Career Development Fellowships in Law

Job description

Durham Law School is recruiting a Career Development Fellow in Intellectual Property Law. This fixed-term position offers a combination of teaching and research responsibilities. See the details below.

Working at Durham University

As one of the UK's leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career.The University is located within a beautiful historic city, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and surrounded by stunning countryside.Our talented scholars and researchers from around the world are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives.

OurUniversity Strategyis built on three pillars of research, education and wider student experience, but also on our keen sense of community and of inspiring others to achieve their potential.

Our Purpose and Values

We want our University to be a place where people can be free to be themselves, no matter what their identity or background. Together, we celebrate difference, value one another and are each responsible for creating an inclusive community that is respectful and fair for all.

Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on ourWhy Join Us? - Information Page

Discover more about our total rewards and benefits packagehere.

Career Development Fellowships

The University is committed to enabling all our colleagues to achieve their full potential. Durham University's Career Development Fellowships are fixed term positions, which include structured development support for early career academics to deliver outstanding education, innovative research/scholarship, and to engage in citizenship activities. The post-holder will be a full academic member of the Department, working alongside world-class colleagues, with the support of a designated mentor.

We welcome applications from candidates working in any area of intellectual property law and policy. The existing team has expertise in copyright, patents, innovation policy, AI and emerging technologies, and UK, EU and Asian intellectual property law.

The successful candidate will join a small and supportive IP group committed to nurturing early career academics. You will benefit from a collegial environment in which colleagues are approachable, collaborative and invested in your professional development.

The Department

Durham Law School is looking for a Career Development Fellow in Intellectual Property Law. This fixed-term role combines teaching and research, offering an excellent opportunity for an early career academic to develop an independent research profile while contributing to the teaching of Intellectual Property Law at undergraduate (LLB) and postgraduate taught (PGT) levels.

Given the developmental nature of this role, the post will not typically be extended beyond the agreed fixed term duration to allow others the opportunity of a CDF post and the career development that it provides. Following the end of the term, the role-holder will be in a strong position to apply for relevant permanent academic roles, should they arise, at Durham or elsewhere.

Successful applicants will, ideally be in post by2 November 2026.

Applicants should normally hold a PhD in a relevant field. We also welcome applications from candidates who are close to completing their PhD, including those who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting their viva examination. The role is aimed at early career academics, typically within eight years of PhD completion, although career breaks, including parental leave and periods of ill health, will be taken into account. Applications are also welcomed from individuals returning to academia following a career in another sector.

The University provides a working and teaching environment that is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate these key principles as part of the assessment process.

Durham Law School is ranked joint 49th globally for Law and Legal Studies in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, 4th in the UK for Law in The Guardian University Guide 2026 and 3rd in The Complete University Guide 2026, with 100% of research impact and environment ranked 3* or 4* (REF 2021).

For more information, please visit our Department pages atDurham Law School - Durham University.

Key responsibilities:

The successful candidate will contribute to teaching Intellectual Property Law across Durham Law School's LLB and LLM programmes, with the ability to teach foundational law modules being desirable. Alongside teaching, the role provides protected time to develop an independent research agenda, supported by Durham University's vibrant research environment, mentoring, and resources. It should be noted that the precise content of each Career Development Fellowship will vary dependent on the experience of the role-holder, their career aspirations, and the business need of the Department.

At the outset of the Fellowship a personal development plan will be produced in discussion with the Head of Department, which will outline any training needs, or other experience the post-holder wishes to gain to develop their academic career.

During the course of the Career Development Fellowship the successful candidate will gain valuable experience in a wide spectrum of academic activities. Examples include:

Development

• Membership of Departmental committees and appropriate professional body.
  

• Supported progression towards AdvanceHE (Higher Education Academy, HEA) accreditation.
  

• Access to research funding, subject to approval by the Department.
  

• The postholder will have access to Durham University and Durham Law School's programme of academic events and initiatives, with opportunities to organise and lead their own.
  

• Engage in citizenship to support the department and wider discipline.
  

• 
  

Education

• Teach modules at undergraduate/postgraduate levels in the field of IP law, developing an awareness of different approaches to and methods of teaching and supporting student learning.
  

• Develop the ability to manage own teaching and designing, planning and writing of engaging and innovative teaching materials.
  

• Develop and deliver an inclusive curriculum and make an active contribution to an inclusive community in which diversity is embraced and celebrated.
  

