Associate Professor In Well Engineering

Grade 9

Salary Range: £56, 021-£64,914.

We are delighted to be seeking a number of new academic colleagues as part of this exciting large-scale partnership between Heriot-Watt and Zhubanov University in Aktobe, Kazakhstan. In this role, which will be based on Edinburgh campus, but spending periods of time in Kazakhstan, you will be focused on excelling in all you do and inspire others around you, including colleagues and students at Zhubanov, to do the same.

We are looking for an Associate Professor (T&R) in the field of Well Engineering, where you will be expected to contribute to teaching and scholarship within your contract. You must have a strong proven track record of research and publication in a blend of applications across both the Oil and Gas and renewables sectors. A large part of your teaching duties will be in support of the teaching programme that is part of our partnership with Zhubanov University in Aktobe.

While these are teaching and research positions, we encourage applicants with a strong profile in teaching to apply.

School of Energy Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society

EGIS is a truly global school that operates at scale. It is home to more than 5,000 students across the Edinburgh and Orkney campuses in the UK (40%), Dubai (15%) and Malaysia (5%), as well as through HW-Online (35%) and our Academic Partners (5%). The breadth of the School's portfolio of taught programmes is impressive, ranging from the built environment and infrastructure through to geological sciences, geographical and environmental sciences, biological and marine sciences, and sports and exercise sciences.

EGIS is home to more than 300 staff across our global footprint, including 230 academic and research staff. The Institute of Geoenergy Engineering (IGE) is widely recognised as one of the internationally leading centres of excellence for learning, teaching, and research in petroleum engineering and petroleum geoscience.

IGE provides specialist training through its MSc programmes in Petroleum Engineering, Reservoir Evaluation and Management, Petroleum Geoscience, Mature Field Management and Subsurface Energy Systems. IGE also partners with Schlumberger to deliver an MSc in the Management of the Oil & Gas Industry as well as approved learning partners around the globe. To-date, over 5000 students have graduated from IGE, many of them now holding leading positions in the energy industry or academia.

More recently, IGE has extended its capabilities to develop and manage other subsurface applications to support the transition to a low-carbon energy future ,such as geothermal energy and CCUS, through new collaborations with the Lyell Centre for Earth and Marine Science and Technology . IGE leads several major UK-wide and interdisciplinary research centres, such as the NERC Centre for Doctoral Training in Oil and Gas, the International Centre for Carbonate Reservoirs, or the Centre for Energy Economics Research and Policy.

In 2015, IGE received the prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize, recognising its sustained pioneering work in innovation and research excellence.

During REF2022, IGE has provided two highly ranked impact case studies and was a central component of the Edinburgh Research Partnership in Engineering (ERPE), which was the largest submission in the UK to the General Engineering assessment panel. 94% of ERPE's overall research activity was classified as world-leading or internationally excellent, and ERPE had the highest research power rating of all general engineering submissions in the UK.

About Heriot Watt

Heriot Watt has been named as ‘International University of the Year' in the 2018 Times and Sunday Times University Guide, we have over the past 30 years developed into a truly multinational institution that operates across campuses in Dubai in UAE, Putrajaya in Malaysia, and Edinburgh, Galashiels and Orkney in Scotland, as well as through numerous partnerships that span the globe such as Zhubanov University and online.

Nearly 30,000 students study with Heriot-Watt across business, engineering, design and the social, physical, biological and sports sciences.

We also have developed an unsurpassed international in-country presence beyond our campuses, delivering degree programmes to independent distance learners. Around a third of our student's study through these routes in most countries around the world. Combined with campus-based study in Dubai and Malaysia, around two-thirds of our student's study outside of the UK.

About Zhubanov University

Zhubanov Aktobe Regional University is a leading public university in Kazakhstan, located in the city of Aktobe. Founded in 1935 as a multidisciplinary classical university, it has a long and distinguished history in education and research.

Zhubanov Aktobe Regional University offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs in a variety of disciplines, including the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering. The university's faculty are highly qualified and experienced, with many having undertaken postgraduate or postdoctoral opportunities internationally.

The University is committed to providing students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in their chosen fields, and it holds longstanding links to many industrial bodies in Kazakhstan and beyond.

Key duties & Responsibilities

The purpose of this job description is to indicate the general level of duties and responsibility of the post. The detailed duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character or level of responsibility entailed.

Research and Knowledge Exchange

• Identify and develop their own research agenda, focussing on research that is valuable and relevant to industry, government, and society.
• Identify sources of funding for research, then successfully win funding through submission of effective proposals and support production of proposals elsewhere within IGE and the School as appropriate.
• Regularly publish high impact research findings in recognised industry-leading journals; share findings at conferences and internally.
• Further disseminate research activity using an appropriate range of media for example through external reports, conference presentations, exhibitions of research activity or via short courses for knowledge transfer;
• Recruit and supervise PhD students through to successful qualification and supervise MSc student projects.

Learning and Teaching

• Co-Programme/course Leader for Heriot Watt University programmes/courses (you will have a Zhubanov counterpart). Act as liaison between HWU courses and your equivalent at Zhubanov including converting and developing materials into appropriate learning format.
• Whilst the vast majority of the teaching on the joint programmes will be done by Zhubanov staff, you will also routinely contribute to teaching to ensure the take-up of HWU approaches, standards, and values. These contributions could span all forms of teaching (lectures, tutorials, workshops, and laboratories) covering topics in the area of petroleum and Well Engineering and other relevant disciplines.
• Lead and support the deployment of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL).
• Undertake teaching duties in relation to courses appropriate to your area of expertise (e.g. through lectures, seminars, tutorials).
Contribute to the teaching, management and to IGE
• 's strategy.
• Contribute to the continued development of postgraduate studies in consultation with the Course Directors and the Director of Studies.
• Undertake scholarly activity related to the effective delivery of the curriculum and maintain the level of your subject expertise in line with the latest developments in the field.
• Contribute to the design and delivery of the curriculum in consultation with colleagues and within the structures and mechanisms established by the School and University.

Academic Management and Administration

• Undertake administrative tasks associated with programme planning, preparation for examination and progression boards, course development teams etc. Engage in team working and work with others to the benefit of IGE and the University;
• Take a proactive role both internally and externally in promoting and marketing programmes of study, ensuring the effective and efficient recruitment of students and the achievement of home and international recruitment targets.
• Contribute to the effective recruitment, admission and induction to the courses with which you are involved, ensuring compliance with the School and University targets. This will include involvement in School and University open days and interview processes.
• Contribute to the resource planning for the academic year.

Essential Criteria

Desirable Criteria

How to Apply

Apply to join us if the prospect of working with us here at Heriot-Watt excites you, and we look forward to the opportunity to discuss yours, and our, ambitions together.

Interested applicants must submit via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment system: (1) a cover letter describing their interest and suitability for the post; (2) a full CV; (3) a summary of their research and teaching plans and ambitions; and (4) a list of publications. Informal enquiries may be made to Asghar Shams, A.Shams@hw.ac.uk .

The role will involve periods of time abroad engaging with our international learning partners and you may be required to support the delivery of course materials to students. This can be up to 6 weeks at any one time and a number of times over the year. It is essential that you are able to support this level of international travel to Kazakhstan. Travel and accommodation costs will be covered by our travel expense policy.

At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.

Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website here and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/ . Heriot Watt have a number of family friendly policies, for more information please visit here We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part-time working and job share options.

Use our total rewards calculator here to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.