Lecturer in Environmental Politics

Overall Purpose of the Job

To further strengthen our research and teaching portfolio, the Department wishes to appoint a Lecturer in Environmental Politics. We invite applications from applicants with a specialism in environmental politics.

Applicants’ backgrounds can be from across any areas of politics and international relations (broadly defined). Applications from people doing inter-, multi-, and/or cross-disciplinary work are also welcomed. The successful applicant would need to be eligible for assessment under the Politics Unit of Assessment in REF2029.

The successful candidate will be based in one of our five research clusters and will also become a member of the Environmental Politics Group, which brings our expertise and research in environmental politics together across the department. The Environmental Politics Group contains over 20 scholars, from PhD researchers to Professors. Permanent staff members in the group are Dr Jonathan Benson, Dr Carl Death, Professor Sherilyn MacGregor, Professor Matthew Paterson, Dr Jasmin Ramovic, Dr Louise Thompson, Dr Paul Tobin, Dr Nick Turnbull, and Dr Robert Watt.

Colleagues’ interests range across environmental movements and parties, environmental justice, eco-feminism, climate change political economy, environmental public policy, and African environmental politics. Members of the group conduct research on key questions of global environmental politics, including: how can we ensure a just and inclusive transition towards ecological sustainability? How do some actors seek to obstruct, or dismantle, environmental action? What forms of environmental protection exist across the world and why do they differ? What strategies do green parties employ, and with what impacts? To what extent is current climate governance effective, resilient and long-term?

We are looking for applications that either complement our existing research interests, or expand our collective research agenda into new areas.

The postholder would be joining a large and thriving research-intensive department. We are one of the leading centres for politics research in the UK and internationally. We were ranked 8th out of 56 UK politics departments for Grade Point Average in Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, and 3rd for share of publications assessed as being 4* (the highest grade for internationally excellent outputs). We are ranked in the top 50 (45th) in the 2025 QS World University Rankings, and also in the Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) Subjects Rankings 2024 (48th). Our research expertise addresses some of the key normative challenges of the 21st century, from the redistribution of wealth, the challenges posed by intervention before, during, and after conflict, to ensuring environmental sustainability and sustaining the health of democracy.

We recently launched the Centre for Joined Up Sustainability Transformations (JUST) www.just.ac.uk. Headed up by Director Sherilyn MacGregor and Deputy Director Matthew Paterson, JUST is a major £8.5m research initiative funded by ESRC and UKRI. It will focus on the pursuit of sustainability transformations that are people-centred, place-based, ‘joined-up’ and socially just. The post is not formally connected to the JUST Centre, although offers opportunities for potential collaborations. Colleagues in environmental politics also collaborate regularly with other parts of the University’s research culture focused on sustainability, including the Sustainable Consumption Institute, Sustainable Futures Platform, Global Development Institute, and Tyndall Centre on Climate Change.

Who we are looking for:

In summary, applicants must have a relevant PhD or equivalent, a track record of producing high quality academic publications and in delivering excellent teaching, and have demonstrated a commitment to academic citizenship and a contribution to administration (known at UoM as service and leadership). Applicants who are also engaged in socially responsible research, external engagement, and/or impact are also encouraged. More details are given below in the person specification.

What you will get in return:

• Fantastic market leading Pension scheme
• Excellent employee health and wellbeing services including an Employee Assistance Programme
• Exceptional starting annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays
• Additional paid closure over the Christmas period
• Local and national discounts at a range of major retailers

As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.

Our University is positive about flexible working you can find out more here

Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.

Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies.

Any recruitment enquiries from recruitment agencies should be directed to People.Recruitment@manchester.ac.uk.

Any CV’s submitted by a recruitment agency will be considered a gift.

Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews:

Name: Liz Richardson

Email: liz.richardson@manchester.ac.uk

General enquiries:

Email: People.recruitment@manchester.ac.uk

Technical support:

https://jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home

This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.

Please see the link below for the Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria.