Teaching Assistant in Physics

About the Opportunity

Position overview

Department

Physics and Engineering

Faculty

Computing, Mathematics, Engineering & Natural Sciences (CoMENS)

Location

London, Devon House / Portsoken

Term

Part-time (Up to 0.88 FTE); Fixed Term

(7 January 2027 – 31 May 2027)

Salary Range

Teaching Assistant (G6) 1.0 FTE £38,719 to £42,290, progressing to £43,555 once in post.

Pro rata for agreed FTE.

Benefits

The university supports staff maintaining a good work/life balance, offers flexible working and parental leave opportunities, an Employee Assistance Programme which provides free, confidential advice on both home and work concerns as well as optional private medical insurance, season ticket loans and being part of the cycle to work scheme.

Line Management Responsibility

N/A

Reports to

Head of Physics and Engineering

Start date (dependent on successful completion of relevant checks)

7 January 2027

The role

Northeastern University London invites applications for a Teaching Assistant in Physics. The appointee will support teaching of first year undergraduate Physics courses.

Appointments will be commensurate with experience and qualifications reflecting a record of demonstrated ability to support teaching.

Core duties include:

Teaching and demonstration

• Lead laboratory sessions, under the guidance and/or supervision of subject expert faculty, in Newtonian Mechanics and Electromagnetism, including:
  • Measurement of density & errors
  • Motion in 1D and 2D
  • Work and energy on an air track
  • Uniform circular motion
  • Conservation of momentum
  • Maxwell's Wheel
  • DC circuits
  • Simple Harmonic Motion
  • RC circuits
  • Oscilloscopes
  • Magnetic force
  • Standing waves

• Demonstrate laboratory techniques and safety procedures to students.
• Lead small-group discussion or recitation sections that reinforce lecture content.

Session preparation and safety

• Run a pre-session dry-run of practicals where required, checking that equipment functions correctly, reagents are viable, and results are reproducible before students arrive.
• Confirm, alongside technical staff, that health and safety and COSHH checks have been completed
• Report equipment faults, missing materials, or safety concerns to the technical team promptly, before the session starts.
• Enforce laboratory safety protocols throughout each session.
• Support technicians with session close-down, cleaning and resetting workstations, and checking that equipment is switched off and stored correctly.

Student support

• Support students during laboratory and recitation sessions.
• Hold regular office hours to help students with problem sets, lab reports, and exam preparation.
• Support students with varying levels of prior science background, flagging any who may need additional academic support.
• Respond to student queries or forward them to the appropriate person.

Assessment and feedback

• Grade lab reports, quizzes, problem sets, and exams according to instructor-provided rubrics.
• Provide timely, constructive written feedback.
• Maintain grading consistency and flag academic integrity concerns to the course instructor.

Training and coordination

• Complete all required training.
• Attend coordination meetings.

We particularly encourage applications from those with an interest in innovative teaching, learning and assessment; those with experience of supporting a wide variety of students; and those belonging to groups underrepresented in UK higher education. We are open to appointing on a reduced fraction/job-share basis subject to our business needs.

Person specification criteria

To undertake this role, the following should apply – should you not have the experience below, please do highlight where transferrable skills would assist with you undertaking the role. Unless specified, all criteria are considered essential.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree, or equivalent professional experience, in a relevant area
• PhD completed, or near completion, or equivalent professional experience, in a relevant area (desirable)
• AFHEA status, or equivalent, achieved or expected (desirable)

Key Criteria

• Sound knowledge of first-year undergraduate physics, including Newtonian mechanics, oscillations and waves, electromagnetism and DC/AC circuits, and the treatment of measurement uncertainty.
• Practical competence with standard teaching laboratory equipment, and the ability to diagnose common faults during a session.
• Experience of demonstrating or supporting students in a teaching laboratory, tutorial or problem class setting.
• Awareness of safe working practice in a physics laboratory, and the confidence to enforce safety rules with students.
• Evidence of supporting students with different levels of prior knowledge and confidence, and of adapting explanations to meet individual needs.
• Ability to mark written work accurately and consistently against a rubric, and to give clear, constructive written feedback within agreed deadlines.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain physical concepts and experimental methods to non-specialists in person and online.
• Good organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to prepare for sessions in advance and work reliably alongside technical staff and module leaders.
• Willingness to work flexibly with module leaders to support the delivery of teaching, including experiential learning activities.
• Experience of using digital tools in teaching, such as a virtual learning environment, data-analysis software or simulation packages. (Desirable)
• Experience of marking summative assessment in higher education. (Desirable)

About the Faculty

The Faculty of Computing, Mathematics, Engineering, and Natural Sciences (CoMENS) is undergoing significant growth at Northeastern University London. It is home to three interdisciplinary undergraduate dual-degree (in UK and US) programmes in the areas of Data Science, Computer Science and Business, and Computer Science and Philosophy; two postgraduate programs in the areas of AI and Innovation; and five degree apprenticeship programmes in the areas of AI, Data Science, Digital and Technology Solutions, and Biosciences.

The faculty plays a major part in Northeastern University’s first-year student mobility program, offering undergraduate courses in Computer and Data Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Physics, Biology, Chemistry and Healthcare, striving to inspire and equip entering students to be outstanding scientists.

Enquiries

Informal enquiries may be made to Dr Sophia Economides, Head of Physics and Engineering (s.economides@nulondon.ac.uk). However, all applications must be made in accordance with the application process specified.

Application process

Applications must include a full curriculum vitae and a cover letter that sets out concisely in ways relevant to this role how the applicant meets the person specification criteria. Applicants should indicate in their cover letter the % FTE they are interested in.

You may upload your CV and Cover letter as a single document if you are unable to upload them individually.

Participation in the equal opportunities section is encouraged, but voluntary.

The panel will be shortlisting for this position on a rolling basis so please apply as soon as possible. We reserve the right to close this post before the closing date if we receive a large number of applications.

Please note this role may require a basic or enhanced DBS check. Our organisation acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard, protect and promote the welfare of our students and staff, and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and Ofsted requirements. You must adhere to the above if you are offered a role with NU London.

Applications are welcome from all sections of the community and will be judged on merit alone. We welcome applications from all underrepresented groups, including the Global Majority. Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.

Job sponsorship: Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.

Position Type

Teaching Assistant (G6) 1.0 FTE £38,719 to £42,290 per annum, progressing to £43,555 once in post. Pro rata for agreed FTE.

Additional Information

Sophia Economides

They can be reached at the following:

s.economides@northeastern.edu

However, all applications must be made in accordance with the application process specified.

Application process

Applications should be made by 00:00 on the job posting's end date (if applicable).

Participation in the equal opportunities section is encouraged, but voluntary.

Applications must include a covering letter of no more than one page that addresses the criteria for the role and a full curriculum vitae.

The panel will be shortlisting for this position on a rolling basis so please apply as soon as possible. We reserve the right to close this post before the closing date if we receive a large number of applications.

Please note all employees of Northeastern University London are required to undergo at least a basic DBS check. Our organisation acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard, protect and promote the welfare of our students and staff, and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and Ofsted requirements. You must adhere to the above if you are offered a role with NU London.

For staff’s own wellbeing, for part time roles, the expectation is if you have multiple roles, they should not exceed full time (37.5 hours per week), and for full time roles, the expectation is that this will be your only role (apart from intermittent roles).

Applications are welcome from all sections of the community and will be judged on merit alone. We welcome applications from all underrepresented groups, including the Global Majority. Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.