Further details:
Lecturer in Medical Microbiology
We are seeking an outstanding scientist with an established research reputation in any
area of medical microbiology, and the potential to sustain this through securing external
funding at Bath. We encourage applications from individuals interested in any aspect of
medical microbiology, including - but not limited to - genomics, host-pathogen
interactions, immunity and antibiotic resistance. Applicants working in areas of interest to
existing staff, such as molecular epidemiology, genome-wide association studies, fungal
pathogens and the interaction between pathogens and the innate immune response are
particularly welcome. An interest in collaborating with academics in the Department, its
associated research centres, in the Faculty of Science and University more widely, as
well as with clinical and other collaborators elsewhere, is desirable, to gain maximum
advantage from interdisciplinary research.
Applicants should submit their CV, future research plans, and their strategy for obtaining
external funding to support this research.
The Department of Biology and Biochemistry is ranked 2nd in The Sunday Times
University Guide 2013 Biology subject league table, and consistently receives very high
student satisfaction in the NSS. With 46 academic staff our research is diverse and in
the Research Assessment Exercise 2008, 90% of our research was judged to be
internationally recognised, excellent or world-leading. We publish approximately 125
papers each year in peer reviewed journals and our current research grant portfolio
exceeds £13.5 million. We have over 80 full time postgraduate students.
Four Interdisciplinary Centres link activities to labs in other departments. These are the
Centre for Regenerative Medicine (developmental biology, stem cell biology, tissue
engineering; http://www.bath.ac.uk/crm/), Cancer Research at Bath (CR@B)
(http://people.bath.ac.uk/lc287/CancerResearch.html), the Centre for Extremophile
Research
(chemistry
and
biochemistry
of
enzymes
from
archaea;
http://www.bath.ac.uk/cer/) and the Centre for Mathematical Biology (evolution and
population biology; http://www.bath.ac.uk/cmb/). There are, in addition, close informal
relations with the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology which also undertakes
significant life science research.
The Department consists of two adjacent buildings well equipped for modern Life
Science research. Building 4 South was completely refurbished in 1997, and Building 3
South was newly built in 2004. The Department has been recently re-equipped with
growth facilities including Xenopus and zebrafish aquaria, six insectaries, three plant
growth rooms and a cooled GM glasshouse. A state of the art biosciences services unit
was opened in 2008. A new tissue engineering laboratory has recently been
commissioned. Other Departmental facilities include protein expression and purification,
a crystallisation robot, X-ray crystallography, stopped-flow spectrofluorimetery, histology
lab, fluorescent microscopes, optical tomography, virus preparation laboratory and
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phosphorimaging. Also available at close proximity are a 600 MHz NMR facility and the
Microscopy and Analysis Suite (http://www.bath.ac.uk/mas/) including an electron
microscope suite, and the Bio-imaging Suite, comprising confocal microscopes, high
content microscope and a fluorescence activated cell sorter, Concorde calcium imaging
system and Mesoscale multi-analyte instrument.
The Department of Biology and Biochemistry currently offers undergraduate degrees in
Biology, Molecular and Cellular Biology and Biochemistry. The successful applicant will
play a key role in the provision of our new Biomedical Sciences degree program as well
as contributing to the other degrees. There is a total annual intake of about 220
undergraduates. Approximately two thirds of our undergraduates are on placement
degrees where they spend one year gaining experience in external host organisations
before entering their final year. The Department also runs MRes and MSc degrees in a
range of life science subjects, with a total annual intake of over 50 students.
The University has a well-developed technology transfer system that can assist with
patent applications, contracts, licensing arrangements and formation of spin-out
companies. Bath Ventures administers the £9M University Challenge Fund for the
Universities of Bath, Bristol and Southampton. This fund can provide small grants for
consultancy services to establish business plans, and larger grants as the first stage in
commercialisation of a new idea, prior to seeking more substantial funding from
business angels or venture funds.
The city of Bath is well known as one of the most beautiful in the UK. It was among the
first three cities to be awarded UN “World heritage” status, along with Florence and
Venice. The surrounding counties of Wiltshire and Somerset contain much spectacular
scenery and many attractive villages and market towns.
The University of Bath is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We strongly value diversity
among our students, staff, and faculty, and welcome applications from women and
members of minority groups.
Informal enquiries may be made in complete confidence to the Head of Department,
Prof. Rod Scott (email bssrjs@bath.ac.uk).
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Job Description
Job title:
Lecturer in Medical Microbiology
Department:
Biology & Biochemistry
Responsible to:
Head of Department
Location:
4 South
Purpose of the job:





Lead and sustain a first class independent research programme in medical
microbiology
Obtain external funding to support this research programme
Develop effective research collaborations within the Department, the
University, and with the wider scientific community
Contribute to the delivery and development of undergraduate and
postgraduate teaching as required by the Head of Department
Contribute to management and leadership activities of the Department as
required by the Head of Department
Duties and Responsibilities:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Lead and sustain a first class research programme
Secure external research grant income
Recruit and supervise PhD students
Publish in high quality peer-reviewed journals
Develop and maintain an external reputation through activities such as
refereeing, conference presentations, conference organisation, professional
body activities and engaging with public understanding of science
6. Contribute to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in the Department
with special focus on the BSc Biomedical Sciences degree; including
lecturing, workshops, tutorials, project supervision and laboratory classes as
well as associated examining duties
7. Undertake management and leadership responsibilities within the Department
and to serve on Department and University Committees as requested by the
Head of Department
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Responsible for:
Research laboratory and associated equipment and facilities. Undergraduate
project students, postgraduate students and postdoctoral research staff
employed on research contracts. Budget control for externally funded research
contracts.
