UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM
RECRUITMENT ROLE PROFILE FORM

Job Title:Chairin Bioinformatics

School/Department:School of Veterinary Medicine & Science

Salary:Salary is negotiable depending on skills and experience and will be within the professorial range, minimum £57,031 per annum

Job Family and Level:Research and Teaching Level 7

Contract Status:Permanent

Hours of Work: Full-time

Location:School of Veterinary Medicine & Science, Sutton Bonington Campus

Reporting to:Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine & Science

The Purpose of the Role:

To develop a programme of research in the broad area of computational biology.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

  • To undertake research of international quality and be REF returnable.
  • To provide leadership in research both in Bioinformatics but also to the wider research community of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science.
  • To forge appropriate collaborations within and outside the University.

To collaborate with other staff within the University and the biomedical, veterinary and wider bioscienceresearch communities

To Lead major funding bids that develop and sustain bioinformatics research within SVMS and UoN.

  • To collaborate with and act as a mentor for School of Veterinary Medicine & Science (SVMS) early career researchers.
  • To disseminate research findings at national and international conferences and to publish in high quality refereed journals.
  • To supervise post graduate students and post-doctoral researchers.
  • To contribute to teaching activity within the school in appropriate modules, in addition to the research project module.
  • To examine in the assessments for initial and higher degrees of the University and to act as invigilator in such examinations as required.
  • To act as an undergraduate tutor.
  • To assist with the efficient and effective work of the School.
  • To undertake any other duties appropriate to the grade and role of the person appointed, as required by the Head of School.
  • To provide administrative assistance to the university as requested.

This job description may be subject to revision following discussion with the person appointed and forms part of the contract of employment.

Person Specification:

Essential / Desirable
Qualifications/ Education /
  • PhD (or equivalent) in relevant area.
/
  • Qualification relating to teaching in further education.

Skills/Training /
  • Excellent communication skills.
  • Good time-management skills.
  • Ability to manage a team of research active bioinformaticians
/
  • Ability to use and develop appropriate IT-based teaching materials.

Experience /
  • An understanding of the clinical research landscape, especially as it pertains to Bioinformatics.
  • Proven ability to produce research of international quality.
  • Proven track-record in publishing research work of international quality in Bioinfomatics.
  • Demonstration of leadership within the research community.
  • Proven track record in securing large competitive research grants.
  • Proven ability to demonstrate impact of research undertaken.
/
  • Teaching in Higher Education.
  • Experience in tutoring of students.
  • Administrative experience in a relevant environment.
  • Experience of examining at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
  • Desire to develop a school, campus and university wide culture focussed on exploitation of computational biology.

Personal Attributes /
  • Originality in research.
  • Enthusiasm for disseminating scientific knowledge.
  • Ability to work in a highly multidisciplinary and applied field.
  • Leadership qualities within research.

Other /
  • Evidence of long-term research strategy.
  • Ability to establish collaborative projects.
  • Flexible approach to new methods in teaching and research.

Applicants will be considered on an equal basis, subject to the relevant permission to work in the UK as defined by the requirements set out by the UK Border and Immigration Agency. Please visit http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/ for more information.

Standard vetting procedures will be required.

Applications

In addition to the on-line application form candidates should submit a CV which gives details of academic qualifications, including class of first degree, a career summary and a full list of publications and research grants. A statement of not more than 500 words on your research plan and how this integrates with existing UoN activities is also required.

Informal enquiries may be addressed to Profs. G. England, or J. Leigh, tel: 0115 951 6411 or email: , or Please note that applications sent directly to these email addresses will not be accepted.

School of Veterinary Medicine & Science – Sutton Bonington Campus

Introduction

We are looking for outstanding individuals to continue to lead research at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science based at the University of Nottingham’s Sutton Bonington campus.

The current campus is self-contained on a 16-hectare site located in the beautiful countryside of South Nottinghamshire. The campus has excellent academic, social and sports facilities.

We expect the new academic staff to share and develop our vision and be able to innovate and seize opportunities within research. A willingness to collaborate with other colleagues within the School and other Schools within the University and to play a key role throughout the academic community at Nottingham is essential.

The University of Nottingham

The University of Nottingham is a dynamic, high profile institution. Our league table performance sees us consistently placed in the leading group of UK higher education institutions. The RAE 2008 UoA 16 placed Nottingham first amongst the UK veterinary schools in terms of research power.

We receive high numbers of applications for undergraduate places and are acknowledged widely as one of the leading research intensive universities in the UK.

We are committed to excellence in the advancement and communication of knowledge. We aim to advance knowledge by undertaking research of international standing across a wide range of disciplines. And we communicate knowledge by:

  • providing a rich and varied learning experience for students in a research-led environment, by staff at the forefront of their discipline;
  • providing a rich and stimulating research environment both within the school and the wider Sutton Bonington campus.
  • working with regional, national and international partners to apply the outcome of research and enhance teaching;

Multi Campus

A truly international university, we operate five UK campuses and two international campuses, one in Ningbo, China and onein Malaysia. Our main campus is within part of an extensive green belt of woodland, parks and playing fields, just three miles from the city centre.Queen’s Medical Centre and the Jubilee Campus adjoin the main site. The School of Biosciences and the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science are located at Sutton Bonington, just South of Nottingham.

Facts & Figures

The University has more than 30,000 students including some 6,000 postgraduates. Over 5,000 students come from outside the EU. We have 3,000 part-time students and organise courses for thousands of extra-mural students. 4,000 students live in residential halls and 3,000 in modern University flats and postgraduate houses.

