Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life Fellows

Working at Durham University A globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a warm and friendly place to work, a unique and historic setting - Durham is a university like no other.As one of the UK's leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career. The University is located within a beautiful historic city, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and surrounded by stunning countryside. Our talented scholars and researchers from around the world are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives. We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things in the world. Being a part of Durham is about more than just the success of the University, it's also about contributing to the success of the city, county and community.Our University Strategy is built on three pillars of research, education and wider student experience, but also on our keen sense of community and of inspiring others to achieve their potential. Our Purpose and ValuesWe want our University to be a place where people can be free to be themselves, no matter what their identity or background. Together, we celebrate difference, value one another and are each responsible for creating an inclusive community that is respectful and fair for all.Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Join Us? - Information PageDiscover more about our total rewards and benefits package here.The Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life The Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life is a major new interdisciplinary research hub dedicated to the study of how machine learning and AI algorithms are transforming societies. The Centre is supported by £10 million in funding from the Leverhulme Trust, for ten years, awarded through its 2025 Research Centre competition. Led by Prof. Louise Amoore at the Centre's hub in Durham University, the Leverhulme Centre has collaborative partners in York, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, and Duke Universities. You can find more information on our interdisciplinary team here. The Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life seeks to appoint up to seven talented researchers and scholars to the role of Assistant Professor (Research) for a period of 36 months to work on one or more of our four thematic programmes: generativity; image and language; synthetic worlds; and being human. We welcome applications from those with research interests in these broad fields, and we are particularly eager to hear from applicants with ambitions to develop their disciplinary expertise through interdisciplinary collaboration across the social sciences, humanities, and sciences.These posts offer exciting opportunities to make defining contributions to The Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life's research while providing excellent opportunities for to develop your career in an exciting and progressive institution. For more information, please visit our Centre's pages at https://leverhulmecal.webspace.durham.ac.uk The successful candidates will join a lively and supportive research environment with emphasis on mentoring, career development, and the ambitious pursuit of cutting-edge research questions. The posts are based at Durham University, though with opportunities for mobility and exchange with our partner universities and organisations. Our researchers will have access to the dedicated Leverhulme Centre resource for research activity and development.Assistant Professors (Research) at DurhamAssistant Professors (Research) focus their time on research but are also expected to engage in wider citizenship to enhance their own development, support their department and discipline, and contribute to the wider research community.Academic colleagues are supported to publish excellent research in their area of interest with a focus on high quality outputs (including monographs and journal articles), rather than quantity. We aim to support your research needs, including practical help such as resources to attend conferences and to fund research activities, as well as a generous research leave policy and a designated mentor. Applicants must demonstrate research excellence in the field relating to one or more of thematic programmes of the Centre, with the ability to fully engage in the services, citizenship and values of the University.We strive to provide a working and teaching environment that is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate these key principles as part of the assessment process.Key responsibilities:Pursue research that is world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour, commensurate with the Centre's continuing emphasis on international excellence;To be developing clear plans for the pursuit of suitable national and international funding opportunities to support research and end-user engagement;Contribute to enhancing the quality of the research environment in the Centre.Demonstrate a willingness to take contribute to the administrative work, citizenship and values of the Centre.To fully engage in and enhance the values of the Centre.To contribute to attracting and supervising research students, and to enhance the Department's commitment to its vibrant and international postgraduate culture.Carry out such other duties as specified by the Director.Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key component of the University's Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our Purpose and Values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive.We welcome and encourage applications from those who are currently under-represented in our work force, including people with disabilities and from racially minoritised ethnic groups.If you have taken a career break or periods of leave that may have impacted on the volume and recency of your research outputs and other activities, such as maternity, adoption or parental leave, you may wish to disclose this in your application. The selection committee will take this into account when evaluating your application.The University has been awarded the Disability Confident Leader status. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.Person Specification Candidates applying for a grade 7 post will have recently completed or be concluding their PhD and while they may have limited direct experience of the requirements for the post, they must outline their experience, skills and achievements to date which demonstrate that they meet or that they have the potential to achieve the essential criteria.Candidates applying for a grade 8 post must meet all of the essential criteria. They will have had several years of postdoctoral experience and they will be able to demonstrate research leadership and the ability to support and develop the research of others in the team. Research Candidates must have the capacity for and be progressing towards the independent development of internationally excellent research that produces high-quality outcomes, including some work that is recognised as world-class or that has world-class potential. Essential Research Criteria - Grade 7 1. Qualifications -- a good first degree and a PhD (or close to completion at the time of application) in any discipline where the focus contributes to one of the Centre's ) in any discipline where the focus contributes to one of the Centre's thematic programmes.2. Outputs - experience, skills and/or achievements which demonstrate experience of or the potential to produce high quality outputs that are recognised as world class or that have world-class potential. Candidates are asked to submit [two] research papers with their application (as outlined in the How to Apply section below). Candidates may additionally choose to submit evidence such as external peer review of their outputs 3. Personal Research Plan - evidence of a personal research plan which supports and enhances the Centre's research Essential Research Criteria - Grade 8 1. Qualifications -- a good first degree and a PhD in any discipline where the focus contributes to one of the Centre's in any discipline where the focus contributes to one of the Centre's thematic programmes.2. Outputs - evidence of high-quality outputs, some of which is recognised as world-class. Candidates are asked to submit [two] research papers with their application (as outlined in the How to Apply section below). Candidates may additionally choose to submit evidence such as external peer review of their outputs. 