Further Particulars
This document includes information about the role for which you are applying and the information you will need to provide with the application.
1. Role details
Vacancy reference: 10569
Job title: Lecturer / Senior Lecturer in Ecology – Two posts
Reports to: Head of Department
Salary: £38,511 - £54,841
Terms and conditions: Academic
Grade: AC3/4 – appointment dependent on experience
Duration of post: Permanent
Working hours: Full Time
Location: Milton Keynes
Closing date: 3 October 2014
Type of application form accepted: Short Number of referees required: Three
2. Summary of duties
The post-holder will be expected to develop a strong teaching and research portfolio in the following areas, with an emphasis in one or more of the following key fields:
a) Population or community ecology b) Multilevel trophic interactions
c) Wetland, grassland or forest ecology d) Ecological statistics
e) Evolutionary biology f) Microbial ecology
g) Issues in ecological sustainability and resilience
h) Quantification of ecosystem services and/or natural capital.
The Science Faculty has established strong links with research in other faculties (specifically the Social Sciences, Maths and Technology), so there is potential for the post-holder to contribute to collaborative research in ‘Environment and Earth Systems’. The person appointed will have research interests that align with one of the above areas, joining an existing group if appropriate or else building cross-links between groups from an independent base. The post holder will be expected to secure external funding to support a programme of internationally competitive research appropriate for the level of appointment.
1. Teaching
a. To contribute to the development, planning, implementation and updating of a high quality and successful curriculum at undergraduate and postgraduate levels
b. To prepare learning materials suitable for the teaching and learning methodologies used by the Open University.
c. To contribute to the briefing, debriefing and training of part time teaching staff (Associate Lecturers).
d. To contribute to the direction of teaching and assessment / examination by the University, monitoring of samples of marking by Associate Lecturers, and to act as a member of examination boards.
e. To contribute to the assurance and enhancement of the quality of teaching, learning and research within the Department and in line with University standards.
2. Research
a. To undertake a self-directed programme of research and scholarship at a level commensurate with the current standards of excellence in the Faculty.
b. To generate grant income as appropriate.
c. To undertake research that is internationally competitive and leads to high-impact publications
d. To supervise postgraduate research students
e. To participate in Departmental and Faculty seminars and workshops aimed at sharing research outcomes and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.
3. Outreach
a. To contribute to the outreach activities of the Faculty.
b. To participate in the national and international science community and learned societies. c. To enhance the reputation of the Department, the Faculty and the University through
scientific meetings and other activities. 4. Enterprise
a. To apply/bid for, deliver, and manage individual enterprise activities as appropriate (e.g. academic supervision of knowledge transfer programmes, consultancy).
b. To further Faculty interests by developing and maintaining a network of contacts and engage with businesses and government bodies as appropriate.
5. Administration & Management
a. To engage with appropriate administrative tasks (e.g. workload planning, Career Development & Staff Appraisal)
b. To contribute effectively to relevant academic or management fora. c. To undertake a programme of continuous professional development. 6. Other Responsibilities
a. Comply with the University’s Health and Safety and Equal Opportunities policies in the performance of their duties.
b. Co-operate with the Open University in ensuring as far as necessary, that Statutory
Requirements, Codes of Practice, University Policies, and Departmental Health and Safety arrangements are complied with.
c. Have a strong commitment to the principles and practice of equality and diversity.
3. Person specification
This section details the essential and desirable criteria for each level of appointment. Candidates are required to state in their covering letter which level of appointment they are seeking and provide evidence against the relevant selection criteria:
Lecturer – Academic Grade 3
Essential
• A PhD in a relevant discipline area
• Some experience of teaching support, training or supervision in a relevant subject area
• The ability to write on issues outside of immediate area of expertise but in a related topic, in an informed and coherent manner
• Enthusiasm for supporting distance learning by adults and for the application of new technologies to teaching and supporting students
• A broad knowledge of developments within specified discipline areas relevant to teaching or research needs
• Ability to work collaboratively with others in an interdisciplinary context for teaching or research
• Ability to develop a leadership role in teaching and/or research, commensurate with stage of career
• Evidence of applying for external funding, taking into account stage of career
• A good record of demonstrable research impact, commensurate with stage of career
• Ability to develop new research collaborations within the University and with external organisations
• A good publication record in mid to top-ranking peer reviewed journals, commensurate with stage of career
• Ability to participate in a research programme compatible with the Science Faculty research plan and the interests of other research groups in the Department and Faculty
• The ability to work adaptively and responsively with a variety of colleagues in multidisciplinary teams
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written in a variety of contexts, including the ability to offer and receive constructive criticism
• Ability to plan and organise work to agreed deadlines
• Commitment to the aims, ethos and values of the Open University.
