The Physics Department is committed to being a welcoming and supportive environment for everyone and has put in place a number of measures to promote a collaborative and stimulating culture. Individuals who identify as female and those who consider themselves as underrepresented are particularly encouraged to apply. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination and to creating an inclusive working environment for all. We therefore encourage candidates to apply irrespective of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion and belief, gender reassignment, sex or sexual orientation. Further information about how the College strives to create and support an equitable workplace can be found here.
The Society for Women & Non-Binary Individuals in Physics at Imperial runs a number of outstanding initiatives throughout the year aiming at creating a welcoming, inclusive and supportive network for female and non-binary students and staff.
Imperial College holds a Disability Confident Leader and a Stonewall Diversity Champion. In addition our Physics department holds an Athena SWAN Silver award, in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality and diversity. The Department hosts a Self-Assessment Team to address the underrepresentation of women and minorities in physics, and to further reinforce a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Imperial College has a number of family friendly benefits and initiatives encouraging Health, Wellbeing and a healthy worklife balance.
The College also provides a number of development opportunities for its staff and hosts a dedicated Postdoc and Fellows Development Centre.
Information for parents
Parents Network
Imperial College has created the Parents' Network which aims to provide all the relevant policies and information related to being a parent at Imperial in one place.
It includes information on maternity and paternity leave, risk assessments for pregnant staff members, adoption leave entitlement, shared parental leave entitlement, keeping in touch days, networks and support, returning to work, etc. Additional information for Imperial parents can be found on the Parents' Network website.
You can also drop in to 'Babies and Bumps' coffee mornings to chat to other parents, and a representative from HR to answer any HR-related questions.
Elsie Widdowson Fellowship
The Elsie Widdowson Fellowship Award provides funding that allows academic staff (Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Reader, and Professor) to concentrate fully on their research work upon returning from maternity, adoption, surrogacy and/or shared parental leave.
The Award enables the Department to relieve the academic of their teaching or administrative duties in order to concentrate fully on their research.
More information can be found on the HR website. (Please see the relevant case studies below, and feel free to contact staff members who are happy to share their applications with you).
Tax-free childcare
The Government's tax-free childcare scheme is available to all Imperial College employees.
More information can be found on the HR website.
Emergency care
Imperial College London has partnered with My Family Care, which is a leading organisation that delivers family friendly solutions (E.g. Emergency childcare, School holiday cover) for staff members.
You will need to register via the My Family Care website.
Early years education
Imperial College has an Early Years education centre which provides childcare and education services to children of Imperial's staff and students, aged between 6 months and 5 years. This is located in Prince's Gardens, South Kensington.
There will be provision of nursery places for the Imperial community close to the White City campus from July 2021 at the Old Oak Early Years Centre (see more information on the Early Years website).
Students with children
Please discuss your options with your Course Organiser/ supervisor/ Departmental Senior or PG Tutor as soon as possible. For example, it will be important to run a full risk analysis to determine whether or not there may be any possible adverse effects of the planned activities on your pregnancy and thus is will be important to develop an agreed action plan to mitigate all identified risks. Further information can be found on the Imperial students website.
Information for carers
Carers’ network
Imperial College London has created a Carers' Network, which aims to put everything related to being a carer at Imperial in one place. This includes information and guidance that can be accessed via the Carers' Network website.
Emergency Care
Imperial College London has partnered with My Family Care, which is a leading organisation that delivers family friendly solutions (E.g. Backup adult and Eldercare) for staff members.
You will need to register via the My Family Care website.