We employ 5,200 people, including some 1,500 academic and teaching support staff, 800 research staff, 1,850 professional and clerical staff and 800 manual/ancillary staff.

At the Sutton Bonington site there are approximately 140 academic staff, 120 research staff, 8 technicians and 260 PhD students and 800 undergraduate students.

University Management Strategy

Nottingham has planned and delivered substantial student and research growth in line with its strategic development plan.Our management team are focused on further internationalisation of teaching and research, whilst maintaining the highest standards in specialist areas and widening access for non-traditional students. Our six faculties, Arts, Law and Social Sciences, Education, Science, Engineering and Medicine and Health Sciences operate a resource model linking budgets to income streams. Academic units have devolved responsibility for their budgets.

The University manages its resources well: it has expanded its activities but has nonetheless met its financial targets each year, reinvesting surpluses in the core business.The University is rated as investment grade ‘AA-positive’ (Standard and Poors). We benefit from the national funding regime, whilst expanding our own national and international third party income and reputation.

Over the next five years we aim to advance further in the international higher education league, as a top-rated performer able to compete effectively in a global market.

School of Veterinary Medicine and Science Research Strategy Mission

The University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science (SVMS), based at the Sutton Bonington Campus, was established in 2006. The School provides a clinically-focused basic science curriculum strengthened by continuous relevant and varied clinical experience for undergraduates students. All clinical teaching is fully integrated into the School's research programme and the exploitation and dissemination of research knowledge is critical to itsdevelopment and delivery.Research at SVMS is integrated into the University structure with established world class research in biomedical sciences within the main Schools.

Research Strategy

The School of Veterinary Medicine and Science (SVMS) is dedicated to improving the well-being of animals and people through world-leading innovative research and technology transfer in basic, applied and clinical sciences.

Our strategic mission for the School is:

  • To carry out world-leading basic, applied and clinical research to improve animal and public health and welfare, enhance clinical practice, improve economic efficiency of animal production.
  • To apply and transfer knowledge, concepts and technology to improve society and the economy, ensuring our research is relevant to our stakeholders; veterinarians, the scientific community, farming industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the UK and European governments and their agencies and bodies, students and the wider public at large.
  • To deliver high quality research as a key component of the under-graduate course.

This involves the following strategic activities:

  • To involve a high percentage of academic staff in all sections of the school and clinical associates.
  • To maintain effective research groups within the school and involving other sections of the university with an emphasis on interdisciplinary research activity.
  • Our research is aimed at the international community through the normal channels of networks but will increasingly include interactions with institutions in key countries including China, India, Malaysia and Brazil. To have a significant impact in terms of scientific outputs but also in the application and

translation of these outputs into impacts of value economically and to animal and human health and welfare.

The School has aligned its research aspirations with the University Research Vision and Strategy. Its unique structure is based on the central hub of the SVMS, together with the associated practices and organisations at the periphery which provides a relevant and varied clinical experience for undergraduate students. It also allows research groups to maintain contact with the world of veterinary practice. This is of great value to both parties since important clinical problems can be identified and resolved through the application of new approaches and technologies.

Research Themes and Revenue

The School undertakes research on many key aspects of companion animals, livestock health and production, veterinary public health and comparative medicine. This research utilizes a diverse range of scientific disciplines including pathology, molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology, microbiology, physiology, epidemiology and bioinformatics. For strategic reasons, school research is based around six Research Themes as follows:

•Infection and Immunity

•Reproduction biology

•Comparative Medicine

•Population Health and Welfare

•Veterinary Educational Development

•Clinical Veterinary Science

The School of Veterinary Medicine and Science continues to recruit academic staff to ensure that high quality research can be carried out in these research areas. Recruitment policy ensures that a sufficiently large nucleus of effort is created within each area to allow its rapid development.

Research revenue has increased in value and importance since the school’s inception. Since the School was established it has attracted research funding totalling >£16m (Research Councils >£4.0m, Charities >£3.5m, Commercial organisations >£6m, European Union >£2m and other sources >£1m); these include significant wins such Novartis (Centre for Evidence based Medicine ~£3.5M, Wellcome Trust (DVM funding) ~£1.0M, BBSRC (Strep uberis mastitis) ~£1.5M, EU (Wildtech) ~£1.3M, DairyCo (dairy cow health and nutrition)~£2.5M, BBSRC (ATP award with Biosciences) ~£3.6M.

Research Structures in the School

Research in the school is led by a two research sub-deans and a research committee comprised of senior research staff, research theme leaders, research convenors and research administrators. The role of research convenors is to provide research support and mentorship for small groups (typically 4-6) of academic staff throughout the school. Research convening provides support for early career researchers and allows the evaluation and improvement of grant submissions from the school.

Research Leadership

For these new professorial appointments we are particularly seeking research leaders. The School wishes to further increase research effort and outputs, and this will require senior staff to have vision and motivation. We hope that the successful candidates will play a full role in building the School’s research programme.

Curriculum

Our vision is a clinically oriented and integrated curriculum, with learning provided at an appropriate level around appropriate clinical cases. For this reason we have developed significant links with a number of partner institutions (local practices, laboratories and other institutions who provide a specialised teaching environment in which we place academic staff). Using a quality assured programme with placement of university academics we have developed a community based model to provide a real clinical learning environment for undergraduates. While providing a curriculum that meets RCVS standards of knowledge and skills with respect to animal health and welfare, we deliver research-literate Veterinary Surgeons educated to a high level of clinical competence.