Teaching & Scholarship Lecturer in Forestry

Teaching & Scholarship Lecturer in Forestry

Job Number

Informal enquiries can be made by contacting John Healey, Professor of Forest Sciences (j.healey@bangor.ac.uk ; https://www.bangor.ac.uk/natural-sciences/staff/john-healey/en) or Professor Nia Whiteley, Head of School, email: n.m.whiteley@bangor.ac.uk

Please include in your application a cover letter showing how you meet the essential criteria. Applications will only be accepted via our on-line recruitment website, jobs.bangor.ac.uk. However, in cases of access issues due to disability, paper application forms are available by telephoning 01248 383865.

Closing date for applications: 15th May 2026

Committed to Equal Opportunities

Overview

The College of Science and Engineering at Bangor University is one of the leading centres in the UK for teaching and research in a range of science subjects. With over 2,500 students and 350 academic, technical and administrative staff, the College consists of three academic schools: Natural Sciences; Ocean Sciences; and Computer Science & Electronic Engineering.The School of Environmental and Natural Sciences conducts world-leading research and teaching across a diverse range of topics including zoology, biology, forestry, geography, agriculture and conservation. With Bangor University being based in stunning North Wales the school is the obvious choice for students and researchers interested in the natural world and environment. Alongside having the forests and mountains of Snowdonia, and the cliffs and sandy beaches of Anglesey on our doorstep, the School of Natural Sciences also boasts cutting-edge laboratories and analysis equipment, a botanic garden, research farm, animal care facilities, aquariums, growth rooms and greenhouses, and a natural history museum.

The Project

About Forestry@Bangor

The School of Environmental and Natural Sciences is the UK's leading centre for forestry education and research. As the UK's first and largest forestry educator, we've been delivering excellence in forestry teaching for over 120 years, being ranked first amongst all UK universities in the "Agriculture and Forestry" subject area in the 2026 Times and Sunday Times UK University Rankings, while also being recognised as the 9th most sustainable university in the UK 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact rankings.

We offer a comprehensive portfolio of forestry degrees at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including innovative part-time distance learning MSc programmes that have seen recruitment grow by over 100% in the past decade. Our programmes attract highly motivated students from more than 20 countries across five continents, including professionals from government departments, NGOs and research organisations, creating exceptional opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange. The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission continues to award scholarships to enable students globally to study forestry in Bangor, recognising the quality and international standing of our degrees. Our forestry degrees are all accredited by the Institute of Chartered Foresters, with whom we have a close working relationship.

Our flexible, inclusive, blended learning approach ensures all postgraduate students, whether full-time, part-time, on-campus or distance learners, receive a top-quality education and feel part of our vibrant academic community. Bangor alumni hold influential positions across forestry and woodland organisations in the UK and worldwide, and our students and staff benefit from this extensive network.

Bangor’s forestry group comprises 12 core academic staff, with a further five members who hold joint positions in the conservation and geography groups or Biocomposites Centre. In addition, the group has seven members of honorary academic staff and two colleagues who lecture on the BSc Forestry and Environmental Management degree in Bangor College China. Our expertise spans a broad spectrum from forest ecology, soils, hydrology, ecosystem services, management, policy, economics, conservation, silviculture, agroforestry, urban forestry, and social forestry.

We collaborate with nationally and internationally respected organizations on research projects, policy development, and commercial advisory initiatives. These partnerships encompass organizations such as CIFOR-ICRAF (World Agroforestry), Defra, Forestry Commission, Woodland Trust, Natural Resources Wales, Forest Research, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Woodknowledge Wales, and Rainforest Builder. Our work is further strengthened by interdisciplinary collaborations within our College of Science and Engineering, including with the closely aligned BioComposites Centre, a leading centre of expertise in wood science.

We are located in stunning North Wales with direct access to Eryri National Park (Snowdonia) and extensive forest landscapes. The University maintains substantial forest resources, including ancient woodlands and long-term research sites. These exceptional surroundings provide outstanding opportunities for both teaching and research.

