Research Associate Head of School; Glaciology

Research Associate for Head of School (Glaciology)

Posting

Start Date:

16/06/2026
Job
School/Department:
Geography & Planning
Work Arrangement:
Full Time (Hybrid)
Contract Type:
Fixed‑term
Salary per annum (£): £38,784–£41,064
Closing Date: 15/07/2026

Join a leading School of Geography and Planning to work as a Research Associate with Professor Stephen Livingstone and his team of collaborators. The role holder will contribute to research projects on ice sheet hydrology, including the ARIA‑funded Greenland Runoff Monitoring from Passive Seismology (GRuMPS), develop their own research agenda and contribute to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in the school.

The successful candidate will help plan and execute glaciological fieldwork, process existing and forthcoming results and work with the project wider team to analyse, interpret and disseminate the results. We particularly seek individuals with a track record in handling large‑scale remote sensing datasets, and/or working at the cutting edge of field sensor design and deployment. A knowledge of passive seismics would also be helpful.

They will also contribute to the coordination and delivery of undergraduate and masters teaching for a diverse cohort of students, including the delivery of seminars, lectures and fieldwork, as well as marking.

The School of Geography and Planning is a world‑leading centre for glaciological research. We are committed to supporting the candidate to engage actively in the intellectual life of a scholarly community and develop their research and teaching profile through collaboration with colleagues in the School, wider Faculty and University.

• Contribute fully to the School of Geography and Planning as a researcher and collaborator.
• Work to achieve project milestones by conducting research in an appropriate timescale, including managing time, and working flexibly and independently.
• Help to organise and then participate in fieldwork to Greenland, including the deployment of seismic and other geophysical equipment.
• Analyse and integrate geophysical and/or remote sensing data from project field seasons and combine with the findings from other project members.
• Attend team and project meetings as required.
• Disseminate research findings through publication in leading peer‑review journals, and at national and international conferences.
• Contribute to the preparation of papers for journals/presentations at national/international conferences or seminars to disseminate research findings.
• Read academic papers, journals and textbooks and attend conferences to keep abreast of developments.
• Lead, co‑ordinate, support and contribute to the teaching team as a team co‑ordinator or member.
• Deliver teaching on modules, communicating subject matter and encouraging critical discourse to develop rational thinking; observing and reacting to student interventions; giving appropriate academic advice.
• Carry out assessment for modules, designing assessment instruments and criteria; marking assessments, ensuring adequate moderation; providing written/oral feedback;
• Supervise dissertation students.
• Plan and priorities own daily workload and monitor the work of students.
• Plan for teaching ahead of new course delivery.
• Deal with reactive requests, such as those relating to teaching, student support and administrative tasks, on a daily basis.
• Make a full and active contribution to the principles of the ‘Sheffield Academic’. These include the achievement of excellence in research, and scholarly pursuits to make a genuine difference in the subject area and to the University’s achievements as a whole.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.