FACULTY OF CONSTRUCTION AND ENVIRONMENT

Chair Professor / Professor in Urban Safety and Health under Strategic Hiring Scheme (Ref. 260127005)

The Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) has the largest concentration of expertise in Hong Kong in construction and environment-related disciplines. Organised into the Department of Architecture*, the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering, the Department of Building and Real Estate, the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, the Faculty is in a unique position to take advantage of its prime location to play a leading role in sustainable urbanisation as well as smart city development in the region and beyond.

The Faculty is inviting applications for the position of Chair Professor / Professor in Urban Safety and Health. The appointee, affiliating with one of the academic units of the Faculty, will be expected to provide world-leading academic leadership, drive innovative and high-impact research and deliver high-quality education in the field.

*The Department of Architecture is a new academic unit under FCE to be established with effect from 1 July 2026.*

Duties

The appointee will be required to:

1. provide leadership in long-term strategic planning that aligns with the University and the Faculty’s strategic goals, with specific focus on enhancing research impact in the area of urban safety and health;
2. provide leadership in strengthening local and international partnerships with academia, industry partners, government agencies and professional bodies to advance research and education goals;
3. initiate, lead and conduct world-leading research, through fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, developing innovative and high-impact research, securing substantial external competitive research funding, and publishing quality outputs in top-tier international journals;
4. provide mentorship to junior faculty leading to teaching, research and service excellence;
5. undertake teaching duties at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including curriculum design and development;
6. supervise postgraduate students actively and provide guidance on their research and career development;
7. provide active service to committee work at all levels in the Faculty and the University as well as to the scholarly and professional community;
8. provide administrative support and advice for academic and Faculty/Department affairs; and
9. perform any other duties as assigned by the Head of Unit or his/her delegates.

Qualifications

Applicants should have:

1. a PhD degree in a relevant discipline, such as Fire Safety Engineering, Civil / Structural Engineering, or Construction Management, coupled with evidence of eminent scholarship and substantial relevant experience in a senior academic position, and relevant professional qualifications where appropriate;
2. attainment of an academic rank of full professor or above at an internationally reputable university;
3. a global perspective, a proven track record of academic leadership, and a distinguished international reputation in research and scholarship;
4. a strong record in attracting and managing competitive research funding;
5. proven ability to develop local and international networks of partnerships and linkages with the community, for both professional and public sectors; and
6. a strong commitment to excellence in teaching and learning with substantial relevant teaching experiences.

Applicants for appointment at the Chair Professor level should demonstrate an outstanding level of scholarly accomplishments, with international reputation as one of the most distinguished scholars globally; and proven academic leadership and ability to foster collaboration with colleagues in teaching, intellectual contributions and service activities to bring more visibility, prestige and reputation to the University.

Applicants for appointment at the Professor level should have a high degree of proficiency in teaching and research, significant impact in the field of specialisation, and an excellent international reputation as a leading scholar.

Conditions of Service

Terms of appointment and remuneration package are negotiable and highly competitive. Appointees under the Strategic Hiring Scheme will be offered a start-up grant of not less than HK$3 million to support research activities (including the admission of PhD students, purchasing of equipment, and hiring of research staff) in the initial three years. For general information on terms and conditions for appointment of academic staff in the University, please visit the website at https://www.polyu.edu.hk/hro/docdrive/careers/doc/Prof.pdf.

Application

Please submit an application through PolyU’s career website (https://jobs.polyu.edu.hk/academic). Consideration of applications will commence on 23 February 2026 until the position is filled. The University’s Personal Information Collection Statement for recruitment can be found at https://www.polyu.edu.hk/hro/careers/pics_for_recruitment/.

PolyU is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to fostering an environment that embraces diversity and demonstrates inclusion of people from all backgrounds, cultures, identities and experiences where all members of the University are treated with fairness, dignity and respect. To learn more about the University’s “Statement on Equal Opportunities, Diversity, and Inclusion”, please visit our website at https://www.polyu.edu.hk/hro/equal_opportunities_diversity_and_inclusion/*.