Purpose of the Job

This Lecturer in Forestry (Teaching and Scholarship) role will teach aspects of our forestry curriculum. We are looking for someone who can get up to speed quickly and contribute enthusiastically and flexibly to both undergraduate and postgraduate level teaching on modules as well as progressing into a leadership role in our MSc Forestry programme.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Teaching

• Plan, prepare and deliver lectures, tutorials and field trips (single and multi-day) in a wide range of topics and respond effectively to a variety of student backgrounds and class sizes.
• Motivate students to engage in learning and provide meaningful and constructive feedback on the quality of their work.
• Supervise undergraduate and postgraduate research projects.
• Act as personal tutor for postgraduate students and provide pastoral support.
• Contribute to the development, delivery, and quality assurance of the postgraduate curricula.
• Maintain an excellent standard of teaching as indicated by peer observation, quality assessment, student feedback etc.
• Work collaboratively, sharing good practice with colleagues within the School and the College more widely, as appropriate.

Management and Administration

• Progress into a leadership role in the MSc Forestry degree programme, developing the programme to meet changing student and industry needs.
• Develop and co-ordinate modules as required.
• Attend all relevant board meetings.
• Carry out other management / administrative duties as specified by the Head of School.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• Participate in performance review and developmental activities.
• Comply with the University’s equality policies and statements, Dignity at Work and Study Policy and the University’s Welsh Language Scheme.
• Continued development of personal knowledge and skills to ensure that teaching reflects current best practice.
• General and legal duty of care in relation to health, safety and wellbeing and must take all reasonable steps to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for themselves and for other members of staff, students and visitors affected by their actions or inactions. The post holder is also required to comply with all applicable health and safety policies, procedures and risk assessments.
• Comply with relevant legal and financial policies and procedures and be aware of their responsibilities in terms of the legal requirements of their post.

Person Specification

Qualifications/Training

Essential

• A PhD in forestry/forest science or a related discipline (geography, ecology, environmental economics, environmental sciences, conservation) or be near to completion.

Desirable

• Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCertHE) or recognised by the HEA as a Fellow or equivalent qualification.
• Professional membership of the Institute of Chartered Foresters or similar.

Experience/Knowledge

Essential

• An excellent working knowledge of UK forestry and woodland management.
• Experience of teaching in higher education, further education or equivalent.

Desirable

• Experience of forestry practice outside of the UK.
• Active engagement with UK forestry industry stakeholders.
• Experience of module development and delivery in higher education.
• Experience in online and blended teaching.
• Experience of supervising undergraduate and postgraduate research projects.
• An appreciation of working with a culturally diverse group of students from different backgrounds.
• Evidence of scholarship relating to learning and teaching through publication of books, articles and/or papers in academic journals.

Skills/Abilities

Essential

• Have an excellent understanding of forestry.
• Ability and enthusiasm to teach in the classroom, in the field and online.
• Have initiative, motivation, and enthusiasm for facilitating learning in an academic School committed to excellence.
• A willingness to contribute effectively to administrative activities.
• Interpersonal skills, to be able to engage effectively with academic, research, technical and administrative staff.
• An ability and flexibility to work in teams across a range of disciplines.
• Ability to carry out pastoral care and appreciate the issues faced by a diverse body of students.
• An appreciation of the multilingual and multicultural character of modern Wales.
• No specific Welsh language requirement. Candidates will be expected to work positively in a bilingual environment.

Desirable

• A record of innovative and excellent teaching in HE.
• Familiarity with issues relating to quality assurance, student recruitment and satisfaction, pastoral care and student engagement, and the Welsh and UK Higher Education landscape.

General

The University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We strive to develop a workforce from all sections of the community regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. We promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language through our progressive Welsh Language Policy. We comply with the Welsh Language Standards and are committed to equality of opportunity. You are welcome to apply for any job in English or Welsh and all applications submitted will be treated equally.

We are a member of Advance HE's Athena SWAN Gender Equality charter and hold a Silver award in recognition of our commitment to and progress towards gender equality within the University's policies, practices, and culture. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

All members of staff have a duty to ensure their actions are in line with the overall environmental aims of the University and minimise their environmental impact.

All offers are made subject to proof of eligibility to work in the UK and receipt of satisfactory references.

We have a legal responsibility to ensure that you have the right to work in the UK before you can start working for us.  When you apply for this post you will be required to explain the basis upon which you believe you will able to live and work in the UK legally on the commencement date of the role should your application be successful.   If you do not have the right to work freely in any position in the UK already, any offer of employment we will make to you will be subject to you obtaining a right to work visa.   The following link provides information on the various visa routes into employment and the eligibility requirements (including switching visa status where permissible) https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas.   If you are successful in your application we will discuss visa options with you at the time of making the offer of employment.     

Please note that, in the event of applications being received from candidates on the University's Redeployment Register with a reasonable skills match to the post specification, these applicants will be given prior consideration.