Assistant Professor in Philosophy (PHIL23-1) (EXPIRED)

Candidates applying for a grade 7 post will have completed or be concluding their PhD and, while they may have limited direct experience of the requirements for the post, they should outline their experience, skills and achievements to date which demonstrate that they meet or that they have the potential to achieve the essential criteria.   

Candidates applying for a grade 8 post should meet all the essential criteria.   

Research  

Candidates must have the capacity for and be progressing towards the independent development of internationally excellent research that produces high-quality outcomes, including some work that is recognised as world-class or that has world-class potential.   

Essential Research Criteria – Grade 7 

1. Qualifications - a good first degree and a PhD in Philosophy or a related subject which is relevant to the post. (Candidates must either have passed their PhD viva or submitted their PhD thesis for examination by the closing date for applications.)
2. Outputs - experience, skills and/or achievements demonstrating the potential to produce high-quality research publications in areas of philosophy relevant to the post that are recognised as world class. Candidates are asked to submit two research papers with their application (as outlined in the How to Apply section below). Candidates may additionally choose to submit evidence such as external peer review of their outputs 
3. Personal Research Plan - a personal research plan (maximum three pages) outlining your research objectives for the next five years, including any plans to apply for external funding.

Essential Research Criteria – Grade 8 

1. Qualifications - a good first degree and a PhD in Philosophy or a related subject which is relevant to the post. (Candidates must either have passed their PhD viva or submitted their PhD thesis for examination by the closing date for applications.)
2. Outputs - evidence of high-quality research publications in areas of philosophy relevant to the post, some of which are recognised as world-class. Candidates are asked to submit two research papers with their application (as outlined in the How to Apply section below).  Candidates may additionally choose to submit evidence such as external peer review of their outputs.
3. Personal Research Plan - a personal research plan (maximum three pages) outlining your research objectives for the next five years, including any plans to apply for external funding.

Education 

Candidates must demonstrate the development and delivery of high-quality teaching that contributes to providing a supportive and enabling learning environment and curricula which encourage students to achieve their potential.

Essential Education Criteria – Grade 7 

1. Quality - Experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrates the ability or the potential to deliver high quality effective and engaging teaching that is relevant to the post. (Candidates may choose to provide student evaluation scores and/or peer reviews of teaching). 
2. Innovation – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate of the ability or the potential to contribute to new programme development and innovate in the design and delivery of high quality teaching or assessment of learning including lectures, small group learning and/or using technology or other techniques to enhance learning and/or assessment.   
3. Strategic - experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate of the ability or the potential to engage in the design of excellent teaching programmes which are research informed and led. 

Essential Education Criteria – Grade 8 

1. Quality - evidence of the development and delivery of effective and engaging teaching that is relevant to the post. (Candidates may choose to provide student evaluation scores and/or peer reviews of teaching).
2. Innovation – evidence of contribution to new programme development and innovation in the design and delivery of high quality teaching or assessment of learning including lectures, small group learning and/or using technology or other techniques to enhance learning and/or assessment.
3. Strategic - evidence of strategic teaching development - engagement in the design of excellent teaching programmes which are research informed and led.

Service, Citizenship and Values 

Active engagement in the administrative and citizenship requirements of the Department. Positive contributions to University values and to fostering a respectful environment as well as demonstrating their commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. 

Essential Service, Citizenship and Values criteria – Grade 7 

1. Citizenship contribution – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to participate in the Citizenship /administrative activities of an academic Department, Faculty or University.  (Candidates may choose to evidence departmental or University roles, mentoring activity, pastoral and academic support of students, Carrying out departmental and interdepartmental activities effectively: Being involved in departmental activities, such as open days, employability events, departmental meetings and committees)
2. Leadership - experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to engage in activities that contribute to the administrative functioning of an academic Department, Faculty, University and/or discipline including leadership or responsibilities in an academic context.  (Candidates may choose to detail any leadership roles which they have undertaken, preferably in an academic context).  
3. Communication - candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of students and colleagues across a variety of forums. (Effective pastoral support of students the beginnings of an external engagement and knowledge exchange profile) 

Essential Services, Citizenship and Values criteria – Grade 8 

1. Citizenship contribution – evidence of participation in the citizenship/administrative activities of an academic Department, Faculty or University.  (Candidates may choose to evidence departmental or University roles, mentoring activity, pastoral and academic support of students, engagement with widening participation, involvement in equality and diversity initiatives and membership or engagement with external bodies). 
2. Leadership - engagement in activities that contribute to the administrative functioning of an academic Department, Faculty, University and/or discipline including leadership or responsibilities in an academic context.  (Candidates may choose to detail any leadership roles which they have undertaken, preferably in an academic context).  
3. Communication - candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of students and colleagues across a variety of forums.  

