Assistant/Associate Professor in the Soil Microbiome

The Department of Engineering at Durham University is continuing an exciting period of strategic growth and seeks to appoint a talented individual to the role of Assistant/Associate Professor in the Soil Microbiome. We welcome applications from those with research and teaching interests in the broad field of environmental engineering or biosciences, and are particularly eager to hear from candidates with interests in experimental microbiome research. They will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to a collegiate and proactive approach to working with colleagues across the Department and University.

The role will concentrate on research for the first three years, after which successful candidates will also be actively involved in research-led engineering education.  The successful candidate will join the SMART (Soil Microbiome Augmentation and Restoration Technologies) Soils team, led by Professor Karen Johnson, in the Department of Engineering. There are seven new posts being created across the University in 2025. Durham University is investing in SMART Soils through this cross-Faculty initiative in recognition of the need for a revolution in the way we work with soils in order to address the global challenges facing the environment, and help us deliver a just transition to a more sustainable future. The Departments of Sociology (Professor Tiago Moreira) and Biosciences (Dr Stephen Chivasa) are also part of the SMART Soils project at Durham. Our ambition is to be a world-leading Institute of Living Soils by 2030.

SMART Soils is built on the understanding that soil is a living ecosystem with its microbiome key to its life-giving properties. Working with the soil microbiome, in both rural and urban environments, instead of against it, enables multiple co-benefits including carbon and water storage and better human and planetary health. Our vision requires not only a societal shift in our attitudes, behaviour and comprehension of soils but technological advances underpinned by digital innovation that allow us to put soil at the heart of a circular economy.

This is an exciting opportunity to join an expanding, unified Engineering Department which is recognised as one of the very best in the UK, with a reputation for excellence in teaching, research and employability of our graduates. The University is in the QS Top 100, and the Department itself is ranked 6th in both the 2025 Times and Guardian tables and 4th in the Complete University Guide 2025. In the REF2021 exercise, 95% of our Engineering outputs were graded 3* or 4*, and the Department is committed to an ethos of research-led and industrially-relevant education at all levels of our taught programmes.  We are a scholarly community that is open, representative and diverse: our commitment to this is expressed through work of the Department’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Group, and our Athena Swan Silver award.

The Department of Engineering demonstrates significant depth of research excellence across a range of disciplines, with activities that are currently concentrated around three Research Challenge areas: Sustainable Infrastructure, Future Energy Systems and Advanced Materials, Electronics and Communications. Thematically, our research is split into eight Research Nodes which group together our day-to-day activities and expertise. We are particularly proud of the collaborative interdisciplinary nature of our research, which also includes strong industrial partnerships. 

If not already professionally qualified, candidates will be expected to demonstrate the ability and desire to become so.

Working arrangements: Full Time (we will consider requests for flexible working arrangements)

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