Desirable
• Higher Education professional accreditation or equivalent qualification
• Experience of producing online and/or distance learning materials
• Experience of supporting adult in their learning by online and/or distance learning methods
• Experience of managing post-doctoral workers and research budgets
• Experience of working with and influencing policy makers, governmental and/or non- governmental institutions
Senior Lecturer – Academic Grade 4
Essential
• A PhD in a relevant discipline area
• Experience of teaching in a relevant area preferably at undergraduate level, but may also be at masters level
• Experience of module design and/or curriculum development
• The ability to write effective and coherent teaching materials that are outside of immediate area of expertise
• Enthusiasm for supporting distance learning by adults and for the application of new technologies to teaching and supporting students
• A broad knowledge of developments within specified discipline areas relevant to teaching and research needs
• Ability to work collaboratively with others in an interdisciplinary context for teaching and research
• Demonstrable experience of administrative and managerial responsibilities in teaching and/or research
• Ability to take on a leadership role in teaching and/or research, commensurate with stage of career
• Appropriate evidence of applying for and obtaining external funding
• A strong track record of demonstrable research impact, commensurate with stage of career
• Ability to initiate and develop new research collaborations within the University and with external organisations
• Experience of supervision of research students
• A good to strong publication record in top-ranking peer reviewed journals, commensurate with stage of career
• Ability to participate in a research programme compatible with the Science Faculty research plan and the interests of other research groups in the Department and Faculty
• The ability to work adaptively and responsively with a variety of colleagues in
multidisciplinary teams of teaching and research (e.g. covering the disciplines of Earth and Environmental Science, Mathematics, Social Sciences and Environmental Technology)
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written in a variety of contexts, including the ability to offer and receive constructive criticism
• Commitment to the aims, ethos and values of the Open University.
Desirable
• Higher Education professional accreditation or equivalent qualification
• Experience of producing online and/or distance learning materials
• Experience of supporting adult in their learning by online and/or distance learning methods
• Experience of managing post-doctoral workers and research budgets
• Experience of working in industry relating to Earth Science (specifically sedimentary deposits, systems and processes)
• Experience of working with and influencing policy makers, governmental and/or non- governmental institutions
4. Role specific requirements e.g. Shift working
The appointment will depend on the successful candidate’s experience and career stage, and will be made to either:
1. Lecturer on Academic Grade 3: £38,511 - £45,954 2. Senior Lecturer on Academic Grade 4: £48,743 - £54,841
5. About the unit/department
Faculty of Science
The Faculty has a staff of about 310, comprising of around 115 academic staff (central and regional/national) with the balance made up of research staff, curriculum managers, laboratory staff, administrators and clerical staff. There are also varying numbers of research students and visiting academic staff.
The Faculty has three departments:
• Department of Environment, Earth and Ecosystems
• Department of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences
• Department of Physical Sciences.
Science Curriculum
Related to this post, the Faculty currently supports a broad-based undergraduate Natural Sciences programme, within which there are five discipline-based pathways; Life Sciences, Health Sciences, Chemistry and Analytical Science, Earth and Environmental sciences, and Physical Science. In addition, it also supports a named undergraduate degree in
Environmental Science, and contributes to an interdisciplinary Environmental Studies programme. Other undergraduate programmes supported by the Faculty include an undergraduate degree in Health Science.
At post-graduate level, the Faculty supports an MSc programme which currently has several strands including Science, Earth Science, Medicinal Chemistry and Professional Science.
