026

Academic Development Programme - new Assistant Professors will undertake a 5-year development programme, at the end of which they are expected to be promoted to Associate Professor. The programme consists of a variety of development opportunities and the time to reflect and develop.

Background

This is an exceptional time to join the University of Birmingham's School of Engineering. Established in 2016, amalgamating the disciplines of Civil, Mechanical, and Electrical and Electronic Engineering, the School has invested heavily in infrastructure and people; with a new £65M flagship building, a £28M UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) Centre, and a £26M National Buried Infrastructure Facility. The School of Engineering has also recently secured over £1M in funding for practical robotics teaching.

Our School is renowned for world-class research and strong ties with industry, ensuring rapid practical application of our innovations. We continue to strategically grow our research portfolio with a bold vison for Robotics research; the School leads a £34.6M EPSRC Manufacturing Research Hub in Robotics, Automation & Smart Machine Enabled Sustainable Circular Manufacturing & Materials; a £13.4M Research Hub on Collaborative AI for Manufacturing Sustainability; and is the lead for the Birmingham Institute for Robotics. To support our vision we are now recruiting a talented engineer in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence to help address the engineering challenges arising from rapid change in these fields.

Robotics is advancing rapidly, driven by innovation across hardware, software and the intelligent control that binds them. Artificial Intelligence is reshaping how robotic systems are designed and how autonomously they operate, opening fresh engineering challenges in perception, actuation, human–robot interaction and systems integration. Meeting these challenges calls for engineers who can turn principled mechanics and control into dependable, real-world solutions. The successful candidate will develop new robotics teaching and build research that connects the School of Engineering, the wider University and our extensive network of partners.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds who share our curiosity and want to help shape the field. While our focus is engineering-led robotics and AI, we encourage candidates from related disciplines whose work strengthens the three pillars of the Birmingham Institute for Robotics: manufacturing and circular economy; medical and healthcare; and infrastructure and extreme environments.

The successful candidate will be expected to create and disseminate knowledge through initiating and conducting original research, and publication in the above-mentioned areas. They will develop and deliver undergraduate, postgraduate and CPD programmes relevant to Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. In addition, they will contribute to the department, and wider school, through management/leadership and enterprise activities, as appropriate.

Candidates will have an appropriate engineering or computer science background, including a PhD. Experience of mechanical engineering and practical robotics, along with experience in working or engaging with industry stakeholders would be desirable. A demonstrable track record in working within multi-disciplinary research teams and contributing towards grant pursuit is also desirable. The successful candidate will be expected to engage actively with industrial and policy partners in the UK and internationally.

The School of Engineering is committed to upholding the principles of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in all our pursuits, and we actively encourage applications from underrepresented groups, including women and other groups under-represented in engineering. We are happy to discuss flexible and part-time working, and we support staff through family-friendly and career-development policies, including the Athena Swan charter.

Role Summary

As an assistant professor, you must contribute to research, teaching, and administration while actively supporting and promoting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) principles.

This involves initiating, leading, conducting, and disseminating original research. This research should not only have measurable outcomes and foster a growing national and emerging international reputation but also be inclusive and equitable, considering diverse perspectives and promoting underrepresented voices in the field.

Your teaching role will contribute to the management, development (including programme/module review), and delivery of teaching and assessment within engineering and the wider college. For the first two years of your role, you will specifically be tasked with contributing to the development of practical robotics teaching across our education portfolio. Your pedagogical approach must be inclusive, accessible, and responsive to diverse student needs, experiences, and backgrounds, enhancing all students' experience and employability. The role will typically also involve developing and advising others, including (a) providing expert advice to staff and students of all identities, (b) supervising and examining PhD students, ensuring fair and equitable treatment, and (c) advising others on inclusive learning and teaching methods and strategies.

Management and administration are likely to involve contributions within the allocated research group and at Departmental and School level and or making an essential contribution to some managerial/leadership activities (e.g., working groups) within the University. This may include developing and making substantial contributions to EDI initiatives, knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, public engagement, widening participation, schools’ outreach, or similar activities at Department/School level or further within the University.

Main Duties

Research

To plan and conduct research using appropriate methodology and techniques. This role involves, where appropriate to the discipline:

Pursuing personal research, including developing research ideas, and acquiring support, including financial support.
Planning, publishing, and or executing high-quality research.
Project managing research activities and or supervising research staff.
Presenting findings in high-quality publications and conference proceedings.
Developing novel methodologies and techniques appropriate to the type of research pursued.
Supervising and examining PhD students, both within the institution and externally, while promoting a culture of inclusion and diversity.
Providing expert advice to staff and students within the discipline.
Applying knowledge in a manner that develops new intellectual understanding.
Developing and contributing significantly to knowledge transfer, enterprise (including business engagement, public engagement) and similar activities that benefit the College, University, and broader diverse communities.