Senior Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering

Established in 1951 and ranked in the top 1% of universities worldwide*, Australia’s University of Wollongong is a global brand with international campuses in Dubai, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

University of Wollongong Dubai (UOWD) offers over 40 internationally recognised bachelor's and master's degrees spanning 10 in-demand industry sectors. All of our degree courses are accredited by the UAE Ministry of Education’s Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) and licensed by Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), as well as being recognised by leading professional organisations such as AACSB, ACCA, ACS, CIM, CIPD, CPA, Engineers Australia, PMI, and others.

The first internationally accredited Australian university in the UAE, we are the education gateway of choice for over 3,500 students, representing 100+ nationalities. Our global community of 152,000 alumni are pursuing career goals with respected blue-chip companies and industry giants such as 3M, ADCB, Adidas, Amazon, Deloitte, Emirates, FedEx, GE, IBM, Microsoft and Pepsico. Additionally, research reveals that 83%** of fresh graduates are employed within six months of graduation.

Life at UOWD is rooted in the continued pursuit of excellence through teaching, research and industry engagement, with the student experience at its heart. Our 200,000-square-foot campus at Dubai Knowledge Park features access to cutting-edge technologies and a mix of traditional and innovative learning spaces, all housed in a vibrant modern setting that promises to deliver an enriched learning experience for our students. Located strategically near the Palm and the Burj Khalifa, the University benefits from the huge investment and innovation opportunities the city is known for globally.

*QS World University Rankings 2024**Data from the Graduate Destination Survey 2017 to 2021

About the School of Engineering

The School of Engineering at the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) brings together high-quality engineering education, research and industry engagement in a collaborative, multidisciplinary academic environment. The School is committed to preparing students for contemporary engineering practice through rigorous academic foundations, practical and laboratory-based learning, and increasing integration of computational modelling and data-driven approaches. Academic staff contribute not only to teaching and research, but also to curriculum development, industry collaboration and academic governance within an environment shaped by national and international accreditation requirements, including Engineers Australia and the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA). The School also encourages research and industry partnerships that address emerging engineering challenges, including sustainability, resilient infrastructure and technological transformation.

About the Role

The University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) is seeking an accomplished and forward-thinking academic to join the School of Engineering as Senior Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering.

This is a significant academic appointment combining undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, research leadership, postgraduate supervision, industry engagement and academic service. The successful candidate will deliver high-quality education across geotechnical engineering, develop and lead an independent research programme in geomechanics or geotechnical design, and contribute to the academic leadership and administration of the School.

The opportunity will particularly appeal to an academic who wants to connect rigorous geotechnical scholarship with contemporary engineering challenges, including sustainable geotechnics, soil-structure interaction, underground space and tunnelling, environmental geotechnics, sustainable ground improvement, and climate-resilient infrastructure.

This appointment offers the opportunity to work at the intersection of geotechnical research, contemporary engineering education and industry practice.

The School operates in an environment where emerging challenges such as sustainable ground improvement, carbon-neutral foundation systems, tunnelling and underground-space utilisation, climate-resilient infrastructure, computational modelling and data-driven laboratory experiences are increasingly relevant to both teaching and research.

For the right candidate, the role offers a platform to:

• Develop an independent geotechnical research programme.
• Teach and supervise across undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels.
• Pursue externally funded and industry-connected research.
• Build partnerships with engineering organisations and government stakeholders.
• Contribute to curriculum, accreditation, academic governance and the future development of engineering education at UOWD

Key Responsibilities

Teaching & Student Learning

As Senior Lecturer, you will design, coordinate and deliver undergraduate and postgraduate teaching across core and elective areas of geotechnical engineering. Teaching may include:

• Geology for Engineers
• Soil Mechanics
• Advanced Foundation Engineering
• Critical State Geomechanics
• Slope Stability & Retaining Structures
• Site Investigation

Delivery encompasses lectures, tutorials, laboratory classes and field visits, providing opportunities to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical engineering application.

You will also:

• Implement innovative, student-centred pedagogy and digital learning approaches.
• Supervise undergraduate Capstone design projects.
• Supervise Master's dissertations and PhD theses.
• Contribute to curricula that increasingly integrate computational modelling and interactive, data-driven laboratory experiences.

Research & Research Leadership

A central component of the appointment is the development and leadership of an independent research programme in geotechnical engineering.

You will be expected to:

• Develop research in areas such as sustainable geotechnics, soil-structure interaction, tunnelling and underground space, or environmental geotechnics.
• Consistently publish high-quality research in reputable Q1/Q2 international peer-reviewed journals.
• Develop competitive external research funding proposals.
• Pursue funding opportunities through national research councils, industry partners and international grants.
• Contribute to a collaborative research culture and postgraduate researcher development.

The role requires evidence of impactful research, demonstrated through highly cited publications in leading engineering journals, together with documented success in securing research grants or industrial consultancy contract. 

Industry Engagement & Impact

We are looking for an academic who sees industry engagement as integral to both research impact and engineering education.

The successful candidate will build and maintain strategic relationships with consulting firms, government authorities and civil engineering bodies, creating opportunities for:

• Collaborative and applied research
• External research funding
• Student placements
• Industry-informed teaching
• Consultancy activity

The role provides scope to connect academic expertise with regional engineering challenges and strengthen the relationship between research, professional practice and student learning.

The role operates within an environment shaped by university governance, programme review, laboratory management and accreditation requirements, including those of Engineers Australia and the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA).

Selection criteria – Qualifications, Education, Experience, Knowledge and Skills

You are an established geotechnical engineering academic who combines disciplinary depth, research ambition, teaching excellence and industry awareness.

You are equally comfortable engaging students in the classroom, laboratory or field; developing high-quality research; supervising emerging researchers; and building relationships with engineering practitioners and external stakeholders.

Essential Qualifications & Experience

You will bring:

• A PhD in Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience of ideally at least 3-4 years of teaching geotechnical engineering subjects at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
• Evidence of impactful research, including highly cited publications in leading engineering journals.
• Demonstrated success in securing research grants and/or industrial consultancy contracts.
• Experience supervising Higher Degree Research students.
• Strong laboratory and field-testing expertise.
• Strong communication skills, particularly when working with external stakeholders.

Highly Regarded

The following would further strengthen your application:

• Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.
• Recognised professional engineering or disciplinary credentials such as CPEng, CEng, PE, MIEAust, MICE, FGS or F.ASCE, or equivalent professional recognition.

Compensation and Benefits

The successful candidate will enjoy interaction with a professional and dynamic team of highly respected educators from over 50 different countries and exposure to students from over 100 nationalities.

The University offers an expatriate package, which is an attractive tax-free salary. The expatriate package includes six weeks of paid leave per year, annual flight allowance and private medical insurance for the employee and eligible dependents, life and disability insurance, and education allowance for dependents. The University is located in Knowledge Park, Dubai and has excellent teaching, learning and research facilities as well as access to Library resources that meets international standards.

UOWD is an equal opportunity employer that attracts, develops, motivates, empowers, and retains a diverse workforce.

Note: you will be required to attach the following:

1. Resume/CV
2. Passport-size photograph