Imperial College London, seeks to appoint a Professorial Chair in Technology Sectoral Analysis. The new Professor, who will be based in the Dyson School of Design Engineering, will serve as Co-Director of the recently established Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance (CSEP), alongside a Chair and Co-Director based in Imperial College Business School. The new Centre is a collaboration between Imperial College’s Business School and the Faculty of Engineering, funded by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation.
The Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance (CSEP) has been established to build a national resource to help ensure that the UK’s high-value science and technology-based industries are globally competitive in the 21st century. The mission of the Centre is ambitious. Objectives include the following.
- To help improve the competitiveness of the UK economy by focusing its research on the industries / sectors with the greatest potential for global success, and deepening knowledge on value generation, innovation, and productivity.
- Based on the research findings, engaging with influential audiences in industry, government and academia to develop implementable recommendations, strategies, and policies that result in value generation and societal equity.
- Become the go-to place for researching and advising on the readiness of UK industry to anticipate and accommodate forms of market and technological disruption.
The new Centre, which is a collaboration between Imperial College’s Business School and its Faculty of Engineering, has been made possible by generous support from the Gatsby Charitable Foundation. CSEP will bring together experts in engineering, economics, and management to work with other groups in Imperial College London and externally when appropriate. It will translate rigorous research into strategies and policies that address both company-level and national competitiveness.
Imperial College London is consistently rated amongst the world’s best universities and is currently ranked 2nd in the QS world rankings. Imperial is committed to developing the next generation of researchers, academics, innovators and business leaders through collaboration across disciplines, and making an impact on global challenges through translation into policy and practice.
Imperial has four academic faculties Engineering, Medicine, Natural Sciences and the Imperial College Business School, as well as a significant number of interdisciplinary research centres focusing on challenging world problems.
Imperial has a leadership model comprising the President, Professor Hugh Brady, and the Provost, Professor Ian Walmsley FRS.
Please refer to further particulars for more information about Imperial College.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: Professorial Chair in Technology Sectoral Analysis
Department/Division: Dyson School of Design Engineering
Faculty: Engineering
Campus location: South Kensington
Job Family/Level: Academic Job Family, Level Professor
Accountable to: Head of Department
Responsible to: Dean of the Faculty of Engineering
Key working relationship (Internal): CSEP Co-Director (Business School), CSEP Director of Engagement, Head of Department, Associate Dean (Research), Research Project Principal Investigators, Faculty Finance Officer and Finance team, Research Services team, Corporate Partnerships Manager, Advancement team, Marketing team, Events team, Web team, other Faculties’ research support staff
Key working relationship (external): CSEP Strategic Advisory Board, policymakers in the UK and overseas as appropriate, industry associations and other stakeholder bodies, international industry organisations, Research Councils and other funders; CSEP collaborators in other universities
Working hours: As reasonably necessary but normally not less than 35 hours per week
Contract type: Full-time Open-ended
Background of the post
We are seeking to appoint a second Co-Director for the new Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance (CSEP), to be affiliated with the Faculty of Engineering, working with the Co-Director based on the Imperial College Business School and the Centre Operations Manager. The two Co-Directors will have overall responsibility for delivering the Centre’s goals and objectives. They will also be responsible for the overall running of the Centre, its strategy development, guiding the development of new themes and projects, engaging in research translation activities, and monitoring Centre activities to ensure compliance with its governance processes. They will report to the Deans of the Faculty of Engineering and Imperial College Business School, and to the Centre’s Strategic Advisory Board.
The Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance
The UK has strengths in several high value-added science and technology sectors. However, key factors that support accelerated innovation and scale-up of emerging businesses have sometimes been neglected (such as skills, infrastructure, and financial and capital investment). There has also historically been a lack of emphasis on longer-term strategy in policy development and delivery. Addressing these challenges requires a deep understanding of the factors driving productivity, competitiveness, and gross value-added in a given sector. It also requires appropriate evidence-based response measures (regulatory, technology, market, IP, funding, skills, etc.) to be embedded within the policy debate and policy actions.
The objective of the Centre is to address these deficits by bringing together expertise from all branches of engineering, economics and management science, with the specific remit of building a national resource to help ensure that the UK’s high-value science and technology-based industries are globally competitive in the 21st century.
The Centre will work to translate rigorous research into strategies and policies that address both company-level and national competitiveness, with an emphasis on deepening knowledge in value generation, innovation, and productivity, as well as developing recommendations for action by influential audiences in industry, government, and academia.
The new Centre is a collaboration between Imperial College’s Business School and the Faculty of Engineering and builds on foundations established through recent sectoral studies conducted at Imperial College in the areas of biopharma, telecoms and medical devices, the fine chemicals industry.
Specifically, CSEP will focus on the factors and mechanisms that impede or support the development and growth of high-value UK industries by:
- conducting studies on key industry sectors and detailed research to generate new knowledge and actionable recommendations;
- promoting and fostering anticipatory regulatory responses to new disruptive technologies and keeping pace with technological innovation;
- supporting the co-development of technologies, business models, and policy and regulatory frameworks;
- providing a convening/coordinating and network-building function including industry, government, and academia.
The Centre will be national in scale, working together, not only with faculty at Imperial College London, but also with external partners across the UK and internationally (where appropriate).