• Supervise undergraduate and postgraduate students.
  

• Provide student support, assessment of academic performance and provision of feedback, dealing with student disciplinary matters and complaints.
  

Research/Scholarship

• Support towards independent development of internationally excellent research/scholarship.
  

• Develop clear plans for the pursuit of national and international funding opportunities to support research/scholarship and end-user engagement.
  

• Develop a personal research/scholarship plan which supports and enhances the department's research and/or pedagogic strategy.
  

• Contribute to enhancing the quality of the research environment.
  

Working at Durham

• A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University:
  

• You'll receive 30 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year - a total of 42 days per year.The University closes between Christmas and New Year.
  
• We offer a generous pension scheme, and as a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS).
  

• No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have ample parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies. You can also take advantage of our cost-effective and environmentally friendly Tusker Car Benefit Scheme, allowing you to lease a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle with savings on tax and National Insurance.
  

• We have a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities.
  

• We provide wide-ranging health and wellbeing support including discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
  

• Our on-site nursery is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and you can access holiday camps for children aged 5-16.
  

• Our family-friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
  

• We offer all staff the opportunity to take part in volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community.
  

• You can access exclusive discounts via our benefits portal including money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, eating out and days out at various attractions.
  
• Various salary sacrifice schemes are also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits.
  
• If you are moving to Durham, you may be eligible for help with removal costs, and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools. If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest-free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas.
  
• Discover more about our total rewards and benefits packagehere.
  

Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion

Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key component of the University's Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by ourPurpose and Valuesand ourStaff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. Visa sponsorship for this role is available.

We welcome and encourage applications from those who are currently under-represented in our work force, including people with disabilities and from racially minoritised ethnic groups.

If you have taken a career break or periods of leave that may have impacted on the volume and recency of your research outputs and other activities, such as maternity, adoption or parental leave, you may wish to disclose this in your application. The selection committee will take this into account when evaluating your application.

The University has been awarded the Disability Confident Leader status. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

Person Specification - External

Contact Information

Department contact for academic-related enquiries is Dr Mauricio Figueroa, Assistant Professor in Commercial Law. Please contact Dr Figueroa via email at [email protected].

Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application

If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with abrief description of the problem you're experiencing [email protected]

Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).

University contact for general queries about the recruitment process

[email protected]

How to Apply

We prefer to receive applications online.

To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification below. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence of all criteria.

While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.

Please note that in submitting your application, we will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy StatementJob Applicants/Potential Job Applicants - Privacy Noticewhich provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

Submitting your application

All applicants are asked to submit:

• A 2-page CV
  

• A 500-word covering letter which details how you meet the job criteria set out in the job description.
  

• A 500-word Personal Research Plan, describing the intended research outputs and activities for the duration of the fellowship.
  

We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates

Next Steps

Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University, either virtually or in-person and will have the opportunity to meet key members of the Department. The assessment for the post will normally include [a presentation to staff and students in the Department followed by an interview] and we anticipate that the assessments and interviews will take place over two days in or aroundw/c 28th September 2026.

In the event that you are unable to attend in person on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date.

Durham University is a UKVI sponsor. Applicants who require sponsorship to work in the UK should note that not all roles are eligible. Further information on visa requirements and eligibility can be found on theUKVI website.

Person Specification.

Candidates will normally be within eight years of completing their PhD (career breaks due to parental leave or ill health will be accounted for) or be concluding their PhD. While candidates may have limited direct experience of the requirements of the post, they must outline their experience, skills and achievements to date which demonstrate that they meet or that they have the potential to achieve the essential criteria.

Essential Criteria

Qualifications - A good first degree in a relevant subject and normally within eight years of completing a PhD in a relevant field, although career breaks will be taken into account. Applications are also welcome from candidates who are close to completing their PhD, including those who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting their viva examination

The ability to foster a respectful working and learning environment and a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Demonstrate the potential to produce high-quality research outputs in intellectual property law.

Evidence of the potential to deliver high-quality, effective and engaging teaching and assessment.

Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of students and colleagues across a variety of forums.

Evidence of the ability or potential to contribute positively to the collegial and administrative activities of an academic Department, Faculty or University.

Please note that colleagues who are undertaking/have completed a CDF role are not eligible to apply for a further CDF role (should one become available) so to allow others the opportunity of a CDF post and the career development that it provides.