The University of Edinburgh
Teaching and Research Fellow in Private Law
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Job Description
Grade UE07: £41,064 to £48,822 per annum
School of Law / CAHSS
Full Time: 35 hours per week
Fixed term: for 36 months
Your next step starts here. Be part of something bigger.
The University of Edinburgh is a world-class organisation. We look for the best in the field across all disciplines and provide a working environment where academics can develop their careers and passion for their chosen subject area. We offer the full range of academic roles and have a genuine focus on our students’ performance and wellbeing.
The Opportunity
We are looking for a committed and enthusiastic academic to join Edinburgh Law School as a Teaching and Research Fellow in Private Law. This is a fixed term post for a duration of 36 months. The post is available from 1st January 2027.
The successful candidate will have advanced subject knowledge of private law, including in particular family law or the law of obligations. They will have either completed a PhD (or be close to completion) in Private Law or have equivalent professional experience. They will be expected to develop and execute a realistic and achievable research plan, and to play a full part in the collegiate life of the Private Law and Legal History Subject Area and Edinburgh Law School.
The successful candidate will have a strong commitment to promoting the student experience and will contribute to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, assessment and supervision in the Private Law and Legal History Subject Area.
The post will enable the successful candidate to establish a strong teaching and research profile and to develop professional contacts across the University of Edinburgh and beyond.
Your Skills And Attributes For Success
- Aptitude to deliver excellent research-led teaching and learning at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in Scottish Private Law,
- Ability to design and deliver course materials and to assess student performance.
- Ability to supervise undergraduate and taught postgraduate students in dissertation work.
- Ability to develop a research plan in the area(s) of expertise, including through high quality publications.
- Excellent communication skills.
- A commitment to promoting a collegial, nurturing, and mutually supportive working environment.
- A commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion across all activities.
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A unique employer in a vibrant city
The University isn’t just any employer. We are part of a local community and contributor to global thinking, progress and research. In Edinburgh, you are in one of the world’s most attractive cities with active arts and social sectors. The University in Edinburgh has made significant contributions to society, medicine, science and teaching for over four centuries. Our people have helped create the modern world and are working on more ground-breaking technologies and practices.
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People have always been at the heart of our work. Our people are at the centre of the University community and everything we do. We value colleagues with drive, determination and a passion for what they do. We are in a place where everyone is welcome and offer a range of policies and benefits designed to support you in building the flexibility that works for you.
A career with us has a range of other benefits that can be tailored to your lifestyle, including opportunities to develop new skills and broaden your experience, responsibility and autonomy, and excellent benefits and support.
As a valued member of our team, you can expect:
- A competitive salary.
- An exciting, positive, creative, challenging, and rewarding place to work.
- To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community.
- Comprehensive Staff Benefits, including generous annual leave entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, a wide range of staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives, and flexible working options. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page (opens in a new tab) and use our reward calculator to discover the value of your pay and benefits.
Championing equality, diversity and inclusion
The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the RACE Equality Charter and we are also Stonewall Scottish Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality.
Edinburgh Law School is an international, vibrant community dedicated to research and teaching with local and global reach and diverse impacts. It would not be the community it is without our staff and students, and we welcome applications from under-represented groups.
Prior to any employment commencing with the University, you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages (opens new browser tab).
The University may be able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. This will depend on a number of factors specific to the successful applicant.
How To Apply
As well as a CV and cover letter, candidates are required to upload an outline of their research plans (maximum 2 pages) as part of the application process. Candidates should also complete and upload the Publications Form (link provided below) in which they should identify their two strongest research outputs and explain why, in their view, these are both original and significant. These might include published articles and book chapters, work that is accepted or under review but not yet published, or chapters of a thesis. Candidates who are shortlisted for interview will then be asked to submit what they consider to be their two strongest publications where available.
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Download publications form (Word)
If you require this document in an alternative format, please contact HR by email at HRHelpline@ed.ac.uk.
For informal enquiries, please contact Laura Macgregor, Professor of Scots Law, l.macgregor@ed.ac.uk.
Key dates to note
The closing date for applications is 6 October 2026.
Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm UK time. If you are applying outside the UK, the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browser’s local time zone.
Interview dates to be confirmed.
About Us
As a world-leading research-intensive University, we are here to address tomorrow’s greatest challenges. Between now and 2030 we will do that with a values-led approach to teaching, research and innovation, and through the strength of our relationships, both locally and globally.
About The Team
Edinburgh Law School (http://www.law.ed.ac.uk) is situated in the historic Old College, at the heart of Edinburgh’s legal centre. For over three hundred years the School has been providing world-leading education and research in the eclectic discipline of law. As one of the eleven constituent Schools of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Science, the School encourages multi- and interdisciplinary connections throughout its teaching and research.
The School values diversity across all staff and students, and supports flexible and family-friendly working. The School provides active support and professional development (including mentoring, training, and networking opportunities) for all staff.
The School is fully committed to promoting equality and diversity, and to welcoming and including all who choose to study, work, or visit us.
https://www.law.ed.ac.uk/about-us/mission-and-values
With over 1400 students and 150 members of academic, research and professional services staff, Edinburgh Law School is an international, vibrant community dedicated to providing research and teaching with local and global reach and impact.
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