University Fellow

Description:

The School of Arts, Media & Creative Technology at the University of Salford is seeking two experienced design researchers at a senior researcher level to expand its internationally recognised research in Transdisciplinary, Human-Centred Design Innovation.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic team of accomplished. researchers, led by Professor Caroline Davey and Andrew Wootton, delivering high-impact research addressing societal challenges. Working across Europe, you will drive success in collaborative projects with other academic disciplines, public and private sector end-users and policymakers.

For two decades, the Design Against Crime Solution Centre has delivered collaborative research across Europe, recently leading the EU Horizon2020 Cutting Crime Impact (CCI) project. The Solution Centre focuses on research of real-world, practical impact — such as the award-winning ProtectED initiative addressing student safety, security and wellbeing, which was spun out as a Community Interest Company. Currently delivering the EU-funded IcARUS project on innovative approaches to urban security, the Solution Centre will shortly begin the Horizon Europe Engage2innovate (E2i) project, which seeks to improve the implementation and impact of European security research using human-centred design principles.

As a successful candidate, you will have substantial design research experience in, for example, product design; service design; system design; or communications design. You will be naturally curious and a critical thinker, able to work well in a team and communicate effectively with practitioner partners in the private and public sectors. Both intuitive and analytical, you will have a strong aesthetic ability, be practically-minded — being business- and tech-savvy — and be committed to delivering impact. If you aspire to advance the field of design innovation through critical inquiry and practical impact, this is the post for you — please apply!

Background

Building on the University's strong REF2021 performance, and in support of our new Innovation Strategy, the University of Salford is making a major new investment in outstanding early career researchers. These two posts form part of a larger group of 20 University Fellows being recruited across our four Schools. These are prestigious appointments aimed at fostering world-leading research and innovation in a supportive and nurturing environment.

Successful applicants will be supported in building an outstanding track record of research, innovation and impact. They will complement and extend research within the School's design research portfolio; building novel activity. They will have a vision for their future leadership in design research, developing new partnerships with public, private and third sector organisations, and innovating in research-led teaching. University Fellows will focus on research in the first two years and, over time, will take up an increasing portfolio of core academic activities, including curriculum development, teaching and academic leadership