Head of Department - Mechanical Engineering

The University of Bath is seeking a new Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering. This is an exceptional opportunity for a proven academic leader to mould the next chapter of success in this outstanding department which is ranked in the top 5 positions of all major UK league tables.

The University of Bath is a triple top-10 ranking University in the UK, well known for its excellence in both research and education. It is presently the Times and Sunday Times’ University of the Year 2023, the second time it has had this accolade in a decade. For two years running, the University of Bath has been ranked top in England in National Student Survey results. In terms of research, ‘research with impact’ is the key driver which underpins our University Strategy. The City of Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and a very special place to live and work.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is the largest department in the University, with a very proud record of research and education. Net-zero mobility, sustainable energy systems, digital manufacturing, engineering design and biomedical engineering are key research drivers. Undergraduate programmes offer specialisation in any of aerospace, automotive, integrated design, manufacturing and general mechanical engineering. Postgraduate Taught programmes cover automotive, engineering business management and zero-carbon futures. All taught programmes are very popular, and they attract high-ability students.

A crown in the jewel of Mechanical Engineering is the new £70m IAAPS facility on the Bath-Bristol Science Park. IAAPS offers unrivalled capability to lead us to clean mobility across various forms of transport. A very recent injection of another £5m for Green Hydrogen facilities has further extended its capabilities.

The Department is in a position of great strength, and we intend to build on this with this appointment. As Head, you’ll be responsible for positioning the department to respond to global challenges. You’ll lead our diverse community of staff and students drawn from over 60 nations and continue our progress towards gender equality and intersectionality recognised by our Sliver Athena SWAN award; you’ll nurture a culture of ambition, vision and collaboration; and you’ll join us in our quest to enthuse the next generation by making research and education exploratory, fun and centred on sustainability.

Already holding a professorial position and with an outstanding research and education track record to match the Department’s strengths, you will be a thought-leader with a vision for mechanical engineering as a discipline for the next five to ten years. You will be a proven, generous leader with experience of leading change matched with an ambition to lead the Department to even greater success in Mechanical Engineering.

This is a permanent post, and the position of Head of Department will be for five years. We are open to flexible working arrangements, proud to be a disability confident leader and happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments you may require. 

For more information about this role, please contact jacqueline.lau@gatenbysanderson.com or sophie.hester@gatenbysanderson.com who are managing this vacancy on our behalf.

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