Lecturer - Teaching and Research

Job details

• Lecturer in Philosophy of Education
• School of Education
• Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
• Full time starting salary is normally in the range £41,526 to £49,553, with potential progression once in post to £55,750
• Grade 8
• Part time/FTC up until August 2024

The School of Education seeks to appoint a fixed term (3 years) part-time (0.5 FTE) Lecturer in Philosophy of Education.

Philosophy of education is a branch of philosophy focusing on conceptual, normative and theoretical questions raised by education policy, systems and practices. The University of Birmingham School of Education has a long tradition of work in this area and is currently home to one of the largest groups of philosophers of education in the UK. The School's philosophers of education are at the forefront of work in the field and between them hold the editorships of Theory and Research in Education, Journal of Moral Education, Journal of Philosophy in Schools, the IMPACT pamphlet series, and the Bloomsbury Philosophy of Education book series.

The School of Education seeks to complement and extend our current expertise and welcome candidates with expertise in one or more of the following specialisms:

• Philosophical traditions of the Global South and/or post-colonial thought
• Post-structural philosophies and theories
• New materialist philosophies and theories
• Analytical philosophy
• Moral philosophy

The post holder will be expected to disseminate knowledge relating to the Philosophy of Education through initiating and conducting original research, through publication and through delivery of postgraduate and undergraduate teaching, both distance and campus based. In addition, they will contribute to the Department/School through management/leadership and enterprise activities as appropriate. The post will sit within the School's Department of Education and Social Justice.

Main Duties

The successful candidate will have an excellent track-record of research within the subject area or be able to demonstrate a strong emerging trajectory. Once in post, they will be expected to make a consistently outstanding contribution to the research in the School. The following are particularly important:

• Publications of (inter)nationally excellent and/or world leading quality, published in reputable academic outlets (commensurate with career stage), and the ability to continue to produce strong publications after appointment;
• A track record of funded research (as PI/CI) and the ability to continue grant capture activity after appointment;
• A clear research trajectory for the next five years;
• Ability and willingness to contribute to the School's research culture and environment;
• Ability and willingness to supervise doctoral research projects;
• Willingness to examine PhD students, both within the institution and externally;
• Evidence of, or planning to engage in, knowledge exchange and impact-driven work;
• Willingness to contribute to research leadership and management;
• Referee and review articles for peer reviewed academic journals and grant applications by research councils and/or other major funding bodies;
• Capacity to Plan and pursue knowledge transfer and enterprise activity that is of manifest benefit to the College and the University;
• Capacity to contribute to debate nationally about new approaches to policy, methods and practices through publications, conferences, and activities that advance quality in the field.

Learning and Teaching:

The successful candidate will have demonstrable success in teaching and learning in Higher Education and be an engaged and inspiring lecturer with an excellent understanding of innovative and inclusive practices. They will also be committed to educational equality and equity through working to reduce awarding gaps and contributing to activities to decolonise higher education.

The post-holder contribute to our existing portfolio of philosophy of education teaching at UG and PGT and will have the opportunity to develop new teaching in their own area of expertise and contribute to wider teaching across the School. The candidate will be required to:

• Supervise UG and Masters dissertation projects;
• Act as a personal tutor for UG and Masters students;
• Contribute to teaching and marking throughout the department as required by the Head of Department;
• Plan and review own teaching approaches and act as a mentor to encourage others to do the same;
• Develop programme proposals and make substantial contributions to the design of teaching programmes more widely in the Department or School, as appropriate;
• Undertake and develop the full range of responsibilities in relation to dissertation and doctoral supervision, marking and examining;
• Use appropriate approaches to learning and teaching in their field (including digital and inclusive methods);
• Contribute to teaching and learning management/leadership in the department;
• Have an excellent teaching profile and performance in terms of both impact and quality. The teaching quality demonstrated to be informed by an appropriate level of scholarship. High national reputation for the development of teaching and learning excellence within the discipline;
• Offer successful and sustained use of a range of appropriate teaching methods, and assessment strategies that promote high quality learning, including learning that is flexible, distinctive and current and stimulates learners' curiosity;
• Offer high quality and sustained contributions to fostering excellence in teaching activities more widely, i.e. in the Department/School or College and/or externally;
• Have a track record of substantial and sustained high value impact on the enhancement of the student experience, and/or employability;
• Offer mentoring and expert advice which develops the skills of colleagues in teaching and in fostering learning.

Leadership/citizenship:

The candidate is expected to demonstrate qualities of good academic citizenship, including collegiality and excellent organisation and management skills. Upon appointment, the candidate may be asked to take on departmental or School leadership roles as appropriate whilst contributing to student recruitment and other departmental activities.

Management/administration

• Ensure own work is consistently carried out to a very high standard;
• Develop and manage staff and resources in support of major research and/or teaching activities (as appropriate);
• Contribute significantly to the development and delivery of knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement and public engagement activities with a sustained high value impact of manifest benefit to the College and the University
• contribute to the administration/management of research and/or teaching across the Department/School
• Advise on personal development of staff and students (as appropriate);
• Make a sustained contribution to widening participation, Open Day and/or recruitment activities, schools outreach and/or public understanding of the discipline;
• Contribute to administrative activities within the University (e.g. appeals panels, working groups).

Person Specification

• A PhD in Philosophy, Education or a closely related field
• Research and teaching experience within Philosophy of Education
• Proven ability to devise, advise on and manage learning/research
• An open, collaborative and collegiate approach to academic work
• A strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

Research:

• Experience and achievement reflected in a growing reputation (commensurate with career stage)
• Experience and demonstrated success in planning, undertaking and project managing research to deliver high quality results
• Experience of applying and/or developing and devising successful models, techniques and methods
• Experience and achievement in knowledge transfer, enterprise and similar activity

Teaching:

• Ability to design, deliver, assess and revise teaching programmes
• Experience and demonstrated success in developing appropriate approaches to learning and teaching
• Experience and success in knowledge transfer, enterprise and similar activity that enhances the student experience or employability

Management / Administration:

• Ability to contribute to School/Departmental management processes
• Ability to assess and organise resources effectively
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes

Please send informal queries to Ian McGimpsey, Department of Education and Social Justice, at i.mcgimpsey.1@bham.ac.uk.

Valuing excellence, sustaining investment

We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working.