- Vacancy Reference Number
- 1626224
- Closing Date
- 20 Feb 2017
- Salary
- Negotiable on the professorial scale, but not less than £67,885 per annum
- Address
- UCL - Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit
25 Howland Street
London
W1T 4JG
- Duration
- permanent
UCL and the Gatsby Charitable Foundation invite applications for the post of Professor and Director of the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit (GCNU).
The successful applicant will be of international standing with a world-leading track record in computational neuroscience and/or machine learning research, and will demonstrate the ability to offer academic, scientific and administrative direction for a Centre of the GCNU’s scale and significance. The successful applicant will have a vision for the future development of the GCNU’s mission, be a strong strategist, and be an effective manager of people and complex relationships. S/he should have the ability to work as part of a strong and collaborative Faculty team.
The Director will be responsible to the President and Provost of UCL currently via the Vice-Provost Health and Dean of Life Sciences, for the organisation and general conduct of the GCNU. The Director will provide academic leadership within the Centre; ensure the Centre’s perspective is incorporated in the formulation of UCL policy; be responsible for the implementation of that policy within the Unit; and manage the staff and resources of the Unit in a manner consistent with UCL policy.
The Director will be a member of the Faculty of Life Sciences Leadership Team, ensuring the GCNU plays a key role in the Faculty’s strategy.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DIRECTOR
Research
The Director is expected to:
• engage actively with the national and international computational neuroscience and machine learning research communities
• develop and implement the activities of the GCNU, within the wider context of neuroscience and machine learning at UCL
• build effective links between the Unit and the broader scientific community at UCL and with other relevant institutions
• provide leadership, direction and feedback on team and individual objectives
• champion and strengthen the Unit’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
• ensure the Unit’s research remains internationally competitive and support the development of early career researchers
• foster collaboration with the co-located Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour and with other UCL Departments and Institutes
• continue and progress their personal research portfolio.
Management and Administration
The Director is expected to:
• formulate and monitor the academic planning, development and performance of the Unit
• recruit and effectively manage scientists and professional services staff to create a high performing team
• line-manage other Faculty in the Unit while representing their interests in the formulation of Unit and UCL policy
• be responsible for resource management of the Unit; ensuring, in increasing concert with the SWC, that all resources, including space, funding and staffing, are deployed to maximise efficiency and effectiveness
• represent the Unit internally, at UCL meetings, serving on appropriate UCL committees, and also externally, in particular at meetings with organisations and funding bodies with which the Centre is closely associated, including the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour
• attend the Provost’s Leadership Forum and disseminate information and/or take action in accordance with decisions arising from such meetings, as appropriate
• liaise effectively with the Faculty of Life Sciences, attending the Faculty Executive Committee and other relevant meetings to represent the Unit and ensure appropriate integration with UCL administration and finance functions
• represent the Unit’s interests within the Centre for Computational Statistics and Machine Learning
• devise and implement an Equalities and Diversity plan, including joint submission with the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour of an Athena SWAN application
• contribute positively to the overall activities and general citizenship of the Unit and to carry out any other duties as are within the scope, spirit and purpose of the position.
Teaching and Learning
• The Director will oversee the development, delivery and quality assurance of teaching and learning supported by members of the Unit, in accordance with UCL policy, procedures and regulations. This includes the Unit’s graduate and postdoctoral training programmes.
Health and Safety
• The Director will be responsible to the President and Provost via the Vice-Provost Health for ensuring that the activities of the Unit, whether undertaken on UCL premises or elsewhere, comply with Health & Safety legislation and UCL policy.
Other
• The Director may be asked to carry out such other duties and responsibilities as the Council, the President and Provost or the Vice-Provost (Health) may from time to time prescribe
• The Director, like all academic staff, is expected to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to academic excellence; that is, to the conduct of research, publication, teaching, enabling and other forms of knowledge transfer, at the highest levels of international achievement http://www.ucl.ac.uk/excellence/
• The post holder will actively follow UCL policies including Equal opportunities and Race Equality policies. The post holder will also maintain an awareness and observation of Fire and Health and Safety Regulations.
Further Information
Applications for this post must be made online using UCL’s online recruitment system: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/jobs/. Please be sure to attach to your online application a copy of your CV, statement of research interests and accomplishments, a teaching statement, and full contact details (including e-mail addresses) for three academic referees.
We particularly welcome female applicants and those from an ethnic minority, as they are currently under-represented within UCL at this level. This is in line with section 48 of the Sex Discrimination Act and section 38 of the Race Relations Act.
For further information, please see http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk
Contact Details
For informal enquiries, please contact Professor Ray Dolan (Chair, GCNU Scientific Advisory Board; r.dolan@ucl.ac.uk) or Professor Geraint Rees (Dean, Life Sciences; g.rees@ucl.ac.uk).
