Postdoctoral Research Associate in Archaeology

Job Title: Postdoctoral Research Associate in Archaeology   
Department:  Archaeology      
Grade: Grade 7 
Working arrangements: This role is full time

Potential interview date: TBC    

The University

At Durham University we are proud of our people.  A globally outstanding centre of educational 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 professionally and personally.  
Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally.  We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University. Further information about the University can be found here  

The Role and Department

Durham University’s Department of Archaeology is one of the world’s best, with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research and employability of our students. We are regularly ranked one of the top three Archaeology departments in the UK (e.g. 2nd Research Excellence Framework [REF] 2021 and one of the top ten globally (World University QS rankings 2022). Our expertise covers a broad chronological and geographical span, from the Palaeolithic to the present-day, and from East Asia to the Mediterranean, Europe and the British Isles, We have a strong research presence in Southwest Asia and North Africa, that embraces fieldwork, visual and material culture studies and bioarchaeology.  We have a range of cutting-edge laboratories, including well-developed facilities for isotopic research, extensive commercial infrastructure, and a network of heritage-sector collaborators. The Department of Archaeology works closely with staff in two Durham University museums, the Oriental Museum and the Museum of Archaeology. These house some outstanding archaeological collections, including East and Western Asian antiquities. For further information on our current projects, research and teaching see www.dur.ac.uk/archaeology

The Role

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the field of the archaeology of Byzantine North Africa, focusing on landscapes and environmental modelling using GIS.  The postholder will work as part of the project “Miltary strategy and Territorial control in Byzantine North Africa”, reporting to the project PIs Prof Anna Leone and Dr Dan Lawrence and Prof. Vivien Prigent at the Ecole Française de Rome.

The project, by combining historical, textual, and archaeological materials, aims  to shed new light on the organisation and political structures of North Africa in relation to the Imperial administration, in order to better understand the conditions under which Roman North Africa became Muslim Maghreb. The postholder will be responsible for developing settlement datasets from legacy sources (survey and excavation reports) and satellite remote sensing, and developing regional environmental models.  The post-holder will also engage in publication writing and project-related administration.

Responsibilities: 

·       To conduct individual and collaborative research projects under the direction of the Principal Investigators.

·       To plan and manage own research activity, research resources in collaboration with others and contribute to the planning of research projects and publications.

·       Contribute to the creation of key datasets within the focus of the project

·       To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration.

·       To work with the Principal Investigators and other colleagues in the research team, as appropriate, to identify areas for research, develop new research methods and extend the research portfolio.

·       To understand and convey material of a specialist or highly technical nature to the team or group of people through presentations and discussions that leads to the presentation of research papers in conferences and publications.  

·       To prepare and deliver presentations on research outputs/activities to audiences which may include: research sponsors, academic and non-academic audiences.  

·       To publish high quality outputs, including papers for submission to peer reviewed journals and papers for presentation at conferences and workshops under the direction of the Principal Investigators

·       To assist with the development of research objectives and proposals.   

·       To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigators and offering creative or innovative solutions.   

·       To be involved in student and volunteer supervision, as appropriate.

·       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 participation in the undergraduate or postgraduate teaching programmes or by membership of departmental committees, etc. and by attending relevant training and development courses.   

This post is fixed term for 24 months, due to the dates of the funding of the project. 

Successful applicants will, ideally, be in post by the start of September 2023.

The post-holder is employed to work on research/a research project which will be led by another colleague. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.

Working at Durham 

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University: you will also receive access to the following fantastic benefits: 

•    30 Days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 42 days per year.  
•    The University closes between Christmas and New Year – please include or delete if not applicable. 
•    We offer a generous pension scheme, As a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled  into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS).
•    No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered.  We have parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies.
•    There is a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally.  There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University.  All staff      have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities. 
•    Lots of support for health and wellbeing including discounted membership for our state of the art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
•    On site nursery is available and children’s clubs in the summer holidays.
•    Family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, which are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
•    The opportunity to take part in staff volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community
•    Discounts are available via our benefits portal including; money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, the cinema and days out at various attractions. 
•    A salary sacrifice scheme is also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits. 
•    If you are moving to Durham, we can help with removal costs and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools.  If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas.

Durham University is committed to equality diversity, inclusion and values

Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work.  As a university, equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do.  We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct.  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. It’s important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.

We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.  If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application.  If you are a candidate with a disability, 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, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

Contact Information 

Please contact Professor Anna Leone for any informal enquiries about this post at [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).  

University contact for general queries about the recruitment process 

[email protected]

How to Apply  

To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification below. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria.  

While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.  

Submitting your application 

We prefer to receive applications online.   We will update you about 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 make sure you have not missed any of our updates.

What to Submit 

All applicants are asked to submit: 

• a CV and cover letter which details your experience, skills, and achievements in meeting (or the potential to meet) the criteria set out below

Next Steps 

The assessment for the post will include an interview. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview and assessment in June 2023.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement https://www.durham.ac.uk/about-us/governance/information-governance/privacy-notices/privacy-notices/job-applicants/  which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.   

When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.

Essential:

Qualifications

1. A good first degree in Archaeology or a related subject.

2. A PhD (or be close to submission) in Archaeology or a related subject.

Experience

3. Experience in conducting high quality academic research.

4. Demonstrable ability to write material of a quality commensurate with publication in highly-ranked journals.

5. Experience in landscape archaeology in North Africa or similar environments

Skills

6. Demonstrable ability to work cooperatively as part of a team, including participating in research meetings.

7. Demonstrable ability to plan and manage independent research, and work to strict deadlines.  

8. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

9. Experience with GIS and spatial analysis for archaeological research.

10. Familiarity with remote sensing datasets in archaeological contexts

11. Familiarity with open-source software including R and QGIS.

Desirable:

Experience

12. Publication record in peer-reviewed journals, commensurate with stage of career.

13. A track record of presenting research at conferences, symposia, or meetings, commensurate with stage of career.

14. Demonstrable ability to develop research proposals and designs in collaboration with other academics.

15. Experience of overseeing students with respect to the development of their practical/research skills e.g. acting as a demonstrator; supervising student projects/practicals.

16. Experience in environmental modelling (broadly defined)