Professor / Associate Professor in Allied Health (Physiotherapy or Occupational Therapy)

The School of Health Sciences at the University of Southampton is offering a unique opportunity for an Allied Health Professional (AHP) academic leader to join the Active Living Research Group as a Professor/Associate Professor. The Active Living Research group (co-led by Professor Catherine Bowen and Professor Maggie Donovan-Hall) is a multidisciplinary research team whose research activities aim to enable lifelong active living.

Candidates must demonstrate excellence in conducting innovative and impactful research, and should have a national and international profile, including a proven track record of attracting competitive funding with associated outputs, as well as the ambition and potential to secure significant research funding.

The successful applicant will be expected to engage and lead education activities associated with the School of Health Sciences portfolio of undergraduate and post-graduate programmes. This includes BSc (hons) Physiotherapy or Occupational Therapy programmes, and/or post-graduate programmes in AHP Advanced Clinical Practice.

The post is offered on a permanent basis, a proposed start date of 1 August 2025. The ideal candidate will be an academic leader with a proven track record of research, enterprise, and education in Allied Health and meets the following person specifications:

• Proven ability to lead major competitively funded research projects.
• Portfolio of internationally recognised research in topics allied to the Active Living Research Group and AHP practice.
• Track record of national and international collaborations evidenced by a significant track record of world leading publications.
• Track record of impactful knowledge exchange and/or enterprise.
• Evidence of leadership capability and ability to attract and develop talented researchers into the field.
• A track record of supervising PhD's to completion and post-doctoral staff mentorship.
• Experience of teaching in AHP courses and commitment to delivering excellence in education at undergraduate and post-graduate level.
• Be committed to working within professional and ethical codes of conduct and contributing to the strategic leadership of the School in alignment with the University’s Triple Helix strategy

The School of Health Sciences in the Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences is internationally acknowledged as a leading centre for research in Nursing, AHP and Health Sciences in the UK. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF2021) exercise, Health Sciences was ranked number one institution in the UK for overall quality of our research. Our research/ research environment received the maximum possible scores with 100% judged as world leading. Our Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy programmes are ranked number two and four in the league tables (Complete University Guide; Times University Guide 2025).

Our School has an excellent track record in nurturing academic AHPs across the entire career trajectory from pre-doctoral to senior investigator. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds who are committed to helping us create an inclusive work environment.  

The appointed candidate will be offered a financial package that is commensurate with their experience and the seniority of their new role. Assistance with relocation costs may be available for eligible appointees. Reimbursement of eligible visa costs may also be provided.

For informal inquiries about this post, please contact Dr Ruth Turk, Head of Department, (R.Turk@soton.ac.uk) or Professor Catherine Bowen, Active Living Research Group Lead, (c.j.bowen@soton.ac.uk).

Your application cover letter should indicate if you are applying for the Associate Professor or Professor role. Interview dates: 14/2/25 (AP); 21/2/25 (Prof).

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