Professor & Head of Brunel Department of Engineering - 16737

Academic role, Full Time Permanent; Head of Department role - 4 years

The College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences (CEDPS) is seeking to appoint a Head of Department for the Brunel Department of Engineering on the professorial pay scale. Candidates for the post must have a proven track record in successful leadership and management of a research-intensive academic community in an interdisciplinary environment, with a substantial commitment to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. Candidates will have a proven ability to drive and implement change and a demonstrable record of collaborative working.

Brunel is a global leader in engineering research and education. Since its founding, engineering has been at the heart of Brunel University of London. One that supports a sustainable and thriving society and transforms students into leaders and change-makers in building a fair, healthy and equitable future for all. Brunel Department of Engineering in CEDPS was recently formed by merging the previous four departments of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, and Civil and Environmental Engineering to create a department with a critical mass to compete at the highest national and world stages. It has a wide portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate taught and research programmes and is active in delivering transnational education. The department has a thriving research culture with substantial research facilities supporting the delivery of world leading impactful research supported by various public funding bodies and industry.

The successful candidate will provide inspirational leadership to a diverse body of academic staff. Demonstrating the ability to foster partnerships with industry and applied researchers from other disciplines is a requirement. Hence, it is essential for the candidate to demonstrate significant experience of working with industry and using underpinning engineering concepts to solve real-world problems, in line with the university’s ethos. Developing industry links and understanding the relevance of academic activities to the wider world is welcomed. The successful candidate will have assessable research outputs for REF 2029, both as journal outputs on a 3*/4* REF level and/or Impact Case Studies.

We welcome applicants who are female or who are from other under-represented groups within the field of Engineering Research and Higher Education. However, this role is open to all and the position will be awarded to the best candidate. The role of Head of Brunel Department of Engineering will be for four years from appointment; at the end of the term the post-holder will either revert to a substantive post in the Department or continue for a second term as Head of Department by mutual agreement with the University.

Closing Date for applications: 28 March 2026.

For further details please contact: abdulnaser.sayma@brunel.ac.uk.

If you have any technical issues please contact us at: hrsystems@brunel.ac.uk.

For further details about the post including the Job Description and Person Specification and to apply please click the 'Apply' button.

Brunel University of London is fully committed to creating and sustaining a fully inclusive workforce culture. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and communities; we particularly welcome applicants who are currently under- represented in our workforce.

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