Bangor University is a leading UK and international academic centre in the field of forest sciences, with a strongly upward trajectory. To maintain and grow our record of excellence, we invite applications to a full-time, permanent lectureship in forest sciences.

We welcome applicants with expertise in forest inventory, assessment and monitoring (especially the application of advanced remote sensing technology and the analysis and modelling of the resulting geo-spatial 'big data'). The focus of their teaching and research at Bangor will be to use this expertise to advance scientific understanding of the world's forest resources to underpin their sustainable management and deliver on key international policy objectives.

We are seeking to put Bangor at the forefront of international research to enhance the crucial role of forests in mitigating and adapting to climate change, conservation of biodiversity, and delivery of the full range of other ecosystem services. We place an emphasis on 'whole-systems' assessment, not just at the ecosystem level but also up to the scale of the landscape, socio-ecological systems and the forest products value chain.

The post holder will have a PhD (or near completion) in environmental, ecological or forest sciences or a related subject area and we welcome applicants with expertise from a variety of backgrounds, whether this be in the domain of forestry or other fields of applied science related to forest ecosystems. Bangor's research and teaching in forestry has a global perspective so candidates may have experience of any forest types across the range from tropical to temperate and boreal, from moist to dry, and from natural forests to plantations, urban forests or agroforestry.

The successful candidate will be expected to make a strong contribution to our existing ethos of collaborative research and teaching, team work and multi-disciplinarity. We place a high value on excellent interpersonal skills. They will enhance and complement our existing areas of expertise specifically in forestry but also across environmental, conservation and biological sciences. The post holder will develop a research programme in their specialist discipline that will attract external funding, and generate high-quality outputs, international recognition and impact. They will also be enthusiastic to make an important contribution to teaching the key subject of forest inventory, assessment and monitoring, and supervise student projects, at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. For this post a strong interest in engagement with external stakeholders will be key. This may include the government agency Forest Research which has its Wales national headquarters in Bangor University.

The successful candidates will be expected to commence by 01 June 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The appointment will be made in the range of Lecturer 1, £34.304 - £40,927 p.a. (Grade 7) or Lecturer 2  £42,149  -£50,296 (Grade 8) depending on previous experience.

Informal enquiries can be made by contacting Professor John Healey, Professor of Forest Sciences (j.healey@bangor.ac.uk) or Professor Nia Whiteley, Head of School (n.m.whiteley@bangor.ac.uk).

Applications will only be accepted via our on-line recruitment website, https://jobs.bangor.ac.uk/. However, in cases of access issues due to disability, paper application forms are available by telephoning 01248 383865.

Closing date for applications: 04 January 2022.

Committed to Equal Opportunities

 

Overview

Bangor University has an open and dynamic atmosphere in which ambitious academics thrive. The University is located in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK, adjacent to the Snowdonia National Park in the midst of a landscape of sea, mountains, forests and unspoiled countryside. The city of Bangor is also well connected to metropolitan areas in the UK with direct train services to London, Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff, and by road via the A55 North Wales expressway.

The University was established in 1884 and currently has over 11,000 students. It comprises 9 Academic Schools grouped in 3 colleges. The College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering has over 2300 students and 350 teaching and support staff. It comprises the Schools of Natural Sciences, Ocean Sciences and Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, and the Biocomposites Centre. The Schools of Natural Sciences and Ocean Sciences have a world-class reputation for research and teaching in environmental sciences, natural resources, soil science, ecology, conservation and zoology, with forest science identified as a distinctive key strength. We have one of the largest concentrations of multidisciplinary environmental and natural resource scientists of any UK university. A notable feature is our strong multi-disciplinary groups, which foster inter-disciplinary research, build on our existing strengths and enable us to respond to the needs of policy makers, society and industry, through strong pathways to impact via our global networks. A distinctive ethos of the College is its linkage between environmental sciences and electronic engineering - of key importance for new technology to enhance capacity for forest inventory and monitoring.

During the past ten years Bangor University has also received major strategic government investment to increase research capacity, excellence and impact across the broader field of geo-environmental science and technology, totalling more than £12 million, and is commencing a major development programme to enhance the building infrastructure of the Deiniol Road Science Site, in which the School of Natural Sciences is located, with a major focus on low carbon energy research.