The Dyson School of Design Engineering
The new Centre will occupy dedicated, state-of-the-art facilities in the Dyson School of Design Engineering, and the new Chair in Technology Sectoral Analysis will also serve as a Professor in the Dyson School of Design Engineering.
The Dyson School of Design Engineering is Imperial College London’s newest academic department. Building on decades of innovation and excellence in Design Engineering as part of the Faculty of Engineering, the Dyson School of Design Engineering was founded as a stand-alone entity in 2014. The School focuses on the co-design of engineering systems and behaviours, and brings together traditional engineering disciplines such as materials, electrical and electronic engineering, and computing science, with areas such as behavioural science, design thinking, ethics, and business model innovation, to foster creativity and rigour in a single engineering discipline.
Currently, the School offers a four-year MEng undergraduate programme in Design Engineering, as well as the world-renowned double-masters programmes in Innovation Design Engineering (IDE) run jointly with the Royal College of Art. The school will also launch three new programmes in 2024; on M.Res in Design Engineering, one M.Sc. in Design Engineering, and a Cleantech Innovation MSc that will be jointly delivered with the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment.
Research activity in the Dyson School spans several areas that include: sustainable and environmental design; design process; human factors; internet of things; digital health and wellbeing; smart mobility and smart cities; distributed ledger technology; innovation and entrepreneurship; nudging theory; advanced manufacturing; sharing and peer-to-peer economy analytics; responsible and ethical AI; AI governance; robotics; the Circular Economy; and design psychology; all of which underpin the Schools’ impact themes of Responsible AI, Sustainable Growth; Future Mobility as well as Health.
The School works closely with all other departments in the Faculty, and with Imperial College-wide networks including the Human Behaviour and Experience Network, the Robotics Forum, the Leonardo Centre, the Energy Futures Lab, and Imperial-X.
Information about the Faculty of Engineering
The Faculty of Engineering is led by Dean Professor Nigel Brandon OBE FREng FRS. The Faculty provides international leadership in engineering research and education and is widely recognised as a world-leading engineering school. The Faculty is home to 1,746 staff (421 academics, 828 researchers and 496 support staff) and 7,929 students (of whom around 1,700 are research students, spread across ten academics departments:
- Aeronautics;
- Bioengineering;
- Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology;
- Civil and Environmental Engineering;
- Computing;
- Design Engineering;
- Earth Science and Engineering;
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering;
- Materials;
- Mechanical Engineering,
These departments all consistently excel in prominent league table rankings. Our Faculty is unique in the UK in supporting world-class education and fundamental research across the full range of engineering disciplines. All ten of our academic departments are located in central London, giving a concentration of talent that creates a stimulating and vibrant research culture which promotes multidisciplinary collaborations and attracts internationally leading researchers and scholars.
THE POST – KEY RESULT AREAS, MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Co-Director of CSEP
The primary responsibility of the new Professorial Chair will be to serve as the Co-Director of the new Centre. In this context, applications are sought from outstanding academics with an Engineering background. The successful candidate will have a very strong track record in research leadership and scholarship, including (ideally) experience of managing major research international programmes and / or research centres. They should also have a leading track record of accomplishment in translating rigorous research into strategies and policies that address both company-level and national competitiveness, as well as influencing governmental policy. In addition to the characteristics to be detailed below, we are particularly interested in applicants with a strong track record of scholarship, ideally including experience of managing major R&D programmes or centres.
Professorial Chair, Dyson School of Design Engineering
The new Professorial Chair of Technology Sectoral Analysis will also serve as a Professor in the Dyson School of Design Engineering.
In this specific context, the successful candidate will be able to demonstrate not only an outstanding and world-leading international track record in areas pertaining to Design Engineering, but also the ability, curiosity, and strategic vision necessary to develop the new research directions and partnerships that will help establish the school as a global leader. In addition to outstanding records of accomplishment in areas of relevance to Design Engineering, candidates will be expected to complement and strengthen existing research and teaching activity in the School and be able to innovate to deliver very high quality research-informed teaching at doctoral level.
Appointees are also expected to develop into leading figures within the UK’s Research communities and beyond, building up and sustaining internationally important research teams, and interacting with industrial partners and other disciplinary areas within and outside the university.
Research
- Working with the other Co-Director, to lead and guide research on key economic sectors and industries, especially on issues relating to factors driving value creation and competitiveness, and / or innovation and scale-up of emerging technologies and businesses.
- To conduct collaborative research across public, private and academic sectors with a view to furthering the objectives of the CSEP.
- Working with the Director of Engagement, to lead and guide the translation of research into policy and business to deliver impact.
- To provide general research leadership in the Dyson School of Design Engineering and the CSEP.
- Working with the Co-Director, to be responsible for reporting to the Gatsby Foundation and other research sponsors as appropriate.
- To supervise, train and mentor research staff and students within the CSEP and the Dyson School of Design Engineering.
- To obtain funds and research grants as appropriate and to encourage and guide junior research staff to do the same and to manage research projects.
- To collaborate with and strengthen links with colleagues within the Faculty of Engineering and the Business School, and other Imperial Faculties as appropriate.
Education – Teaching and Training
- To teach and examine courses at all levels – undergraduate, masters and higher research degrees – through lectures, seminars, tutorials, course work and personal supervision.
