Teaching Fellow in Classics

Durham University is one of the world’s top universities, boasting a welcoming and vibrant international community. Durham is an exceptional place in which to base your career. Our strengths across the Arts and Humanities, Sciences and Social Sciences see us listed as a top 5 UK and top 100 global university with our students and our world leading academics sitting at the heart of delivering our ground-breaking work. As part of our ambitious strategy we are growing and we look forward to welcoming your application.

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, the greatest Romanesque building in Western Europe. A collegiate University, Durham recruits outstanding students from across the world and offers an unmatched wider student experience.

The Department of Classics and Ancient History is part of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities (ranked 13th in the world in the 2022 QS world rankings). The Department of Classics and Ancient History is one of the very best in the UK, and indeed worldwide, with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching and research. We were ranked fourth in the last national research evaluation (REF2021) in terms of the quality of our work. We attract large numbers of exceptionally talented undergraduate, MA and doctoral students, and we focus on high quality research-led teaching. We also regularly attract postdoctoral fellows to the Department, either through the IAS fellowship scheme, or with funding from national and international research councils and foundations. The Department delivers very high levels of overall student satisfaction. In student-facing guides and league tables we are regularly ranked among the top three Classics Departments in the UK.

We have a long tradition of excellence in Greek and Latin literature, ancient history and ancient philosophy. Four interdisciplinary research centres are based in the department: the Centre for the Study of the Ancient Mediterranean and the Near East (CAMNE), the Durham Centre for Classical Reception (DCCR), the Durham Centre for Ancient and Medieval Philosophy (DCAMP), and CLAWS (Centre for Language and Writing Systems). In addition to these established areas of strength, we are interested in developing collaborations with other cross-departmental research initiatives: for example, visual arts and culture, medical humanities, and digital humanities.

Applications are invited for a Teaching Fellow in Classics.  The successful applicant will contribute to the research-led teaching of Latin and Greek language and literature at all levels, including literature in translation.  The post will include teaching, and marking, on undergraduate modules which may include: Interpreting Greek Tragedy Today; Comedy and Tragedy; Advanced Greek 2/ 3 b; Intermediate Greek 2/ 3b; Beginners’ Latin and Greek. The post will also involve some teaching in the summer period when it is expected that the candidate will take part in outreach activities, including summer schools. 

Teaching Fellowships offer the opportunity of valuable experience to those early in their academic careers and the University is keen to maximise the benefit to as many people as possible.  The post of Teaching Fellow will involve a significant teaching load, which may extend into the summer period, and there may be related scholarship and the opportunity for administrative duties which relate to education and pedagogy. 

The post is for a fixed term only, and it is not anticipated that the post will be extended beyond this fixed term. 

Successful applicants will, ideally be in post by 3rd January 2023. 

The University provides a working and teaching environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate these key principles as part of the assessment process.

• Teach modules in appropriate learning environments at undergraduate/postgraduate levels, demonstrating an increasing awareness of different approaches to and methods of teaching and supporting student learning;
• Demonstrate the ability to manage own teaching and designing, planning and writing teaching materials;
• Lead some aspects of modules and contribute to modules led by others by collaborating with colleagues on course development;
• Develop and deliver an inclusive curriculum and make an active contribution to an inclusive community in which diversity is embraced and celebrated;
• Seek and take on board feedback on teaching and engage with others in CPD;
• Supervise undergraduate student(s), and where appropriate act as part of a PhD supervisory team;
• Contribute to educational skill of colleagues, e.g. giving a seminar to colleagues or engaging in constructive discussion about a seminar;
• Build internal contacts and participate in networks to exchange information;
• Start to engage in scholarship (the creation, development and maintenance of the intellectual infrastructure of subjects and disciplines) e.g. develop online teaching resources;
• In addition to Board of Studies, membership of some departmental committees and professional body memberships;
• Student support, assessment of academic performance and provision of feedback, dealing with student disciplinary matters and complaints;
• Undertake effectively and efficiently any administrative role allocated by your Head of Department.
• 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.    

• a CV and covering letter which details your experience, skills and achievements in meeting (or the potential to meet) the criteria set out above.
• a statement as to your aspirations as a Teaching Fellow in terms of what motivates you, what you would like to achieve and what your broad approaches to teaching excellence and innovation are (maximum 2 pages).

You should provide details of 3 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 references during the application process.  Unless in the case of very early career candidates, referees should not (if possible) include your PhD supervisor(s) and include references from a University other than your own.
• We would ask that you alert your referees to this application as soon as possible so that we can quickly obtain references.  If you do not wish (some or all) of your referees to be approached during the recruitment process; you must clearly indicate this to us at the time of your application.
• References sought for candidates may be made available to the panel during the shortlisting 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 on the application form which referee is your current line-manager and indicate if we should only approach them once an offer has been made.

The assessment for the post will include a teaching presentation of a lecture aimed at Level 2 students. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview and assessment (both of which are likely to be online) w/c 12 December 2022. The closing date for applications is 23 November 2022.

Person Specification

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

Essential Criteria:

• A good first degree in Classics or a related discipline.
• A PhD (or be close to submission) in Classics or a related subject, or equivalent demonstrable practitioner experience which may include appropriate certification and/or membership of a relevant professional body.
• Experience of teaching and examining at University level with positive student feedback gained.
• 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.
• Demonstrable ability to participate in the collegial/administrative activities of an academic department and/or discipline.
• 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:

• Experience of successfully developing innovative teaching methods for the design/delivery of high quality teaching.
• Experience of successfully working in an administrative role within an organisation or department.
• Experience of providing high quality one-to-one student supervision.
• Evidence of work undertaken (or which would be undertaken) in preparation for teaching and keeping up to date with developments in the subject area, such as:

• active membership and engagement with a professional body;
• demonstrable innovation in educational practice;
• publication in a scholarly journal or relevant professional publication;
• Attending and presenting internal and/or external seminars or at a regional conference; and/or
• Materials/curriculum development for wider use in a department.

• Candidates may have, or should have the ability to attain the rank of Fellow of HEA.