Job Description

Assistant Lecturer in Archaeological and Museum Conservation

Department of Archaeology

Grade 6: - £27,116 - £33,309 per annum/ pro rata
Open-Ended/Permanent - Full Time
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Closing Date : 07-Sep-2022, 6:59:00 AM

Durham University

A globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other.

We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things in the world.

As part of Durham University, you’ll be working with exceptional minds, all with the desire to ask, and answer, the big questions. Access to leading edge facilities and an active contributor to the global research and university community means you’ll be part of an international and diverse network of partners spanning the world’s best research institutions, organisations and businesses. And all this within the evocative and historic surroundings of the city, county and community that is Durham.

We find it easy to be proud of the extraordinary people we have at Durham. We offer the inspiration, they achieve the outstanding. We invite you to join them.

Applications are particularly welcome from women and black and minority ethnic candidates, who are under-represented in academic posts in the University. We are committed to equality: if for any reason you have taken a career break or periods of leave that may have impacted on your career path, such as maternity, adoption or parental leave, you may wish to disclose this in your application. The selection committee will recognise that this may have reduced the quantity of your research accordingly.

Durham University’s Athena Swan institutional award recognises and celebrates good practice in recruiting and supporting the development of women. We have also signed up to the Race Equality Charter, a national framework for improving the representation, progression and success of minority ethnic staff and students within higher education.

The Department

The Department of Archaeology at Durham has a world-class teaching and research reputation. We are regularly ranked as one of the top two Archaeology departments in the UK and one of the top six globally. We run fieldwork projects across the world and our staff are passionate about sharing their expertise with students. We run six undergraduate programmes and six taught postgraduate programmes and have an academic community of some 400 staff and students combined. Our research and engagement, as well as our teaching, stretches from excavation and heritage protection work in Nepal and Sri Lanka, to our field training excavations at Auckland Castle, Co. Durham and we use our cutting-edge laboratories and expertise to take forward research and teaching on internationally significant projects and collections. We also work closely with staff in two Durham University museums, the Oriental Museum and the Museum of Archaeology. These house some outstanding archaeological collections, including Chinese ceramics and Middle and Near Eastern antiquities. We also collaborate closely with museums and heritage sites across the North East region, Britain and increasingly engage with international partners as well. Our portfolio is diverse and dynamic, and we are actively developing our teaching programmes to reach new UK and world audiences and evaluating the potential of Continuing Professional Development courses and summer schools in the heritage and conservation sectors. We host a commercial archaeology unit in the Department and a range of lab-based commercial operations centred on our applied and scientific research expertise.

Conservation has been an important part of the department’s academic and commercial offerings for nearly 50 years and our MA in Conservation of Archaeological and Museum Objects is a thriving programme that attracts students from around the world.

Archaeology is committed to research-led and small group teaching. The Department achieved 2nd place nationally in overall course satisfaction in NSS 2022. For more information, please visit our Department pages at www.durham.ac.uk/archaeology

The Role

The University is committed to enabling all of our colleagues to achieve their full potential. We promote and maintain an inclusive and supportive environment to ensure that all colleagues can thrive.

Applications are invited for an Assistant Lecturer (Teaching) in Archaeological and Museum Conservation (permanent). We are seeking to appoint a candidate with established professional expertise who can support and deliver teaching across the Department’s educational programmes (both undergraduate and postgraduate) but in particular support the delivery of our MA in Conservation of Archaeological and Museum Objects. The successful candidate will work closely with, and be line managed by, the programme director, Dr Emily Williams, supporting student learning on the MA, while also providing contributions to other degree programmes where appropriate. They will work with the Department’s technical team to maintain and support the conservation laboratory facilities within the department and operate a range of specialist equipment. The successful candidate will also support the conservation needs of our commercial unit Archaeological Services.

It is an exciting time to join the conservation team as we are preparing for a major lab refurbishment (currently scheduled to begin in November 2022) and are in the process of creating a vibrant community of Conservation PhD students. The ideal candidate will be organized, practical and a team player who is able to respond to changing deadlines and new challenges with a flexible and enthusiastic manner. They will be an excellent communicator with a proven track record of engaging a diverse set of stakeholders in conservation projects and teaching. They will have experience working with a broad range of heritage materials and collection types (not all of which must be archaeological) and be able to deliver teaching sessions on a range of conservation techniques. Ideally, they will hold accredited professional status or demonstrate a clear intention to pursue accreditation. Conservation fieldwork experience is considered a plus.

The role of Assistant Lecturer (Teaching) provides the opportunity to contribute to the delivery of outstanding teaching, working with the support and under the direction of more senior colleagues. The post of Assistant Lecturer (Teaching) will involve a significant teaching load, which may extend into the summer period, and there may be the opportunity to engage in related scholarship.