 

The Project

The Bangor forestry group and its research

The forestry group comprises 12 academic staff, with other Bangor staff working in fields, such as conservation, microbiology, environmental and human geography, hydrology and wood science, closely associated with the group. More than 20 PhD students are researching forest projects and form the core of our frequent forest research seminars.

The forestry group has key links with the University's Biocomposites Centre and the recently established Sir William Roberts Centre for Sustainable Land Use. Bangor University leads the Low Carbon Energy and Environment Research Network Wales.  well-established collaborative partnerships with both the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE), resulting in many joint PhDs, as well as project collaboration with the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR).  We are members of the International Union of Forest Research Organisations (IUFRO), the European Forest Institute (EFI) and the UK's forest industry confederation (CONFOR).

Bangor University is both the first and largest educator of students in the forestry subject area in the UK, spanning a big group of PhD students, full-time and part-time distance-learning MSc degrees, and BSc degrees.

Bangor is adjacent to the Snowdonia National Park and within 30 km there is a wide diversity of different forest ecosystems providing excellent opportunities for research and education. These include the Bangor DIVERSE tree diversity experiment and large silvopasture experiment at the University's Henfaes Research Centre; the adjacent internationally important Coedydd Aber woodland National Nature Reserve (an EU Special Area of Conservation); and the 15 ha of high canopy forest, including ancient woodland, at the University's Treborth Botanic Garden on the outskirts of the City of Bangor.

Further information

If you want to discuss this opportunity you are welcome to contact John Healey, Professor of Forest Sciences (j.healey@bangor.ac.uk ; https://www.bangor.ac.uk/natural-sciences/staff/john-healey/en ) or Professor Nia Whiteley, Head of the School of Natural Sciences (n.m.whiteley@bangor.ac.uk).

 

Purpose of the Job

We are seeking to appoint a full-time, permanent lecturer who will develop and complement our existing international reputation for excellence in forest sciences. The focus of the successful candidate's teaching and research at Bangor will be to use this expertise to advance scientific understanding of the world's forest resources to underpin their sustainable management and deliver on key international policy objectives.

The successful candidate will be expected to make a strong contribution to our existing ethos of collaborative research and teaching, team work and multi-disciplinarity. We place a high value on excellent interpersonal skills. They will enhance and complement our existing areas of expertise specifically in forestry but also across environmental, conservation and biological sciences. The post holder will develop a research programme in their specialist discipline that will attract external funding, and generate high-quality outputs, international recognition and impact. They will also be enthusiastic to make an important contribution to teaching the key subject of forest inventory, assessment and monitoring, and supervise student projects, at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. For this post a strong interest in engagement with external stakeholders will be key.

 

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Research, Supervision of postgraduate research and Outreach

1. Develop and maintain a research programme at the level of international excellence in terms of originality, significance and rigour.

2. Produce internationally-excellent research publications.

3. Develop collaborative research links within the School of Natural Sciences, the College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, and with external organisations. 4. Secure external research funding from UK research councils or other sources of similar prestige, and manage the resulting projects and research staff.

5. Supervise and examine the progress of postgraduate research students, and participate in the development of the postgraduate research programme across the College.

6. Contribute to "outreach" activities (linking to government, industry/enterprises, NGOs, forestry profession, local and wider communities, the wider public) as appropriate.

Teaching

1. Contribute to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, including the planning, preparation and delivery of lectures, practicals and tutorials, and participation in field courses, as specified by the Head of School. Respond effectively to a variety of student backgrounds, learning styles and class sizes.

2. Motivate students to proactive engagement in learning. Provide meaningful, constructive and timely feedback on the quality of their work, including the marking of formal assessments.

3. Assist in the development and delivery of the School's curricula, including new programmes, especially for degrees within the forestry subject area.

4. Keep up-to-date with new professional, educational and related social, economic and technological developments.

5. Maintain an excellent standard of teaching as indicated by peer observation, quality assessment, student feedback etc.