- To supervise PhD candidates in the Faculty of Engineering.
- To provide pastoral support for students and post-doctoral researchers.
- To contribute to curriculum development of the Dyson School.
- In the context of the Dyson School, to work with national bodies on curriculum development and quality assurance.
Strategy and Business Planning
- To play an active part in the strategic planning of financial, staff and research resources in both the CSEP and the Dyson School.
- To represent CSEP, the Dyson School, Faculty and Imperial College at external meetings, as appropriate.
Leadership and Team Working
- To demonstrate excellent leadership skills with regard to individual performance, ethical conduct of research and duties, academic teams, the CSEP, the department, Faculty, Imperial College, and when participating in national/international initiatives.
- To resolve conflict and difficult situations through negotiation and discussion, involving appropriate parties.
- To adhere to College guidelines on leave including reporting absence.
Management and Administrative duties
- To lead, play an active part in or contribute to the management of financial, staff and research resources, in line with College policy and procedure.
- To undertake appropriate administrative tasks in support of the CSEP and department’s teaching and research activities.
- To attend relevant academic or management committees.
- To comply with Imperial College’s Equal Opportunities policy, Health and Safety policy and other Imperial College and departmental policies.
- To undertake other appropriate administrative duties commensurate with the grade of the post.
Staff Management
- To take responsibility for the appointment, management and development of Imperial College staff, in line with Imperial College policy and procedure.
- To participate in team objective setting as part of the annual job planning cycle.
- To be responsible for the annual review conversation (ARC) with staff who report to the post holder.
Annual Review Conversation (ARC)
The Annual Review Conversation (ARC) is an opportunity for staff to have a discussion with their line manager, focusing on everything they need to thrive at work. Building on regular one-to-ones, the conversation is designed to be meaningful and constructive, recognising ongoing contributions and planning for the future based on individual and departmental needs and aspirations. Staff are required to participate in these schemes when requested to do so by the Dean of the Faculty, Heads of Departments, and ARC are conducted on an annual basis in conjunction with the line manager.
Mentoring
The College will provide a mentor to the appointee through our Mentoring at Imperial scheme.
Imperial’s mentoring scheme is available to all job families and Faculties across the College and is a widely used development tool that has positively impacted effectiveness, confidence, and career advancement. At the heart of mentoring is a relationship based on trust and mutual regard where one colleague uses their expertise and knowledge to support the development of another colleague. Most mentoring occurs between senior and junior colleagues, although peer mentoring, where there are little or no differences in seniority, is also possible. The mentee is encouraged and challenged to achieve their potential and aspirations through one-to-one confidential conversations. It can be helpful at all stages of a career.
Office/administrative facilities/other
The post holder will have office facilities, including computer with internet access, and access to administrative support at South Kensington campus.
Imperial College is committed to equality of opportunity and to eliminating discrimination. All employees are expected to follow the Imperial Values & Behaviours framework. Our values are:
- Respect
- Collaboration
- Excellence
- Integrity
- Innovation
Employees are also required to comply with all College policies and regulations paying special attention to:
- Confidentiality
- Conflict of Interest
- Data Protection
- Equal Opportunities
- Financial Regulations
- Health and Safety
- Information Technology
- Smoking
- Private Engagements and Register of Interests
Salary and conditions of service
A full set of terms and conditions will be given to the successful candidate, together with Imperial College’s most important policies, which affect staff. We offer a competitive salary depending on the individual’s track record and academic standing.
The principal terms and conditions are as follow:
- The post will be at the Professor level of the Academic Job Family.
- Any salary increases or performance payments will be determined in accordance with procedures which govern senior academic staff.
- Annual cost of living increases will be determined by Imperial College through its local collective bargaining machinery.
- Salaries are payable on the 24th day of each month (the exception being December) by transfer to a bank or building society account. Deductions in respect of income tax and National Insurance contributions will be made from salaries at the statutory rates.
- Academic staff normally take annual leave during College vacations and by arrangement with the Head of Department in the light of academic and departmental requirements.
- Annual leave entitlement is 39 days for full time staff (pro rata entitlement for part time staff). This is inclusive of 8 days for Public holidays and a total of six days each year when Imperial College is closed over Easter and Christmas.
- In some years, because of the day of the week on which Christmas day falls, a decision may be made to increase Imperial College closure to seven days. In these circumstances the annual leave entitlement will be increased to 40 days for full-time staff (again pro-rata for part-time staff).
- At the beginning of the leave year staff will be required to allocate the appropriate number of days of their mandatory leave entitlement to cover Imperial College Closure days and Public holidays that fall within that leave year. For part-time staff the allocation should cover their normal working days that fall upon an Imperial College closure day, bank or public holiday during that leave year.
- The occupational pension scheme is the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS). Staff members who are already members of the Federated Superannuation System for Universities (FSSU) or the National Health Service Superannuation Scheme (NHSPS) may, if they are still eligible, retain their membership in these schemes.
- Unless stated otherwise in the offer of employment, or agreed by the head of department, the appointment may be terminated by either side by giving a minimum of three months’ notice in writing. For academic members of staff who wish to give notice of their intention to resign from Imperial College the last day of service should fall on one of the following dates: 31 December; 31 March; 30 June or 30 September or at the end of a term by agreement with the Head of Department.