Person Specification
Criteria
Qualifications
PhD in a relevant discipline
Experience/Knowledge
Strong record of achievement in original research
and clear potential to sustain this
Strong potential for a high quality submission to
any future national research assessment
exercise
Record of attracting research funding
Strong publication record in high quality, peer
reviewed journals
Record of successful supervision of research
students, and research staff
Capable of leadership in teaching
Engagement with the national and international
research community
Skills
An inspiring teacher with broad interests across
the subject area at undergraduate and
postgraduate levels
Leadership, organisational and administrative
skills
Excellent verbal, interpersonal and written
communication skills
Attributes
Ability to attract research grant support
Commitment to working within University
procedures
Ability to interact productively with research
colleagues within and outside the organisation
Commitment to safe working practices
Essential
Desirable
Assessed by
AF I
T
Yes
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Yes
X
Yes
X
X
Yes
X
X
Yes
X
X
Yes
Yes
X
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X
Yes
X
X
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Yes
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Yes
Yes
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Yes
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Yes
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Yes
Yes
Code: A/F – Application form, I – Interview, T – Test
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General Information for Candidates for Appointment
The University of Bath, which can trace its history back to the Bristol Trade School of the
1850s, received its Royal Charter in 1966. The University has in excess of 9000 fulltime equivalent students, studying for degrees in Science, Engineering, Management,
Health and Humanities and Social Sciences, and has established itself as one of the
most highly-rated universities in the United Kingdom. It attracts very highly qualified
students and promotes the relevance of its courses to the needs of potential employers.
Two-thirds of its undergraduate students are on four or five year courses which include
periods spent on external placement. The University's record of excellence in teaching,
research and sound internal management has been rewarded in the continuing support
it has received from funding bodies, industry and commerce, and has earned it
recognition as one of the United Kingdom’s leading institutions of higher education.
The academic structure of the University is as follows:
Faculty of Engineering and Design
Architecture and Civil Engineering; Chemical Engineering;
Electronic and Electrical Engineering; Mechanical Engineering
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Economics and International Development; Education
European Studies and Modern Languages; Psychology
Social and Policy Sciences.
Faculty of Science
Biology and Biochemistry; Chemistry;
Computer Science; Mathematical Sciences;
Pharmacy and Pharmacology; Physics
School of Management
Department for Health
Several departments have developed their own self-financing centres for research and
short courses. The University has an enviable reputation for the standard of its intake,
its graduate employment record, its research, and its location on the edge of a World
Heritage site.
As presently established, the University employs about 2,500 staff, and has an annual
turnover exceeding £100 million. Considerable use is made of computerised systems
covering many administrative procedures including financial reporting and budgetary
control, student records, human resources, and the planning and resourcing processes.
Future Development
In addition to its national and international roles, the University has a growing regional
importance as the chosen partner for the development of higher education in Swindon
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and Wiltshire. In 1997 the University of Bath was invited to become the major provider
of higher education in Swindon and Wiltshire. The first step was to establish
collaborative links with Further Education Colleges. The next was to lease the Oakfield
site as the first of its Swindon campuses. It came into operation in September 2000. The
University is now bringing forward a range of activities, which together will make for a
high quality, innovative development.
Location and Facilities
The University is based on a fine downland site of about 200 acres at Claverton Down,
less than two miles south-east of the city centre. The University has been developed on
this site over the last forty years, so that all the buildings are relatively new and have
been designed or refurbished to modern standards. Physical working conditions are
generally pleasant, with many buildings commanding attractive views. The facilities on
campus include a grocery shop, newsagent, post office and bookshop, and subbranches of three banks. There is also a medical centre and dental practice, while those
with sporting and other social interests will find a variety of clubs and societies open to
them. The University has extensively revamped its Creative Arts provision and the
English Institute of Sport in the South West is now based at the University in extensive
new facilities.
In addition to those buildings used for teaching and for administration, there are
residential buildings on campus in which approximately 2150 students reside. Around
five hundred residential places are located in the city. Full-time members of staff may
apply to become resident Tutors within the on- or off-campus residences – further details
are available from the Department of Human Resources.
Westwood Nursery, which is on site at Claverton Down, offers competitively priced
nursery care for babies and children of staff and students from the age of 6 months until
they start school. The nursery is open throughout the year and children may attend on a
full or part time basis. Places are of course subject to availability and there are long
waiting lists for some age groups – you are encouraged to contact the Nursery for up to
date information. For children of primary school age the University play-scheme aims to
organise provision during some half terms and other holidays.
Appointments in the University are offered subject to the University receiving a
satisfactory report on your health from the University’s Occupational Health Service.
This is normally undertaken on the basis of a review of a confidential medical
questionnaire. Smoking of any kind is prohibited in all University buildings, with the
exception of some bar and residential areas.
The City of Bath is recognised as being architecturally one of the finest in Europe and is
a very pleasant place in which to live. The communications network is good. Trains run
at least every hour to London and the fastest journey time is about 1 hour 15 minutes.
The M4 motorway runs 10 miles north of Bath and provides a convenient road network
to London, the Midlands, Wales and South West England.
Further information
Please visit our website at www.bath.ac.uk.
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