Houlden Fellow (Research Fellow) (106941-0525)

For informal enquiries, please contact Pietro Micheli (Professor) Pietro.Micheli@wbs.ac.uk

Full time, fixed term contract for 3 years.

The Operations Management Group is recruiting for a ‘WBS Houlden Fellow’ post for the next academic year The position is fixed term for a period of 36 months.

The postholder will divide their time between three areas of activity: (1) progressing their own research agenda, (2) supporting current WBS research activity, and (3) gaining valuable teaching experience. All Houlden Fellows benefit from the mentoring of a Professorial colleague to help them develop their academic careers, over the three-year period. Houlden Fellows have their own budget for research and travel.

If you have not yet been awarded your PhD but are near submission, or have recently submitted your PhD, any offers of employment will be made as Research Assistant on level 5 of the University grade structure. Upon successful award of your PhD and evidence of this fact, you will be promoted to Research Fellow on the first point of level 6 of the University grade structure.

We are particularly interested in empirically oriented applicants who focus on organizational problems of contemporary relevance adopting a process perspective and who propose ambitious research plans in subjects aligned with the wide portfolio of activity of the Operations Management (OM) faculty.

At WBS, the OM group has a distinguished history of excellence in research, teaching, and real-world impact. As the birthplace of modern OM in Europe during the 1980s and 1990s, the group pioneered developments in areas such as quality management and service operations. Today, it continues to lead the field with award-winning work in supply chain management, process improvement, environmental and social issues in operations, performance measurement and management, innovation and technology management, and project management.

While grounded in the field of OM, the group members’ work is often the result of collaborations with colleagues in other areas of management research, such as innovation, organisation theory, marketing, and international business, and it has led to publications in high quality journals including the Journal of Operations Management, Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Supply Chain Management, Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, and Research Policy.

If successful, you will join a growing group of scholars, who enjoy working together in a developmental environment. We are proud of a group culture based on an inclusive, supportive and positive approach, and one that values feedback, teamwork, transparency, and discussion. Our goal is to provide an excellent environment for talented and enthusiastic researchers to achieve career and personal goals.

For further information regarding the skills required for this role please see the personal specification section of the attached job description.

Warwick Business School (WBS) is a world-class business school at the heart of a world-class University, challenging assumptions and championing business as a force for good. From the pioneering research we undertake, to the students we help to shape, we are for the Change Makers who will impact the world for the better.

We were the first UK business school to be triple accredited by the major bodies (EQUIS, AMBA, AACSB) and our courses consistently rank highly – view all of our rankings here.

However, we’re more than our rankings and we’re proud to be different. We’re supportive and approachable, and we want WBS to feel like home to our students, our staff and our alumni community. We look to provide a stimulating and fulfilling work environment for all. One where you will feel encouraged to grow professionally, developing your knowledge, skills, confidence and career.

Our vision

Our vision is to be Europe’s leading University-based business school, developing transformational ideas and people that shape how we do business. This vision is supported by our three-fold mission:

1. To develop cutting-edge research that leads debate and deepens our understanding of the practice of business and management
2. To provide a transformational learning experience, enabling our stakeholders to realise their full potential
3. To work in partnership with policy and practice, both in terms of our research and teaching activities, to catalyse the impact of our work.

Everything we do is underpinned by our CORE values and driven by a commitment to a Change Maker mindset. We look for this shared commitment across our staff and student community.

• Change Makers see the bigger picture. Thinking beyond themselves and their environment, they’re open to other viewpoints and consider the ripple effect of what they do on a personal, social, and commercial level. They’re driven by having the biggest positive impact and a focus on the greater good.
• Change Makers challenge the norm. Challenging the status quo and not just accepting things at face value is when real impact and change can be delivered.
• Change Makers have the drive as well as the vision. It’s one thing having a vision but having the drive and work ethic to realise a vision is another matter. Change Makers relentlessly pursue every possible solution in order to achieve their goals.