- All staff have a probationary period of six months, with the exception of Assistant Professors, Non-Clinical Lecturers and Senior Lecturers (Clinical and Non-Clinical) who normally serve three years. Clinical Lecturers normally serve one year.
- Staff on a fixed term contract receive notice of the ending of their employment within that contract. No further contractual notice will be given unless the contract is to terminate prior to the end date specified in the offer of employment. In these circumstances the notice from Imperial College would be as above.
Total Remuneration Package
Our Total Remuneration Package (TRP) for staff is a key component of realising Imperial College’s strategic aim. The TRP is the overall package of pay, recognition, pensions and other benefits by which we compensate staff for their contributions to Imperial’s mission. Imperial College supports many initiatives to support staff in their personal life (flexible working, private health insurance, staff networks, support for staff, childcare and carers. Benefits to support an active lifestyle and health initiatives, such as cycle to work scheme, whereby you apply for an interest free loan for the purchase of a bicycle to encourage cycling to work for fitness.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Applicants will be assessed against the following person specifications, taking into account the level of the position for which they are applying:
E – Essential: Requirements without which the job could not be done.
D – Desirable: Requirements that would enable the candidate to perform the job well.
All of the following criteria are considered essential unless otherwise noted.
Education
- PhD in Engineering or related field or equivalent research/development and industry experience.
Knowledge and Experience
- An international reputation and expertise in any technology-based business sector.
- A very strong track record in research leadership and scholarship, including managing major research programmes and/or research centres. Desirable
- Experience in analysis of key technology-based sectors and industries, including issues relating to factors driving value creation and competitiveness, and / or innovation and scale-up of emerging technologies and businesses. Desirable
- Experience in working across business and engineering sectors, and conducting collaborative research across public, private and academic sectors.
- A good understanding of the UK policy and institutional environment and its implications for industry competitiveness. Desirable
- Experience of research translation into policy and business to deliver impact, and a strong track record of industry, government, policy engagement.
- An international experience and outlook.
- Evidence of contribution to the development and performance of colleagues through coaching and mentoring.
- Experience and capability to act as a role model in areas of research, teaching and management as appropriate Desirable.
- Evidence of management and administration experience.
Skills and Abilities
- Ability to communicate well, conveying ideas and concepts clearly and effectively.
- A high level of analytical capability.
- Ability to make a significant contribution to the management of a department. Desirable
- Proven skills in leading, motivating, developing and managing the performance of colleagues, ensuring effective team performance and development.
- Excellent leadership skills.
- Ability to work under pressure.
- Good organisational and management skills.
- Ability to lead a multidisciplinary team.
- Collaborative and able to build and sustain effective working relationships, both internally and externally.
Personal attributes for all levels
- A willingness to undertake any necessary training and development activities for the role.
- The understanding and vision required to contribute to the setting and delivery of strategic goals.
- A willingness to engage in collaborative research.
- A commitment to high-quality teaching and fostering a positive learning environment for students. Desirable
- A personal commitment to the vision and values of Imperial College, including high-quality teaching and research.
- Supportive and tolerant.
All employees are expected to adhere to the principles set out in its Equal Opportunities in Employment Policy, Promoting Race Equality Policy and all other relevant guidance/practice frameworks. They must also undertake specific training and assume responsibility for safety relevant to specific roles, as set out on the College Website Health and Safety Structure and Responsibilities page.
Job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, and the post-holder may be required to undertake other duties, which are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.
The College is a proud signatory to the San-Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions, we evaluate applicants on the quality of their work, not the journal impact factor where it is published. For more information, see www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-evaluation/
The College believes that the use of animals in research is vital to improve human and animal health and welfare. Animals may only be used in research programmes where their use is shown to be necessary for developing new treatments and making medical advances. Imperial is committed to ensuring that, in cases where this research is deemed essential, all animals in the College’s care are treated with full respect, and that all staff involved with this work show due consideration at every level: Find out more about animal research at Imperial.
We are committed to equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination and to creating an inclusive working environment for all. We therefore encourage candidates to apply irrespective of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion and belief, gender reassignment, sex, or sexual orientation. We are an Athena SWAN Silver Award winner, a Disability Confident Leader and a Stonewall Diversity Champion.
Imperial College London, seeks to appoint a Professor of Practice in Technology Sectoral Analysis. The new Professor, who will be based in the Dyson School of Design Engineering, will serve as Co-Director of the recently established Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance (CSEP), alongside a Chair and Co-Director based in Imperial College Business School. The new Centre is a collaboration between Imperial College’s Business School and the Faculty of Engineering, funded by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation.
The Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance (CSEP) has been established to build a national resource to help ensure that the UK’s high-value science and technology-based industries are globally competitive in the 21st century. The mission of the Centre is ambitious. Objectives include the following.
- To help improve the competitiveness of the UK economy by focusing its research on the industries / sectors with the greatest potential for global success, and deepening knowledge on value generation, innovation, and productivity.
- Based on the research findings, engaging with influential audiences in industry, government and academia to develop implementable recommendations, strategies, and policies that result in value generation and societal equity.
- Become the go-to place for researching and advising on the readiness of UK industry to anticipate and accommodate forms of market and technological disruption.