Science Research
The Faculty of Science undertakes a range of research across many scientific topics that brings together traditional scientific disciplines and new interdisciplinary areas through three major research groupings:
• The Centre for Earth, Planetary, Space and Astronomical Research (CEPSAR) • Biomedical Research Network (BRN)
• Employers, Science, Technology, Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Mathematics (eSTEeM)
Our research encompasses both 'blue-skies' basic research and applied research to find solutions to specific scientific and technological problems. In addition, the Faculty of Science is supporting a number of new ‘genesis’ areas where new synergies are rapidly developing in response to external research opportunities.
We have over 4500 square metres of state-of-the-art research laboratories with major research facilities that include:
• A suite of Earth Science laboratories that includes one of Europe’s leading centres for isotope mass spectrometry including extensive radiogenic, noble gas and stable isotope mass spectrometry facilities and a new £3 million microbeam facility, including a Cameca Nanosims ion imaging system and dual beam FIB-SEM
• A suite of Ecosystem laboratories that include controlled-environment growth
chambers, a soil-physics lab, prep labs and analytical facilities tailored for the analysis of soil, water and air samples as well as a full range of biological materials.
• A state-of-the-art life sciences research facility including biological containment laboratories, molecular genetics and DNA-sequencing laboratories
• Scanning and transmission electron microscopy • Hypervelocity Impact laboratory
• Well-equipped laboratories for research in atomic, molecular and plasma research eSTEeM (http://www.open.ac.uk/about/teaching-and-learning/esteem/ ) is an initiative to bring together academics within Science and the Faculty of Maths, Computing and Technology to develop new approaches to teaching and learning. This centre builds on existing collaborations developed within the Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETLs) based at the OU and with other Faculties, aiming to embed new approaches around priority areas such as e-assessment, online experimentation, etc. Further information on the Faculty can be found on our website at
http://www8.open.ac.uk/science/main/.
Department of Environment, Earth & Ecosystems
Head of Department: Dr Arlëne Hunter
The Department of Environment, Earth and Ecosystems has an international reputation for research and innovative distance teaching and learning. Around 40 academic and research staff work on a variety of topics in fields as diverse as biodiversity, biogeochemistry, ecology and evolution, geochemistry, igneous processes, oceanography, palaeontology, tectonics, and volcanology, and contribute significantly to the Centre for Earth, Planetary, Space and Astronomical Research (CEPSAR) http://cepsar.open.ac.uk/, one of the University’s centres of research excellence. The Centre provides an enthusiastic and focused research culture, forging collaborative alliances across disciplines, and aspires to the highest possible research status. The goal is to co-ordinate efforts in such a way as to maximise research outputs, to undertake first class research, and to take advantage of diverse funding opportunities.
6. How to obtain more information about the role or application process
If you would like to discuss the particulars of this role before making an application please contact Dr Arlëne Hunter on +44 (0) 1908 655400 or email [email protected].
If you have any questions regarding the application process please contact Michelle Gallacher on +44 (0)1908 653485 or email [email protected].
7. The application process and where to send completed applications Your application should include:
• Completed short application form
• Covering letter detailing the level of appointment you are seeking and your fit with the relevant person specification
• CV which includes details of academic qualifications, teaching, management and research experience including grants received and publications
Please ensure that your application reaches the University by: Friday 3 October 2014
E-mail your application to [email protected] or post it to: Name/Job title: Michelle Gallacher, Recruitment Co-ordinator
Department/Unit: Faculty of Science
Address: The Open University Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
Post Code: MK7 6AA
8. Selection process and date of interview
The interview panel will be chaired by Professor Hazel Rymer, Dean & Director of Studies. The other members of the interview panel will be Dr Arlene Hunter, Professor David Gowing, Dr Iain Gilmour and one other to be confirmed.
The interviews will take place on 11 & 12 November 2014 at Walton Hall, Milton Keynes. Short-listed candidates will be asked to prepare a short teaching text on a specified topic and to submit a statement outlining their research profile and plans for research as a Lecturer or Senior Lecturer in the Department of Environment, Earth & Ecosystems. These documents will be discussed with candidates as part of the interview process.
Shortlisted applicants will also be asked to give a short seminar on their research activity in addition to attending panel interviews. We will let you know as soon as possible after the closing date whether you have been shortlisted for interview. Further details on the selection process will also be sent to shortlisted candidates.
We will let you know as soon as possible after the closing date whether you have been shortlisted for interview. Further details on the selection process will also be sent to shortlisted candidates.
