Lecturer in International Relations & Politics

This post arises as cover for a colleague undertaking a Leverhulme Fellowship and is therefore primarily focused on education. While the successful candidate will be expected to engage in some scholarly and research activity, the workload will be weighted towards teaching and education-related responsibilities, with the main emphasis on delivering an excellent student experience through high-quality teaching, curriculum development and student support.

Your main responsibilities will include leading and managing university modules, teaching undergraduate students, and teaching on the MA programme in International Relations, Conflict and Security.
Experience of supervising undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations is desirable, and knowledge or expertise in European internal security policies, organisations, and governance would also be an advantage., Applicants should hold a doctoral qualification and have demonstrable specialist expert knowledge and subject expertise in a relevant subject discipline.
Experience of designing, delivering, and assessing high quality teaching and learning practice as well as evidence of high-quality research outputs are essential.

This opportunity is open to applications from internal candidates who do not hold a current substantive academic role at Northumbria. Current academic colleagues with a substantive role are encouraged to consider options to progress via the Academic Development Review process., Join Northumbria University, a research-intensive institution unlocking potential and changing lives locally and globally. Named Times Higher Education's in 2022 and in 2025, we rank top 25 in the UK for research power. Discover more .
With over 37,000 students from more than 140 countries, we offer world-leading research, award-winning partnerships, and an outstanding student experience. We empower our exceptional staff, promoting a positive work-life balance and offering great benefits, including excellent pension schemes, flexible working, generous holiday entitlement and .
Our Northumbria Values, co-created by our team, define who we are: Academic Excellence, Innovation, Inclusivity, Collaboration, and Ambition. Our Behaviours shape our work culture: We listen and learn, support one another, respect everyone, trust each other, and are bold.
Based in Newcastle upon Tyne and London, we are an on-campus organisation and offer flexible hours and location where the role allows. We pride ourselves on diversity and inclusivity, holding numerous awards for gender and race equality, disability confidence, and research excellence. We also hold the HR Excellence in Research award for implementing the concordat supporting the career Development of Researchers and are members of the initiative to deliver information and support to professional researchers. The University has implemented a range of flexible working arrangements, and we are happy to explore candidate requirements as part of the recruitment process.

This role is part time, 14.8 hours per week and fixed term for 12 months, to start in September 2026.
ABOUT THE TEAM
International Relations & Politics sits within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. There are ten members of staff in the International Relations & Politics subject area, teaching around 150 undergraduate students on the International Relations & Politics single-honours programme, and a further 80 students on the History & Politics joint honours programme. In addition to the two undergraduate programmes, the IR&P team teach the MA in International Relations, Conflict and Security. The MA has two intakes of postgraduate students in the academic year, one in September, the second in January.
The IR&P team is made up of enthusiastic and well-published teachers and researchers from across the UK and Europe. The team is one of the most research-active groups in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, publishing widely in well-known academic journals, responding to contemporary issues and developments, as well as engaging with wider political ideas that shape the way we think and act politically.
IR&P staff have extensive experience of working for governmental and non-governmental organisations in project and course evaluations, voluntary and community sector involvement, neighbourhood governance and local partnership working. They have conducted research for think tanks and academic institutions around the globe. International Relations & Politics staff work closely with teaching and research staff in the History subject area.