Job Description

Job Category: Academic Non-clinical
:
Position Details
Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range 47,389 to 56,535 with potential progression once in post to 63,606
Grade: 8
Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to December 2026
Closing date: 2nd November 2025
This role is also open as an internal secondment opportunity which would need to be agreed by your current line manager.
Information for applicants
A full-time Assistant Professor in Sport Psychology is being sought for a 12-month fixed-term contract. The role involves contributing to research, teaching, and administration, with a focus on Sport Psychology and Sport Mental Health.
Role Summary
The School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Birmingham, UK is a world-leading department, known for its innovative research and evidence-based practice aimed at promoting lifelong physical activity and optimising health, wellbeing and performance for everyone. Consistently in the top 10 of the QS World University Rankings by Subject and in the top 5 in the latest UK's Research Excellence Framework, the School multidisciplinary research and education programmes are designed to address key societal challenges.
We are seeking to appoint a full-time Assistant Professor in Sport Psychology on a fixed-term 12-month contract. The successful candidate will contribute to research, teaching, and administration, with a focus on Sport Psychology and Sport Mental Health.
The post holder would be expected to:

• Have expertise in Sport Psychology and Sport Mental Health, with research experience in the use of psychological theories and frameworks to improve mental health and wellbeing in sport and exercise contexts.
• Have experience in conducting mental health research with athletes, intervention design, or applied sport psychology practice (including consultancy and knowledge exchange with sport organisations).
• Supervising PhD and undergraduate students in Sport Psychology and Mental Health.
• Lead a Sport Psychology module and contributing to other modules related to Sport Psychology and Research Methods.
• Participate in student recruitment activities and contributing to initiatives that enhance the student experience across the School.
• Demonstrates excellent academic citizenship, fostering respectful, collaborative, and supportive relationships with both staff and students.

The School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, as a proud awardee of Athena SWAN Silver status, is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusivity, and therefore welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds to join our global community. In our diverse community where we believe in integration, acceptance and support for everyone with different abilities, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, faith, and gender, you will actively respect and uphold these values.
The University of Birmingham holds Advance HE Race Equality Charter and Athena Swan Charter bronze awards and is a Stonewall Global Diversity Champion. Further information about working at the University of Birmingham, including information about employee benefits and childcare provision is at
Main Duties
Research
To support research activity in the field of sport psychology and sport mental health, through original research and scholarship. Where appropriate this will include:

• Effective supervision and mentorship of PhD students in the area of Sport Psychology and Mental Health. When appropriate, examining PhD students both within the institution and externally.
• Providing expert advice to staff and students within the discipline of Sport Psychology
• Participate in research-related enabling activities.
• Apply knowledge in a way that develops new intellectual understanding.

Education
To deliver teaching in Sport Psychology and Research Methods related fields, this will include:

• Teaching, and assessing on Sport Psychology modules at various levels. Teaching could include lectures, seminars and practical sessions.
• Teaching and assessing on the final year dissertation module (teaching includes occasional lectures, small group tutorials)
• Planning and reviewing your own teaching approaches, in accordance with the established objectives of the teaching programme.
• Designing contemporary, inclusive, engaging and academically challenging curriculum content, which uses appropriate learning and teaching approaches, relevant to sport psychology and sport mental health fields.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues to design and deliver teaching, learning and assessment.
• Using digital resources/environments effectively to support learning and assessment.
• Supporting knowledge transfer and enterprise that enhances the student experience and/or employability.
• Engaging in core recruitment activities (e.g., Open Days, Offer Holder Visit Days), including delivering talks, taster lectures, and practical/lab demonstrations.

Management/Administration
To contribute to School administration, this may include:

• Contributing to the administration/management of research and/or teaching across the School. This includes contribution to departmental, college and university service activities (e.g., committees); and support community outreach initiatives.
• Leading and managing a team to devise and implement new and/or revised teaching and research processes.
• Contributing to the development of external relationships with key stakeholders in education, sport, physical activity and other related sectors.
• Advising on personal development of colleagues and students.
• Contributing to the development and delivery of knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement and public engagement activities with sustained high value impact of manifest benefit to the College and the University.
• Promoting a culture (including policies and procedures) that embeds equality and values diversity and inclusion

Citizenship

• Taking collective ownership of challenges faced by the School or College and working with colleagues to develop solutions.
• Positively engaging in School strategic initiatives.
• Contributing to some administrative activities within the University (e.g., appeals panels, working groups, Open days).
• Demonstrating a willingness to be involved in a variety of activities supporting University life (e.g., participation in graduation, School committees)
• Demonstrating support for colleagues, such as sharing resources, providing advice
• Contributing to knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, public engagement, widening participation, outreach activities.
• Actively supporting equality, diversity and inclusion through monitoring and evaluation and actively challenging unacceptable behaviour.

Person Specification
Essential

• Doctoral qualification in Sport and Exercise Science or Sport Psychology
• Experienced in conducting and managing own research in sport psychology or sport and mental health
• Excellent academic writing skills for publication of research articles in high impact journals
• Experience of leading and delivering undergraduate and/or postgraduate learning and teaching in sport psychology, including module/unit organisation.
• Experienced in design, delivery, assessment of undergraduate teaching in sport psychology, and ability to revise learning and teaching content and curriculum
• Experience of post-graduate supervision at masters and doctoral level in projects related to sport, exercise, and/or health psychology.
• Experienced in the development and delivery of transfer, enterprise and similar activity that enhances the student experience or employability
• Excellent organisation and time-management skills and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team

Desirable:

• Evidence of contributing to the development of successfully funded research projects.
• Established research partnerships with external organisations.
• Ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes.
• Links to professional organisations related to physical education, sport, physical activity, and/or mental health.
• Experience of applied practice (e.g., sport psychology consultation)

Informal enquiries to Sarah Williams, email:
We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone .

Skills Required