The new Centre, which is a collaboration between Imperial College’s Business School and its Faculty of Engineering, has been made possible by generous support from the Gatsby Charitable Foundation. CSEP will bring together experts in engineering, economics, and management to work with other groups in Imperial College London and externally when appropriate. It will translate rigorous research into strategies and policies that address both company-level and national competitiveness.
Imperial College London is consistently rated amongst the world’s best universities and is currently ranked 2nd in the QS world rankings. Imperial is committed to developing the next generation of researchers, academics, innovators and business leaders through collaboration across disciplines, and making an impact on global challenges through translation into policy and practice.
Imperial has four academic faculties – Engineering, Medicine, Natural Sciences and the Imperial College Business School, as well as a significant number of interdisciplinary research centres focusing on challenging world problems.
Imperial has a leadership model comprising the President, Professor Hugh Brady, and the Provost, Professor Ian Walmsley FRS.
Please refer to further particulars for more information about Imperial College.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: Professor of Practice in Technology Sectoral Analysis
Department/Division: Dyson School of Design Engineering
Faculty: Engineering
Campus location: South Kensington
Job Family/Level: Learning and Teaching Job Family, Level Professor of Practice
Accountable to: Head of Department
Responsible to: Dean of the Faculty of Engineering
Key working relationship (Internal): Head of Department, CSEP Operations Manager Vice Dean (Research), Research Project Principal Investigators, Faculty Finance Officer and Finance team, Research Services team, Corporate Partnerships Manager, Advancement team, Marketing team, Events team, Web team, other Faculties’ research support staff
Key working relationship (external): CSEP Strategic Advisory Board, policymakers in the UK, industry associations and other stakeholder bodies, international industry organisations, Research Councils and other funders; collaborators in other universities
Working hours: As reasonably necessary but normally not less than 35 hours per week
Contract type: Full-time, five years in the first instance
Background of the post
We are seeking to appoint a second Co-Director for the new Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance (CSEP), to be affiliated with the Faculty of Engineering, working with the Co-Director based on the Imperial College Business School and the Centre Operations Manager. The two Co-Directors will have overall responsibility for delivering the Centre’s goals and objectives. They will also be responsible for the overall running of the Centre, its strategy development, guiding the development of new themes and projects, engaging in research translation activities, and monitoring Centre activities to ensure compliance with its governance processes. They will report to the Deans of the Faculty of Engineering and Imperial College Business School, and to the Centre’s Strategic Advisory Board.
The Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance
The UK has strengths in several high value-added science and technology sectors. However, key factors that support accelerated innovation and scale-up of emerging businesses have sometimes been neglected (such as skills, infrastructure, and financial and capital investment). There has also historically been a lack of emphasis on longer-term strategy in policy development and delivery. Addressing these challenges for the future requires a deep understanding of the factors driving productivity, competitiveness, and gross value-added, in key UK sectors, as well as embedding appropriate evidence-based response measures (regulatory, technology, market, IP, funding, skills, etc.) within the policy debate and policy actions.
The objective of the Centre is to address these deficits by bringing together expertise from all branches of engineering, economics and management science, with the specific remit of building a national resource to help ensure that the UK’s high-value science and technology-based industries are globally competitive in the 21st century.
The Centre will work to develop strategies and policies that address both company-level and national competitiveness, with an emphasis on deepening knowledge in value generation, innovation, and productivity, as well as developing recommendations for action by influential audiences in industry, government, and academia.
The new Centre is a collaboration between Imperial College’s Business School and the Faculty of Engineering and builds on foundations established through recent sectoral studies conducted at Imperial College in the areas of biopharma, telecoms and medical devices, the fine chemicals industry.
Specifically, CSEP will focus on the factors and mechanisms that impede or support the development and growth of high-value UK industries by:
- conducting studies on key industry sectors and detailed research to generate new knowledge and actionable recommendations;
- promoting and fostering anticipatory regulatory responses to new disruptive technologies and keeping pace with technological innovation;
- supporting the co-development of technologies, business models, and policy and regulatory frameworks;
- providing a convening/coordinating and network-building function including industry, government, and academia.
The Centre will be national in scale, working together, not only with faculty at Imperial College London, but also with external partners across the UK and internationally (where appropriate).
The Dyson School of Design Engineering
The new Centre will occupy dedicated, state-of-the-art facilities in the Dyson School of Design Engineering, and the new Professor of Practice in Technology Sectoral Analysis will also serve as a Professor of Practice in the Dyson School of Design Engineering.
The Dyson School of Design Engineering is Imperial College London’s newest academic department. Building on decades of innovation and excellence in Design Engineering as part of the Faculty of Engineering, the Dyson School of Design Engineering was founded as a stand-alone entity in 2014. The School focuses on the co-design of engineering systems and behaviours, and brings together traditional engineering disciplines such as materials, electrical and electronic engineering, and computing science, with areas such as behavioural science, design thinking, ethics, and business model innovation, to foster creativity and rigour in a single engineering discipline.
Currently, the School offers a four-year MEng undergraduate programme in Design Engineering, as well as the world-renowned double-masters programmes in Innovation Design Engineering (IDE) run jointly with the Royal College of Art. The school will also launch three new programmes in 2024; on M.Res in Design Engineering, one M.Sc. in Design Engineering, and a Cleantech Innovation MSc that will be jointly delivered with the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment.
