The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.
We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more.
Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.
Overview
As a leader in patient-focused cancer research, we're committed to advancing innovative treatments and improving outcomes. Join our world-class team at the University of Sheffield and help us achieve this vision.
Our groundbreaking discovery of Lynparza has revolutionised cancer therapy. With competitive funding and a supportive environment, you'll have the opportunity to drive impactful research.
This is an exciting opportunity for a Professor of Oncology at the University of Sheffield to support ambitious plans for strategic growth in Cancer Research along our five broad themes:
- Cancer prevention and early diagnosis
- Digital health, big data, advanced diagnostic technologies and rethinking the delivery of cancer care
- Translational and precision cancer medicine
- Improving the outcomes for cancer patients
- Enhancing patient experience and voice
Main duties and responsibilities
The below reflects general duties and responsibilities for a professorship in cancer research at the University of Sheffield and a consultant-level clinical role. Depending on your specialism, there may be additional specific duties and responsibilities which will be discussed with you prior to interview.
Research
- Lead a major research group, managing people and resources to deliver an ambitious research vision (as appropriate for the discipline).
- Develop and lead research activities/programmes of outstanding quality in your disciplinary area.
- Play a lead role in establishing a sustained track record of income generation to support your work, exceeding the norms within your discipline.
- Contribute to the delivery of the university's cancer research strategy - by working with basic, translational and/or clinician scientists across the university to build successful programmes.
- Publish high-quality, innovative, distinctive and significant outputs which are considered to be world leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour.
- Regularly contribute to other research-related activities such as conference papers and speaking at conferences.
- Lead the development of strategies, policies and procedures which have a positive and quantifiable impact on equality, diversity and inclusion.
- Provide outstanding supervision to research students.
- Participate actively in the development of the cancer research strategy in the university and the wider cancer research community across the university.
- Contribute to institution-wide, trans-institutional, national and international research collaborations in oncology research.
- Take steps to protect intellectual property with colleagues in the Commercialisation & IP team.
- Promote the highest professional standards so that the reputation of the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (or your GP practice), as relevant, is enhanced.
Leadership and management
- You will already be or be well on the way to being a leader in your field. We will help you develop your career as a leader and help you manage the multiple activities that benefit your group, the wider School and the university. Examples include:
- External partnership activities/collaborations.
- Developing institutional policies and practice.
- Leading activities contributing to a positive and inclusive community spirit across the university.
- Using position and influence to ensure that others engage positively with the university's cancer research strategy.
- Leading, developing and motivating colleagues using mentoring and coaching skills.
- Proactively supporting equality, diversity and inclusion activities.
Teaching and training
- As an academic member of staff, you will engage in teaching and training the next generation of researchers and healthcare professionals. Your balance of research and teaching will be negotiated each year with the Head of Division as part of the annual Staff Review process, but we expect these roles to have a strong focus on research.
Clinical practice (for relevant posts)
- Together with Consultant colleagues, be responsible for the provision of cancer services across your cancer specialty.
- Join established multidisciplinary teams for these cancers.
- Work according to the terms and conditions of the national consultant contract
- Take an equal share in providing emergency cover and cover for colleagues during periods of absence. You will have continuing responsibility for patients in your care and the proper functioning of your clinical Department.
- For GP academics, you will undertake clinical work in general practice and support the NHS in the locality including continuing professional development (CPD) and primary care management roles, where relevant.
- Depending on your specialism, the specifics of the weekly job plan, on-call rota, facilities available, clinical management arrangements and staffing will be discussed with you at the appropriate time in the recruitment process.
- You will make a full and active contribution to the principles of the Sheffield Academic'. These include the achievement of excellence in applied teaching and research, and scholarly pursuits to make a genuine difference in the subject area and to the University's achievements as a whole. As a member of staff, you will be encouraged to make ethical decisions in your role, embedding the University sustainability strategy into your working activities wherever possible.
- You may fulfil any other duties, commensurate with the grade of the post.
Person Specification
Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.
Essential criteria
- A higher degree relevant to the research area (usually PhD) or equivalent qualifications (assessed at: application)
- Proven ability to plan and lead the delivery of research, through providing strategic direction and guidance to others (assessed at: application and interview)
- Substantial and sustained research income generation, e.g., through research grants, contracts, research consultancy or other external funding (assessed at: application).