Our CORE values

• We challenge, we embrace different perspectives, and we think creatively to build our future.
• We’re open to different perspectives, talking to stakeholders, listening to feedback, embracing change and pushing forward for the better.
• We’re not satisfied with standing still, and never stop looking for ways to improve. Constantly evaluating, we don’t stop when we’ve achieved one thing; we use all of our initiative, drive and resourcefulness to achieve more.
• At a world class university and a globally recognised business school, excellence is a given. There are no half measures at WBS.

Born in the 60s with a mindset of boldness, imagination and collaboration, the University of Warwick is a world-leading research-intensive university with the highest academic and research standards.

You'll be joining a diverse, innovative and globally connected community committed to igniting real world progress. Here at Warwick, we offer you opportunities to follow your ambitions as long as you bring the energy and determination to succeed.

To find out more about us visit our website.

CLOSING DATE:  Sunday 22nd June 2025 at 23.55 (BST) 

To apply, please click ‘Apply’ below and submit an application form by the closing date.  

Please plan for any potential delays as you will not be able to submit an application form past this deadline (even if you opened the form at, say, 23:30). 

You will have to attach a CV and a cover letter. 

• Your CV should include your employment history (including your most recent employment), your education history, and any other relevant experience. 
• Your cover letter should explain your motivations for applying to the role. It should also explain, using examples, how you meet each of the essential and desirable criteria detailed in the Job Description PDF document below. Please note that all essential criteria must be met by candidates who are invited to interview. 

Please see here for guidance on writing a cover letter. We highly recommend using individual criteria as headers and explaining below, using examples, how you meet the criterion, though you are free to format the letter as you wish. 

To streamline our hiring processes, we can only accept applications submitted via our official careers webpage, warwick-careers.tal.net. 

• Interview Date: To be confirmed
• Start Date: To be confirmed

We will provide you with a great range of benefits, which include an attractive pension scheme, 30 days holiday plus Christmas closure, excellent learning and development opportunities, and savings on a wide range of products and services. We offer a generous maternity/paternity/adoption/parental leave policy, and onsite childcare facilities. 

We recognise the importance of a healthy work/life balance and offer you access to flexible working, for more information click here. 

We are proud to say that we are a Living Wage employer.

If you are considering relocating to the UK, read our Relocation Guide to find out more about what Warwick has to offer and what might be involved in the process.

Warwick is committed to building an organisation of mutual respect and dignity, promoting a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive working and learning environment.  We recognise that everyone is different in a variety of visible and non-visible ways, and that those differences are to be recognised, respected, and valued.  Where possible, we go beyond legislation to provide a place where everyone can thrive, supporting all staff to achieve their full potential. We aspire to remove economic, social, and cultural barriers that may otherwise prevent people from succeeding. 

We therefore welcome and encourage applications from all communities regardless of culture, background, age, disability, sex/gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion/belief, or sexual or romantic orientation. To find out more about our social inclusion work at Warwick visit our webpages here. 

The University currently holds a Race Equality Charter Bronze Award, Athena Swan Sliver Award and a Disability Smart Bronze Award. Further information on all of the University's Awards and Accreditations can be found here. The University of Warwick is also one of the six founder institutions of the EUTOPIA European University Alliance. 

Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS)

The University of Warwick is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all those we work with. 

In line with the DBS Code of Practice, the successful candidates for any roles involving regulated activity, will be subject to a DBS check at the appropriate level. The University will take all necessary measures to ensure that any individual subject to a barring order does not undertake any work with the barred group specified (i.e. children and/or adults).

We expect all employees, volunteers, and partners to share our commitment to safeguarding.

Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders

The University undertakes not to discriminate against anyone who makes a disclosure relating to a conviction. The information disclosed at application stage is only visible to the central DBS team (i.e. not recruiting managers) to ensure there is no bias during the shortlisting process.