Research activity in the Dyson School spans several areas that include: sustainable and environmental design; design process; human factors; internet of things; digital health and wellbeing; smart mobility and smart cities; distributed ledger technology; innovation and entrepreneurship; nudging theory; advanced manufacturing; sharing and peer-to-peer economy analytics; responsible and ethical AI; AI governance; robotics; the Circular Economy; and design psychology; all of which underpin the Schools’ impact themes of Responsible AI, Sustainable Growth; Future Mobility as well as Health.
The School works closely with all other departments in the Faculty, and with Imperial College-wide networks including the Human Behaviour and Experience Network, the Robotics Forum, the Leonardo Centre, the Energy Futures Lab, and Imperial-X.
Information about the Faculty of Engineering
The Faculty of Engineering is led by Dean Professor Nigel Brandon OBE FREng FRS. The Faculty provides international leadership in engineering research and education and is widely recognised as a world-leading engineering school. The Faculty is home to 1,746 staff (421 academics, 828 researchers and 496 support staff) and 7,929 students (of whom around 1,700 are research students, spread across ten academics departments:
- Aeronautics;
- Bioengineering;
- Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology;
- Civil and Environmental Engineering;
- Computing;
- Design Engineering;
- Earth Science and Engineering;
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering;
- Materials;
- Mechanical Engineering,
These departments all consistently excel in prominent league table rankings. Our Faculty is unique in the UK in supporting world-class education and fundamental research across the full range of engineering disciplines. All ten of our academic departments are located in central London, giving a concentration of talent that creates a stimulating and vibrant research culture which promotes multidisciplinary collaborations and attracts internationally leading researchers and scholars.
THE POST – KEY RESULT AREAS, MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Co-Director of CSEP
The primary responsibility of the new Professor of Practice will be to serve as the Co-Director of new Centre. In this context applications are sought from outstanding candidates with significant experience of leadership in, or working with, industry, ideally across several technology sectors and in both the UK and internationally. We are particularly interested in candidates with a world-leading track record of accomplishment in developing strategies and policies that address both company-level and national competitiveness, as well as influencing governmental policy. In addition to the characteristics to be detailed below, we are particularly interested in applicants with a strong track record of scholarship, ideally including experience of managing major R&D programmes or centres.
Professor of Practice, Dyson School of Design Engineering
The successful candidate will also serve as a Professor of Practice in the Dyson School of Design Engineering.
In this specific context, the successful candidate will be able to demonstrate not only an outstanding and world leading international track record in areas pertaining to Design Engineering, but also the ability, curiosity, and strategic vision necessary to develop the new directions and partnerships that will help establish the school as a global leader.
Appointees are also expected to develop into leading figures within the UK’s academic communities and beyond, building up and sustaining internationally important teams, and interacting with industrial partners and other disciplinary areas within and outside the university.
Applicants applying for the position of Professor of Practice are expected to demonstrate an accomplished track record in one or more of the following areas (as stated in official College criteria):
Education
(as evidenced by, for example)
- Evidence of excellence in teaching delivery and/or innovative practice which has greatly enhanced and/or changed the nature of learning and teaching in the applicant’s field.
- Significant impact on the design and management of the curriculum and programmes within Imperial College or equivalent in another nationally or internationally renowned organisation.
- Strong evidence of national and international research into the effectiveness and validity of education programmes and curricula.
- Significant contribution to leadership in education within Imperial College or equivalent in another nationally or internationally renowned organisation.
- An impact on Imperial College’s reputation for excellence in education within the wider community or equivalent in another nationally or internationally renowned organisation.
Leadership and Management
(as evidenced by, for example)
- Leadership and/or development of initiatives relevant to the research, education or enterprise mission of a Faculty
- Experience delivering Board level business and / or executive capability and performance coaching.
- Experience setting up and / or leading and / or having a Director level role in a nationally or internationally renowned institute or centre in a field directly relevant to Imperial College and CSEP.
- Contribution to research and/or education and/or enterprise strategy of a Faculty, or outside Imperial but of relevance to the University
- Significant role in the recruitment of staff, their development and performance reviews promoting quality and equal opportunities
- An ambassadorial or change champion role, recognised locally, nationally, or internationally
- Contributions to important committees/working groups at Imperial College or equivalent organisation, nationally or internationally
Profession and Practice
(as evidenced by, for example)
- Evidence of a significant leadership role that has contributed to research, education or enterprise in areas that are part of the mission of Imperial College (e.g. new innovations; promoting translational practice; implementing improvements in clinical care, professional practice; impact on discipline or sector) or equivalent in another nationally or internationally renowned organisation.
- Significant leadership contribution to activities that have changed practice and contributed to the research, education, or enterprise in areas that are part of the mission of Imperial College (e.g. professional or clinical guidelines or review groups) or equivalent in another nationally or internationally renowned organisation.
