Lecturer in Crop Protection(UK Visa Sponsorship)

Job Description

Overview of the Role

The School of Agriculture, Policy & Development at the University of Reading invites applications for a Lecturer in Crop Protection. This position offers an excellent opportunity for an early- to mid-career academic to contribute to world-leading research and high-quality teaching across key areas of crop health, sustainable plant protection, and agricultural innovation.

The successful candidate will actively support our expanding research agenda, participate in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, and engage in wider academic leadership and outreach activities. This role aligns with the University’s long-term strategic programme AgriFood Futures, which focuses on resilience, sustainability, and transformational agricultural systems.

Visa and Eligibility Information

Applicants requiring Skilled Worker sponsorship should ensure they meet the necessary criteria before applying.

About the School and Research Environment

The School hosts leading experts in agricultural sciences and is home to pioneering research in sustainable crop management, climate preparedness, and digital agriculture. Our newly launched AgriFood Futures initiative aims to shape future food systems up to 2050, supported by major investment in personnel and cutting-edge facilities.

You will join a collaborative, multidisciplinary research community committed to advancing innovative solutions to global food security, climate resilience, and nature-positive farming.

Key Responsibilities

Research

• Conduct innovative, peer-reviewed research in crop protection or closely related areas.
• Develop a strong, externally funded research portfolio aligned with AgriFood Futures.
• Engage with interdisciplinary projects involving climate-smart agriculture, forecasting models, plant–microbe interactions, precision farming, remote sensing, AI-driven pest diagnostics, or next-generation biocontrol solutions.
• Disseminate research findings through high-impact journals, conferences, and collaborative networks.

Teaching & Supervision

• Deliver inspiring teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
• Contribute to curriculum development in plant health, crop protection, pest management, or advanced agricultural technologies.
• Supervise dissertations and research projects for BSc, MSc, and PhD students.

Academic Citizenship

• Participate in departmental duties, committees, and student-support activities.
• Contribute to outreach, stakeholder engagement, and knowledge-exchange programmes.
• Support a positive and inclusive research and teaching environment.

Person Specification

Essential Qualifications & Experience

PhD (or equivalent) in crop protection, plant sciences, agricultural sciences, entomology, plant pathology or a closely related discipline.

• Evidence of high-quality academic publications and/or demonstrable research impact.
• Proven ability to secure external research funding or clear potential to do so.
• Strong knowledge of modern crop protection strategies and current sector challenges.
• Experience teaching or supporting learning in Higher Education.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Desirable Expertise

Candidates with expertise in one or more of the following are especially encouraged to apply:

• Climate-resilient pest forecasting
• Evolutionary-informed resistance management
• Smart farming, robotics, and remote sensing
• Microbial biocontrol, biopesticides, or synthetic microbial communities
• Precision agriculture and AI-supported plant health diagnostics

Key Contacts

• Interview Date: Tuesday 13 January 2026 (provisional)

Commitment to Equality & Inclusion

The University of Reading is proud of its inclusive culture. We support the Athena SWAN Charter, the Race Equality Charter, and LGBT+ equality initiatives. We are accredited as a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and welcome applications for flexible, part-time, or job-share arrangements where operationally feasible.