3. Personal Research Plan - evidence of a personal research plan which supports and enhances the Centre's research and specifies how the candidate will provide research leadershipService, Citizenship and Values This post is focused on research but candidates will be expected to actively engage in the administrative requirements of the Centre, notably related to their research, and/or the research and research environment of the Centre.Candidates must positively contribute to fostering a collegial environment; as well as demonstrating their commitment to equality diversity and inclusion.Essential Service, Citizenship and Values criteria - Grade 7 1. Citizenship contribution - experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to participate in the Citizenship /administrative activities of an academic Centre, Faculty or University. 2. Communication - candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of students and colleagues across a variety of forums. Essential Services, Citizenship and Values criteria - Grade 8 1. Citizenship contribution - evidence of participation in the citizenship/administrative activities of an academic Centre, Research Group, Department, Faculty or University. 2. Communication - candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of students and colleagues across a variety of forums. Desirable Criteria - Grade 7 The desirable criteria for this post (for which candidates should provide evidence of some if not all criteria) are:A. Income generation - experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate (experience of or) the potential to develop successful research project proposals.B. PhD supervision - experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate (experience of or) the potential to provide excellent supervision for PhD students.C. Research Leadership - experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate (experience of or) the potential to contribute to the leadership of research groups and the mentoring of early career researchers. Candidates may choose to include information about research group leadership, mentoring of research colleagues, invitations to and engagement with external events, and/or involvement with international networks or projects.D. Research Impact - experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate (experience of or) the potential to evidence research impact beyond the institution.E. Leadership - experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate (experience of or) the potential to engage in the administrative functioning of the candidate's academic department and/or discipline including any leadership or other responsibilities in an academic/research context.Desirable Criteria - Grade 8The desirable criteria for this post (for which candidates should provide evidence of some if not all criteria) are:A. Income generation - engagement in the development of successful research project proposals.B. PhD supervision - involvement in the provision of excellent supervision for PhD students.C. Research Leadership - contribution to the leadership of research groups and the mentoring of early career researchers. Candidates may choose to include information about research group leadership, mentoring of research colleagues, invitations to and engagement with external events, and/or involvement with international networks or projects.D. Research Impact - evidence of the impact of research that the candidate has been involved with beyond the candidate's institution.E. Leadership - engagement in activities that contribute to the administrative functioning of the candidate's academic department and/or discipline including any leadership or other responsibilities in an academic/research context.Contact Information Department contact for academic-related enquiries Professor Louise Amoore - louise.amoore@durham.ac.ukContact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you're experiencing to e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays). University contact for general queries about the recruitment process How to Apply We prefer to receive applications online. Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants - Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.If you are unable to complete your application via our recruitment system, please get in touch with us on e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk. What to Submit All applicants are asked to submit: • A CV • A covering letter which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out above; • Personal research plan detailing how your research contributes to one of the four thematic programmes of the Centre: generativity; image and language; synthetic worlds; and being human. Though you may briefly indicate contributions to more than one thematic programme, please focus on detailing one primary thematic programme. Maximum 3 pages A4. • Two of your most significant pieces of written work. Where possible your written work should have been published or submitted/under review, however, work such as a chapter of your PhD thesis or a conference paper may be submitted where you consider these to best represent the quality and significance of your work. Where possible we request that you provide accessible web links to your publications, which the hiring Department will use to access your work. The application form contains fields in which to enter each of the web links. Please note we are unable to access publications behind a paywall. In the event you are unable to provide accessible links to online hosting of your work, publications should be uploaded as PDFs as part of your application in our recruitment system.Please ensure that your PDFs are not larger than 5mb. Your work may be read by colleagues from across the Department and evaluated against the current REF criteria. All application documents should be uploaded with your name and document type as PDF files. We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails.Referees You should provide 3 academic referees they should not (if possible) include your PhD supervisor(s). The majority should be from a University other than your own (save for early career applicants applying for their first post). References will be requested for candidates who have been shortlisted and will be made available to the panel during the interview process. As part of your application, you will be asked whether you give your consent to your academic references being sought should you be invited to attend an interview. We will only request references where permission has been granted. Next Steps All applications will be considered; our usual practice is for colleagues across the Department to read the submitted work of long-listed candidates. Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University, either virtually or in-person and will have the opportunity to meet key members of the Centre. The assessment for the post will normally include a presentation to staff in the Centre followed by an interview and we anticipate that the assessments and interviews will take place over two days in or around 26th - 27th February 2026.In the event that you are unable to attend in person on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date. Applicant Guidance For further guidance on your application please see HERE