- Organiser of significant national and international conferences
- Invited contributor to prestigious lectures, major reviews, expert witness investigations and national policy
- Contributions to outreach or public engagement that advances the understanding of the discipline and the mission of Imperial College
- Track record of output demonstrating leadership, university collaborations and/or innovation in a specific area of profession and/or practice
- Track record of income supporting leadership, innovation, university collaborations, in the area of profession and/or practice
- Significant contribution to papers that appear in high impact journals/prestigious conference proceedings relating to profession and practice
- Work on editorial boards, membership of national and international committees, election to prestigious institutions, the award of prizes or other indicators of esteem in the area of profession and/or practice
Policy Research
- To lead and guide policy work on key economic sectors and industries, including issues relating to factors driving value creation and competitiveness, and / or innovation and scale-up of emerging technologies and businesses.
- To conduct collaborative projects across public, private and academic sectors with a view to furthering the objectives of the CSEP.
- To translate results into policy and business to deliver impact, and a strong track record of industry, government, policy engagement.
- To provide leadership in the Dyson School of Design Engineering and the CSEP.
- To be responsible for reporting to the Gatsby Institute and research sponsors.
- To supervise, train and mentor staff and students within the CSEP and the Dyson School of Design Engineering.
- To collaborate with and strengthen links with colleagues within the Faculties of Engineering and Business and contribute to the work of the Faculties and College.
Education – Teaching and Training
- To help teach and examine courses at all levels – undergraduate, masters and higher research degrees – through lectures, seminars, tutorials, course work and personal supervision.
- To provide pastoral support for students and post-doctoral researchers.
- To contribute to curriculum development of the Dyson School.
- In the context of the Dyson School, to work with national bodies on curriculum development and quality assurance.
Strategy and Business Planning
- To play an active part in the strategic planning of financial, staff and resources in both the CSEP and the Dyson School.
- To represent the Centre, the Dyson School, Faculty and College at external meetings, as appropriate.
Leadership and Team Working
- To demonstrate excellent leadership skills with regard to individual performance, ethical conduct of research and duties, academic teams, the CSEP, the department, Faculty, College, and when participating in national/international initiatives.
- To resolve conflict and difficult situations through negotiation and discussion, involving appropriate parties.
- To adhere to College guidelines on leave including reporting absence.
Management and Administrative duties
- To undertake appropriate administrative tasks in support of the CSEP and department’s teaching and research activities.
- To attend relevant academic or management committees.
- To comply with Imperial College’s Equal Opportunities policy, Health and Safety policy and other College and departmental policies.
- To undertake other appropriate administrative duties commensurate with the grade of the post.
Staff Management
- To take responsibility for the appointment, management and development of College staff, in line with College policy and procedure.
- To participate in team objective setting as part of the annual job planning cycle.
- To be responsible for the annual review conversation (ARC) with staff who report to the post holder.
Annual Review Conversation (ARC)
The Annual Review Conversation (ARC) is an opportunity for staff to have a discussion with their line manager, focusing on everything they need to thrive at work. Building on regular one-to-ones, the conversation is designed to be meaningful and constructive, recognising ongoing contributions and planning for the future based on individual and departmental needs and aspirations. Staff are required to participate in these schemes when requested to do so by the Dean of the Faculty, Heads of Departments, and ARC are conducted on an annual basis in conjunction with the line manager.
Mentoring
The College will provide a mentor to the appointee through our Mentoring at Imperial scheme.
Imperial’s mentoring scheme is available to all job families and Faculties across the College and is a widely used development tool that has positively impacted effectiveness, confidence, and career advancement. At the heart of mentoring is a relationship based on trust and mutual regard where one colleague uses their expertise and knowledge to support the development of another colleague. Most mentoring occurs between senior and junior colleagues, although peer mentoring, where there are little or no differences in seniority, is also possible. The mentee is encouraged and challenged to achieve their potential and aspirations through one-to-one confidential conversations. It can be helpful at all stages of a career.
Office/administrative facilities/other
The post holder will have office facilities, including computer with internet access, and access to administrative support at South Kensington campus.
Imperial College is committed to equality of opportunity and to eliminating discrimination. All employees are expected to follow the Imperial Values & Behaviours framework. Our values are:
- Respect
- Collaboration
- Excellence
- Integrity
- Innovation
Employees are also required to comply with all College policies and regulations paying special attention to:
- Confidentiality
- Conflict of Interest
- Data Protection
- Equal Opportunities
- Financial Regulations
- Health and Safety
- Information Technology
- Smoking
- Private Engagements and Register of Interests
Salary and conditions of service
A full set of terms and conditions will be given to the successful candidate, together with Imperial College’s most important policies, which affect staff. We offer a competitive salary depending on the individual’s track record and academic standing.
The principal terms and conditions are as follow:
- The post will be at the Professor of Practice level of the Teaching Job Family.
- Any salary increases or performance payments will be determined in accordance with procedures which govern senior academic staff.
- Annual cost of living increases will be determined by Imperial College through its local collective bargaining machinery.
- Salaries are payable on the 24th day of each month (the exception being December) by transfer to a bank or building society account. Deductions in respect of income tax and National Insurance contributions will be made from salaries at the statutory rates.
- Academic staff normally take annual leave during College vacations and by arrangement with the Head of Department in the light of academic and departmental requirements.
- Annual leave entitlement is 39 days for full time staff (pro rata entitlement for part time staff). This is inclusive of 8 days for Public holidays and a total of six days each year when Imperial College is closed over Easter and Christmas.