- An excellent national reputation and a developing international profile through significant original research work (assessed at: application).
- High level peer esteem as evidenced by excellent reputation in the UK and often internationally, reflected in sustained high-quality output (publications), level of innovation, impact on subject and recognition (assessed at: application).
- A track record of attracting and successfully supervising high quality doctoral students (assessed at: application).
- Evidence of high-level successful collaborations, internally and externally (whether research, teaching or other) (assessed at: application).
- A track record in translating research into impact on the wider community through engagement with policy and practice, consultancy and advisory work (assessed at: application)
- Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, report writing skills and experience of delivering presentations (assessed at: application and interview).
- Ability of building, developing and leading a team, motivating high performance in others and mentoring junior colleagues in developing their research agendas (assessed at: application and interview).
For clinical posts only (Based at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals)
- Qualifications (assessed at: application).
- Full and Specialist registration (with a licence to practise) with the General Medical Council (GMC)
- Name on the specialist register for relevant specialty or eligible within 6 months of the date of the interview. If an applicant is UK trained, they must also be a holder of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) or be within six months of award of CCT by date of interview.
- Postgraduate professional qualifications as appropriate to the post.
- Clinical experience (assessed at: application).
- Ability to work as an independent practitioner in the specialty covered by the post.
- Possess broad clinical experience in the general aspects of the post plus any specific experience required for the post.
- Research (assessed at: application).
- Ability to critically assess published research and incorporate it into clinical practice where appropriate
- Teaching and training (assessed at: application).
- Experience of teaching student doctors and doctors in training at all levels
- Continuous professional development (assessed at: application).
- Evidence of participation in CME/CPD in the last 12 months
- Management and administration (assessed at: application and interview).
- Evidence of the understanding of the systems and structures of NHS Management
- Clinical governance and audit (assessed at: application and interview).
- Committed to and understands the principles of clinical governance
- Experience in performing clinical audit
- Understands the principles outlined in the GMC document Good Medical Practice
- Understands the requirements of Medical Appraisal and Revalidation
- Personal attributes (assessed at: application and interview).
- Demonstrates behaviour consistent with PROUD values
- Ensures value for money is considered in all that they do
- Good time management skills
- Good oral and written communication skills
Desirable criteria
For clinical posts only (Based at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals)
- Teaching and training (assessed at: application and interview).
- To have the ability to teach all groups of staff
- Continuous professional development (assessed at: application).
- Maintenance of a CPD diary or portfolio
- Management and administration (assessed at: application and interview).
- Awareness of current issues in NHS. Experience of working with management groups
- Clinical governance and audit (assessed at: application and interview).
- Active involvement in a clinical governance programme
- Completion and publication of a substantive audit project or service improvement project
Please note that clinical pay scales will be used for clinical appointments
For informal enquiries about this job contact Jim Catto and his team on jim.catto@sheffield.ac.uk .
Next steps in the recruitment process
It is anticipated that the selection process will take place in March 2025. This will consist of an interview and campus tour. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage on the week commencing 17th February. If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact jim.catto@sheffield.ac.uk .
Our vision and strategic plan
We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).
What we offer
- A minimum of 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
- Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
- Generous pension scheme.
- A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
- A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women's and Parent's networks).
- Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
- A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Academic Career Pathways.
- A range of generous family-friendly policies
- paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
- support for those going through the menopause
- paid time off and support for fertility treatment
- and more
More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).
We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.
Criminal record
Any applicable pre-employment checks will be carried out for the preferred candidate(s) depending on the nature of the post, which may include a criminal records check or, if appointment to the post includes access to biological services facilities, a security check. More details on the checks can be found on the Government website: gov.uk/criminal-record-checks-apply-role (opens in a new window).
Possession of a criminal record is not an automatic bar to employment at the University of Sheffield. We recognise the value of steady employment in the rehabilitation process and examine each case in its own right. More information can be found on our Information for candidates page:- sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/candidates (opens in a new window).
The University of Sheffield is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our staff and students. It is an offence to apply for this role if you have been barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children. Applicants will be subject to relevant safeguarding checks in line with the requirements of each role and the guidance from the Department for Education.
Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.
Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
- Childcare disqualification
- Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
- Medical
- Online and social media
- Eligibility to work
- Satisfactory references
- Suitability to work with children
You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
Safeguarding policy
Employment of ex-offenders policy