Key responsibilities:

• To undertake duties relating to the teaching of the conservation of archaeological and museum objects, administration and citizenship as required by your line manager and senior colleagues and appropriate to your grade of employment.
• Teach existing modules/sessions as required, demonstrating an understanding of the subject materials and the use and value of appropriate learning technologies;
• Provide laboratory-based demonstration and support to students studying conservation practice;
• Support the daily running and operation of the Conservation facility, including managing supplies, purchasing, set-up and health and safety needs;
• Demonstrate the ability to manage own teaching and design, plan and write teaching materials for a variety of delivery methods including online and blended delivery;
• Demonstrate an increased awareness of different approaches to and methods of teaching conservation science, as well as approaches to learning support;
• Take on board feedback on teaching and engage with others in CPD; Be an expert user, of and demonstrate the use of, key equipment relevant to conservation including pXRF, FTIR, X-ray, SEM, Air-abrasion, Freeze-drying, and microscopy;
• Provide in-house support for the conservation needs of our commercial company Archaeological Services, while supporting and develop further research/commercial opportunities for our Conservation section;
• Set student assessments, assess students’ academic work and provide feedback throughout the year;
• Deal with students’ queries about the content and delivery of a module;
• Build internal and external contacts and participate in networks to exchange information;
• Make an active contribution to an inclusive community in which diversity is embraced and celebrated;
• Undertake effectively and efficiently any administrative role allocated by your line manager.
• To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect.
• To engage in wider citizenship to support the department and wider discipline.
• To engage in continuing professional development by attending relevant training and development courses.

Contact Information

Department contact for academic-related enquiries

Dr Emily Williams – emily.a.williams@durham.ac.uk

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 academic.recruitment@durham.ac.uk

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).

University contact for general queries about the recruitment process

e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk

How to Apply

We prefer to receive applications online.

As a University we foster a collegiate community of extraordinary people aligned to the University’s values. Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive, and in doing so, recruit the world’s best candidates from all backgrounds and identities. It’s important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI. We therefore ask that as part of your application you provide a statement (of no more than 1 side of A4) which outlines work which you have been involved in which demonstrates your commitment to EDI and our values.

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.

Information if you have a disability

The University welcomes applications from disabled people. We are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

If you are unable to complete your application via our recruitment system, please get in touch with us on e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk.

What to Submit

All applicants are asked to submit:

1. A CV;
2. A covering letter which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out above;
3. Aa portfolio of 5-7 treatments or conservation activities that demonstrates the range of work undertaken to date.

Please save all application documents with your name and document type as PDF files.

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 details of 3 academic referees and the details of your current line manager so that we may seek an employment reference (if they are not listed as an academic referee).

Please note:

• We shall seek the academic references during the application process. Academic referees should not (if possible) include your PhD supervisor(s) and a majority should be from a University other than your own (save for early career applicants applying for their first post). We would ask that you alert your academic referees to this application as soon as possible, and provide them with a copy of the CV you submit with your application, so that we can quickly obtain references should you be progressed to the interview stage. 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 interview.
• Academic references sought for short-listed candidates may be made available to the panel during the interview process.
• We will seek a reference from your current line-manager if we make you an offer of employment (albeit you may have also nominated your line manager as an academic referee). Please clearly indicate which referee is your current line-manager and please let us know if we should only approach them once an offer has been made.

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 and will have the opportunity to meet key members of the Department. The assessment for the post will normally include [a presentation to staff and students in the Department followed by an interview] and we anticipate that the assessments and interviews will take place over two days.

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.

About Durham University

As one of the UK’s leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career while enjoying a high quality work/life balance. We are home to some of the most talented scholars and researchers from around the world who are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives.

The University sits in a beautiful historic city where it shares ownership of a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Durham Cathedral. A collegiate University, Durham recruits outstanding students from across the world and offers an unmatched wider student experience.

Less than 3 hours north of London, and an hour and a half south of Edinburgh, County Durham is a region steeped in history and natural beauty. The Durham Dales, including the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, are home to breathtaking scenery and attractions. Durham offers an excellent choice of city, suburban and rural residential locations. The University provides a range of benefits including pension and childcare provision and the University’s Relocation Manager can assist with potential schooling requirements.

If you’d like to find out more about the University or relocating you and your family to Durham, please visit https://www.dur.ac.uk/jobs/recruitment/

Person Specification

Candidates applying for a grade 6 post must outline their experience, skills and achievements to date which demonstrate that they meet or that they have the potential to achieve the essential criteria.

Essential Criteria

• Qualifications:
• A good first degree or Masters in Archaeology or a related subject.
  • A Taught Postgraduate qualification in Archaeological or Museum Conservation (or equivalent experience).
• Teaching Quality:
• Experience of teaching conservation at any level (University to Continuing Professional Development) with positive student feedback gained.
• Skills:
• Good oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of students and colleagues across a variety of forums.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Ability to work across a wide range of collection materials and types.

Desirable Criteria

• Qualifications:
  • Accredited Conservator or actively pursuing accredited status.
  • A full UK driving licence
• Teaching Quality:
  • Experience of contributing to the development and delivery of high-quality teaching and/or assessment of learning, including the design and creation of successful learning environments and curricula.
• Administration:
  • Demonstrable ability to participate in the collegial/administrative activities of an academic department and/or discipline.
  • Interest in communicating treatment related research, as evidenced through publications or outreach activities.
• HEA:
  • Candidates may have, or should have the ability to attain the rank of Fellow of HEA within a 2 year interval of hire.

Experience:

• Experience working in a professional conservation laboratory.

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