- In some years, because of the day of the week on which Christmas day falls, a decision may be made to increase Imperial College closure to seven days. In these circumstances the annual leave entitlement will be increased to 40 days for full-time staff (again pro-rata for part-time staff).
- At the beginning of the leave year staff will be required to allocate the appropriate number of days of their mandatory leave entitlement to cover Imperial College Closure days and Public holidays that fall within that leave year. For part-time staff the allocation should cover their normal working days that fall upon an Imperial College closure day, bank or public holiday during that leave year.
- The occupational pension scheme is the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS). Staff members who are already members of the Federated Superannuation System for Universities (FSSU) or the National Health Service Superannuation Scheme (NHSPS) may, if they are still eligible, retain their membership in these schemes.
- Unless stated otherwise in the offer of employment, or agreed by the head of department, the appointment may be terminated by either side by giving a minimum of three months’ notice in writing. For academic members of staff who wish to give notice of their intention to resign from Imperial College the last day of service should fall on one of the following dates: 31 December; 31 March; 30 June or 30 September or at the end of a term by agreement with the Head of Department.
- All staff have a probationary period of six months, with the exception of Assistant Professors, Non-Clinical Lecturers and Senior Lecturers (Clinical and Non-Clinical) who normally serve three years. Clinical Lecturers normally serve one year.
- Staff on a fixed term contract receive notice of the ending of their employment within that contract. No further contractual notice will be given unless the contract is to terminate prior to the end date specified in the offer of employment. In these circumstances the notice from Imperial College would be as above.
Total Remuneration Package
Our Total Remuneration Package (TRP) for staff is a key component of realising Imperial College’s strategic aim. The TRP is the overall package of pay, recognition, pensions and other benefits by which we compensate staff for their contributions to Imperial’s mission. Imperial College supports many initiatives to support staff in their personal life (flexible working, private health insurance, staff networks, support for staff, childcare and carers. Benefits to support an active lifestyle and health initiatives, such as cycle to work scheme, whereby you apply for an interest free loan for the purchase of a bicycle to encourage cycling to work for fitness.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Applicants will be assessed against the following person specifications, taking into account the level of the position for which they are applying:
E – Essential: Requirements without which the job could not be done.
D – Desirable: Requirements that would enable the candidate to perform the job well.
All of the following criteria are considered essential unless otherwise noted.
Education
- PhD in Engineering or related field or equivalent research/development and industry experience. Desirable
Knowledge and Experience
- An international reputation and expertise in any technology-based business sector E
A strong track record in leadership, including managing major technology R&D programmes and/or centres.
- Experience in analysis of key economic sectors and industries, including issues relating to factors driving value creation and competitiveness, and / or innovation and scale-up of emerging technologies and businesses. Desirable
- Experience in working across business and engineering sectors, and conducting collaborative research across public, private and academic sectors.
- A good understanding of the UK policy and institutional environment and its implications for industry competitiveness. Desirable
- Experience of policy translation and a strong track record of industry, government, policy engagement. Desirable
- An international experience and outlook.
- Evidence of contribution to the development and performance of colleagues through coaching or mentoring. Desirable
- Experience and capability to act as a role model in areas of teaching and management as appropriate. Desirable
- Evidence of management and administration experience.
Skills and Abilities
- Ability to communicate well, conveying ideas and concepts clearly and effectively.
- A high level of analytical capability.
- Ability to make a significant contribution to the management of a department. Desirable
- Proven skills in leading, motivating, developing and managing the performance of colleagues, ensuring effective team performance and development.
- Excellent leadership skills.
- Ability to work under pressure.
- Good organisational and management skills.
- Ability to lead a multidisciplinary team.
- Collaborative and able to build and sustain effective working relationships, both internally and externally.
Personal attributes for all levels
- A willingness to undertake any necessary training and development activities for the role.
- The understanding and vision required to contribute to the setting and delivery of strategic goals.
- A willingness to engage in collaborative research.
- A commitment to high quality teaching and fostering a positive learning environment for students. Desirable
- A personal commitment to the vision and values of Imperial College, including high quality teaching and research.
- Supportive and tolerant.
All employees are expected to adhere to the principles set out in its Equal Opportunities in Employment Policy, Promoting Race Equality Policy and all other relevant guidance/practice frameworks. They must also undertake specific training and assume responsibility for safety relevant to specific roles, as set out on the College Website Health and Safety Structure and Responsibilities page.
Job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, and the post-holder may be required to undertake other duties, which are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.
The College is a proud signatory to the San-Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions, we evaluate applicants on the quality of their work, not the journal impact factor where it is published. For more information, see www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-evaluation/
The College believes that the use of animals in research is vital to improve human and animal health and welfare. Animals may only be used in research programmes where their use is shown to be necessary for developing new treatments and making medical advances. Imperial is committed to ensuring that, in cases where this research is deemed essential, all animals in the College’s care are treated with full respect, and that all staff involved with this work show due consideration at every level: Find out more about animal research at Imperial.
We are committed to equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination and to creating an inclusive working environment for all. We therefore encourage candidates to apply irrespective of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion and belief, gender reassignment, sex, or sexual orientation. We are an Athena SWAN Silver Award winner, a Disability Confident Leader and a Stonewall Diversity Champion.
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