Senior Lecturer in Agri-Food and Co-Head of China Programmes

Location: Cirencester and locations in China, including Qingdao Agricultural University, Shandong Agricultural University and Shenyang University

Salary: Senior Lecturer Grade 9: £44,746 - £56,535 pa

Vacancy Type: Full-time; 35 hrs/week

The Royal Agricultural University (RAU) is seeking an experienced academic to join our team delivering teaching and research support, focused on delivering teaching in China.

The Role

We are seeking professional and passionate individuals with highly relevant subject expertise to support in the delivery of a number of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in collaboration with our partners in Qingdao Agricultural University, Shandong Agricultural University, and Shenyang University.

While the position is UK based, teaching in China teaching will take place in both semesters and would not normally exceed a 6-week period in each. Free staff accommodation in China is provided, two round trip flights per annum, suitable health insurance, support with visa application, expenses, including £40 per day for subsistence when in China.

Successful applicants will have specialist expertise in either:

• agriculture: for example, agricultural technology, precision agriculture, agroecology, crop or livestock management
• or agri-food business: for example, business strategy and policy, leadership, food supply chain management, finance, entrepreneurship, marketing or business innovation. 

Key Responsibilities

1.      Teaching and Assessment

• Deliver teaching through lectures, tutorials, seminars, field excursions, practical exercises, and other modes of delivery to undergraduate and postgraduate students.
• Create student awareness of current professional practice through visits, case studies and visiting speakers.
• Develop taught programmes that are cutting edge and embrace the latest innovations in teaching and learning.
  • Develop approaches to teaching that integrate real-world practices with theoretical concepts.
  • Design, deliver and mark a range of assessments, as required by programme specifications.
  • Supervise undergraduate and postgraduate student dissertations.

2.      Research, Knowledge Exchange and Scholarship

• Engage in the relevant scholarly activity including continual updating of knowledge and understanding in your field or specialism.
• Develop a programme of research within a suitable research area.
• Act as primary or secondary supervisor of postgraduate research students.
• Prepare grant applications to secure external funding.
• Publish research articles in peer-reviewed journals of international standing and actively disseminate research findings to ensure maximum impact.

3.      Administration

• Manage our portfolio of programmes in China, acting where appropriate as Co-Head of China Programmes
• Manage modules and programmes
• Attend programme, subject area and examiners meetings

Person Specification

• Degree (or relevant professional experience)
• Higher Degree in a relevant discipline
• Experience of undergraduate and / or postgraduate teaching
• Ability to develop a programme of research and scholarship related to RAU strategic priorities
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Able to travel and work away when required (nationally and internationally)

To Apply

If you would like to work for us, for full details please follow the link to be redirected to our website to complete your application.

https://www.rau.ac.uk/about-rau/work-for-us

The RAU is an equal opportunities employer, and we particularly welcome applications from black and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the RAU at this level

Closing Date: 8 September 2025

Interviews: 25 September 2025

Contact information

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