About Birmingham City University
At Birmingham City University, we are a diverse and inclusive learning community of over 31,400 students from more than 120 countries. We aim to become an exemplar anchor institution, creating and sharing knowledge for a better and more inclusive society. We are committed to providing a transformational educational experience, supporting world-class research, and fostering a collaborative and supportive working environment for our staff.
Recognised as one of the UK’s Top 250 employers (Financial Times & Statista), we pride ourselves on being a place where colleagues feel valued, supported, and able to grow their careers while contributing to the success of our students and communities.
Our student demographic reflects the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of Birmingham itself, with a significant proportion of students from minoritised ethnic backgrounds and the majority of our home students coming from the West Midlands. This diversity is a strength, and it calls for a workforce that is equipped to challenge deficit narratives and thinking — those assumptions that position students from underrepresented groups as lacking rather than recognising their assets, strengths and potential.
By embracing this perspective, we aim to create an environment where all students and colleagues can thrive, and where our work contributes positively to the social, cultural and economic life of Birmingham and beyond.
Role Summary
Birmingham City University’s historic School of Jewellery is one of the world’s leading centres for the study of jewellery and associated disciplines. We are seeking a Lecturer in Gemmology to join our highly regarded BSc and MSc Gemmology programmes.
This is an exciting opportunity for a knowledgeable and experienced gemmologist to bring current professional practice into an inspiring academic environment. You may already be teaching, or you may be working in a gemmological laboratory, jewellery business, auction house, testing or certification environment, or another relevant area of the industry and be considering a move into higher education.
You do not need to be an established university lecturer to apply. We welcome applicants who have developed their ability to share specialist knowledge through professional training, mentoring, coaching, demonstrations, workshops, presentations or supporting colleagues and trainees.
Key Responsibilities
Working collaboratively with the Gemmology course team, you will contribute to the delivery and continued development of our BSc and MSc programmes. You will:
- Deliver engaging teaching and practical activity across gemmology and related jewellery studies.
- Demonstrate and support the use of standard and advanced gemmological equipment and techniques.
- Assess student work and provide constructive feedback.
- Support students as a Personal Tutor and throughout their academic journey.
- Help ensure our curriculum remains current, inclusive and closely connected to professional practice.
- Build and maintain relationships with employers, professional bodies, laboratories and the wider gemmological and jewellery industries.
- Contribute to scholarship, research, enterprise and knowledge-exchange activity appropriate to your experience and interests.
Essential Requirements
- You will have a degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant subject alongside appropriate professional gemmological qualification(s), together with strong current or recent professional experience in gemmology.
- You will be able to communicate specialist technical knowledge clearly and engagingly, understand current developments and challenges across the jewellery and gemmological industries, and be committed to supporting students from a wide range of backgrounds.
Desirable Requirements
- Experience of higher education teaching is desirable but not essential. A teaching qualification is welcomed; if you are new to higher education, you should be willing to develop your academic practice and work towards the appropriate University teaching qualification or professional recognition where required.
- Experience with advanced laboratory equipment such as FTIR, Raman and UV-Vis would also be advantageous.
Further Information
If you are excited by the opportunity to help shape the future of the School of Jewellery, we would love to hear from you.
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Miranda Wells, Head of Department, at Miranda.wells@bcu.ac.uk
Interviews for this role are envisioned to take place on 7 December 2026.
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Why work for us
- Work–life balance – Generous leave and hybrid working (role dependent).
- Career development – Opportunities to grow, develop and progress your career.
- Reward and wellbeing – Competitive pay, pension, wellbeing support and staff benefits.
- Inclusive culture – A supportive, diverse environment where everyone belongs.
Visa Sponsorship
This role may be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route, subject to meeting the relevant criteria. For further information, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa
Use of AI in applications
At BCU, we welcome applications that clearly demonstrate how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role. AI tools may be used to support you in preparing your application, but the information you provide must be accurate, authentic and based on your own experience. Applications that rely too heavily on AI, appear generic or do not provide specific evidence against the role criteria are less likely to progress to the next stage of the recruitment process. For more information, please refer to our candidate guidance; How to Apply - Jobs at Birmingham City University
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and to an environment that supports lawful free speech and academic freedom. We will continuously review and improve our policies, practices, and procedures to ensure that we are promoting these in all aspects of our operations. We believe that by working together, combining our many different backgrounds and life experiences, we will empower each other to reach our full potential.
Disability Confident Employer
Birmingham City University is proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview.
The appointed candidate will be employed through BCU Support Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Birmingham City University, and will be automatically enrolled into the BCU Support Services Pension Scheme (BCUSS), subject to earnings and other eligibility criteria.