Desirable Criteria – Grade 7 

The desirable criteria for this post (for which candidates should provide evidence of some if not all criteria) are: 

1. Qualification - candidates to hold or have the ability to attain the rank of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/individuals/fellowship/fellow), which is the national body that champions teaching excellence (or Equivalent).  
2. Research Leadership - experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to contribute to the leadership of research groups and the mentoring of early career researchers.  (Candidates may choose to include information about research group leadership, mentoring of research colleagues, invitations to external events, engagement with international networks or projects). 
3. PhD Supervision – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to provide excellent supervision for PhD students.   
4. Research Impact - experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to evidence research impact beyond their institution.    
5. Income Generation - experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to develop successful research projects and quality research grant proposals.  

Desirable Criteria – Grade 8 

The desirable criteria for this post (for which candidates should provide evidence of some if not all criteria) are: 

1. Qualification - candidates to hold or have the ability to attain the rank of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/individuals/fellowship/fellow), which is the national body that champions teaching excellence (or Equivalent).  
2. Research Leadership - contribution to the leadership of research groups and the mentoring of early career researchers.  (Candidates may choose to include information about research group leadership, mentoring of research colleagues, invitations to external events, engagement with international networks or projects). 
3. PhD Supervision – involvement in the provision of excellent supervision for PhD students.   
4. Research Impact - demonstrable evidence of the impact of the Candidate’s research beyond their institution.    
5. Income Generation - evidence of engagement in the development of successful research projects and quality research grant proposals.  

Contact Information 

Department contact for academic-related enquiries 

Professor Robin Hendry, Head of Department, [email protected]

Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application 

If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email.  Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to [email protected] 

Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time.  We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).  

How to Apply  

We prefer to receive applications online.    

Please note that in submitting your application, we will be processing your data.  We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement https://www.dur.ac.uk/ig/dp/privacy/pnjobapplicants/ which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.  

If you are unable to complete your application via our recruitment system, please get in touch with us on [email protected].  

What to Submit 

All applicants are asked to submit: 

• A CV  
• A covering letter detailing your experience, strengths and potential in relation to the requirements set out above.
• A personal research plan (maximum three pages) outlining your research objectives for the next five years, including any plans to apply for external funding.
• Two of your most significant pieces of written work. Your written work should normally have been published or submitted within the past five years, however older work prior may be submitted where candidates have had career breaks.
• An EDI & values statement of no more than 500 words outlining work you have been involved in that demonstrates your commitment to EDI and our values, e.g. involvement in equality, diversity, and inclusion activities such as mentoring, volunteering, or attending conferences.

Where possible we request that you provide accessible web links to your publications, which the hiring Department will use to access your work.  The application form contains fields in which to enter each of the web links. Please note we are unable to access publications behind a paywall.  

In the event you are unable to provide accessible links to online hosting of your work, your work should be uploaded as PDFs as part of your application in our recruitment system. Please ensure that your PDFs are not larger than 5mb. Please note that your work may be read by colleagues from across the Department and evaluated against the current REF criteria;  

We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system.  Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails. 

Referees 

You should provide 3 academic referees they should not (if possible) include your PhD supervisor(s).  The majority should be from a University other than your own (save for early career applicants applying for their first post). 

References will be requested for candidates who have been shortlisted and will be made available to the panel during the interview process. 

As part of your application, you will be asked whether you give your consent to your academic references being sought should you be invited to attend an interview. We will only request references where permission has been granted.  

Next Steps 

All applications will be considered; our usual practice is for colleagues across the Department to read the submitted work of long-listed candidates.   

Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University  virtually and will have the opportunity to meet key members of the Department.  The assessment for the post will normally include research and teaching presentations to staff and students in the Department followed by an interview, and we anticipate that the assessments and interviews will take place online over two days in or around 4 and 5 May 2023.

In the event that you are unable to attend in person on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date. 

Applicant Guidance  

For further guidance on your application please see HERE