6. Supervise undergraduate and postgraduate student degree projects.

7. Act as personal tutor to undergraduate and postgraduate students.

8. Undertake examination, invigilation and open-day duties as appropriate.

Administrative duties will include:

1. Participate in the student recruitment and induction procedures of the School.

2. Contribute to the School's management, and participate in the administration of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

3. Undertake other administrative duties and responsibilities as directed by the Head of School.

 

Additional duties for Appointment at Grade 8

1. Produce a significant number of high quality international research publications. 2. Secure a significant amount of external grant capture.

3. Take a lead role in curriculum and teaching developments.

4. Carry out a higher level of management/ administrative duties.

 

Other Duties and Responsibilities

1. The post holder will be expected to participate in performance review and developmental activities.

2. The post holder will be expected to comply with the University's equality policies and statements, Dignity at Work and Study Policy and the University's Welsh Language Scheme.

3. The post holder has a general and legal duty of care in relation to health, safety and wellbeing, and must take all reasonable steps to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for themselves and for other members of staff, students and visitors affected by their actions or inactions. The post holder is also required to comply with all applicable health and safety policies, procedures and risk assessments.

4. The post holder must comply with relevant legal and financial policies and procedures and be aware of their responsibilities in terms of the legal requirements of their post.

 

Person Specification

Qualifications/Training

Essential

• PhD (or near completion) in environmental, ecological or forest sciences or a related subject, together with experience at a postdoctoral or equivalent level.

Desirable

• Experience of teaching small and large groups, and academic assessment of students.

Experience/Knowledge

Teaching
Essential

• Capability and enthusiasm to teach subjects relevant to forestry, including specifically forest inventory, assessment and monitoring, at appropriate levels for BSc and MSc courses, in a College committed to excellence in teaching.

Desirable

• • Experience of teaching practical ecological, environmental or forest science at University level through lectures, seminars, field practicals and computer applications
• Experience of module development and delivery in higher education
• Experience of supervising undergraduate and postgraduate student projects
• Experience of on-line or blended teaching
• A clear vision for the future of teaching in their subject area
• Awareness of teaching quality assurance issues
• Recognised achievement in quality teaching and curriculum development

Research
Essential

• Evidence of high quality research activity (e.g. publication in international peer-reviewed journals, participation in the submission of research grant applications, evidence of contributions to collaborative research programmes, giving presentations at international or national conferences), or be an early career researcher demonstrating high potential
• Up-to-date expertise in subject area(s) relevant to the post
• Capacity to successfully manage research projects

Desirable

• Recognised achievement in original research at an international level as evidenced by:
  1) Prizes, awards or other forms of external recognition
  2) Having played a substantial role in applications for external funding to support research
  3) Having a clear vision of their own ideas for future research in their subject area and a strategic appreciation of future funding opportunities
  4) Having the potential to obtain Research Council or other similarly competitive research funding
  5) Potential to make a strong contribution to collaborative, interdisciplinary research initiatives

Skills/Abilities
Essential

• Ability to articulate innovative and exciting approaches to teaching and research
• Demonstration of the ability to prioritise work load and work to deadlines
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and on their own initiative, with well-developed interpersonal skills, relevant to leading and engaging effectively with both students and academic, research, technical and administrative staff
• Excellent verbal and writing skills
• Demonstrable computer skills

Desirable

• Experience in using the statistical package "R" and other state-of-the-art modelling software, including that applicable to "big data"
• Experience of advanced use of GIS
• Evidence of pursuit of appropriate professional development opportunities
• Membership of a relevant professional body.
• The ability to communicate in Welsh is desirable for this role.  If applicants are not able to speak / write in Welsh at present, there are many opportunities to learn if the successful candidate wishes to do so.

Additional for Appointment at Grade 8:

Essential

Significant track record of original research as evidenced by:

1.  Excellent publications of international quality in refereed journals, either as a single or main author
2.  High-profile presentations at international conferences
3.  Prizes, awards or other forms of external recognition
4.  Success in obtaining external research grants and other funding, and a strategic appreciation of future funding              opportunities
5. A high level of interpersonal and communication skills
6. Recognised achievement in quality teaching and curriculum development evidenced by a Postgraduate
Certificate in Higher Education (PGCertHE) OR Recognised by the HEA as a Fellow / Recognised by Advance HE
as a Fellow against Descriptor 2 of the UKPSF.