Durham Doctoral Teaching Fellowship

 

Job title: Durham Doctoral Teaching Fellowship in Computer Science  

Department: Computer Science 

Responsible to: Head of Department 

Grade: The DDT Fellow will be entitled to a total of 42 months of stipend (UKRI value) and 12 months of salary at Grade 6 (£28,929) during the duration of the fellowship.  How this time is divided will be agreed by the DDT Fellow within the academic department. 

Working arrangements: DDTFs normally last for four and half years and comprise three and a half years of research and one year of teaching (1540 hours in total, based on a 35-hour week and a 44-week year). Teaching responsibilities are typically distributed across the first four years. 

Preferred start date: Successful candidates will ideally be in post by 1 October 2024 

Application deadline:  Sunday 28 January 2024   

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.   

Role Summary: The purpose of the DDTF is to support the Fellow in producing a high-quality PhD thesis while at the same time acquiring teaching skills that will enhance the Fellow’s career progression.  This role summary relates to the part of the DDTF concerned with the development of teaching skills.  In this role the DDTF will assist and support faculty staff to deliver teaching and support learning. The role aims to enhance the Fellow’s own progression and achievements whilst providing stable and supported employment with the University.   

The Fellow will work under the supervision of academic faculty in the Department of Computer Science and will be assigned a teaching mentor (normally a single member of academic staff) who will provide oversight, supervision and support for all the teaching-related activities.  The teaching mentor will normally be distinct from the supervisor of the research project.  Once fully implemented, new DDTFs will be offered mentorship from more experienced fellows and all DDTFs will belong to a DDTF community.  

 Teaching Responsibilities will be typical of the range of teaching activities appropriate to the discipline and may include: 

• Leading seminars and tutorials; 

• Demonstrating in practical laboratories; 
• Supporting fieldwork; 
• Providing individual guidance to students on course materials and study skills; 
• Providing feedback on progress to students; 
• Assessment of work based on agreed criteria; 

• Programme administration; 

In the latter part of their DDTF, Fellows responsibilities may include 

• Co-teaching a module with a member of academic staff who has primary responsibility for the module; 
• Supporting a member of academic staff in revising or updating module materials 
• Co-developing new laboratory experiments. 

Line Management: DDTFs will be line managed by the Head of Department or their nominee.  

 Applications are invited for a Durham Doctoral teaching Fellow in Computer Science.  

The role of Durham Doctoral Teaching Fellow 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 will involve a significant teaching load during term-time and the activities may extend into the summer period. However, the schedule of teaching activities will be designed with the requirements of the PhD project in mind.  There will be an expectation that the Fellows secure a formal teaching qualification leading to Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, and they will be provided with the time and support required to achieve this expectation. 

Key responsibilities:  

• To undertake duties relating to teaching, administration and citizenship as required by 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; 
• Demonstrate the ability to manage own teaching and design, plan and produce 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 and learning support; 

• Take on board feedback on teaching and engage with others in CPD; 
• 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 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.     

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 

1. Eligible to work in the UK
2. Home Fee Status Students Only
3. Qualifications: A first or upper second class BSc/BA or MEng/MSc degree in Computer Science degree or a related subject. 
4. Skills:
   1. Good oral and written communication skills. 
   2. Ability to explain complex concepts at a level appropriate to the audience. 
   3. Ability to engage enthusiastically with material and to adopt appropriate styles and methods to achieve the desired learning outcomes. 

 Desirable Criteria 

1. Qualifications: 
   1. A teaching qualification or significant experience of University-level teaching. 
2. Teaching Quality: 
   1. Experience of teaching and assessment with evidence of positive student feedback. 
3. Administration: 
   1. Demonstrable ability to participate in the collegial/administrative activities of an academic department and/or discipline. 

Candidates being shortlisted will be interviewed, as part of the interview they will be asked to give a brief (about 10 minutes) presentation in which they explain a basic piece of computer science of their choice for example “the different types of memory in a computer system and their purpose”, in a way that would be suitable to present to a small group of first-year undergraduate computer students. 

Contact Information 

Department contact for academic-related enquiries or questions about the application process: 

Professor Dorothy Monekosso, Director of Postgraduate Research, Department of Computer Science, dorothy.monekosso@durham.ac.uk  

How to Apply  

Please express your interest by email to cs.pgroffice@durham.ac.uk  

Complete an online application to study from the link on our department web pages: https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/computer-science/postgraduate/research/ 

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.  

 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. PhD application form (online) with transcripts. 
4. EDI statement 
5. Two References 

 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.  Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails. 

Next Steps 

All applications will be considered by a selected group of academic (research and teaching) staff, and input from intended PhD supervisors will be requested. Candidates being shortlisted will be interviewed, as part of the interview they will be asked to give a brief (about 10 minutes) presentation in which they explain a basic piece of mathematics of their choice, in a way that would be suitable to present to a small group of first-year undergraduate Mathematics students. The interviews will take place via Zoom.

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.

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 is one of the UK’s leading Computer Science departments, with an outstanding reputation in research, teaching, and student employability. Our internationally recognised research covers Algorithms and Complexity, Artificial Intelligence and Human Systems, Networks, Scientific Computing and Vision, Imaging and Visualisation. In the recent assessment exercise REF2021 we improved by six places in the ranking. The Department has recently grown rapidly, and now has more than 50 permanent members of academic staff. In 2021, we moved to a newly constructed building, which we share with Mathematics. The research culture is vibrant, with many visitors, seminars, international conferences and workshops. We aim to provide a supportive and friendly environment with a strong sense of community. 

The Department holds an Athena SWAN Bronze award. Athena SWAN is a national initiative that recognises the advancement of gender equality, representation, progression and success for all in academia. 

There are five major research strands in this area: Digital Health (Health Informatics), Digital Humanities, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Software Engineering (SE), and Technology-enhanced Learning (TEL). All strands share the core goal to promote AI for social good by working on real-world problems and having tangible impact on people’s lives.  Each strand highlights a specific scope and methodologies. In Digital Health, we pursue research on applying AI to improve physical and mental health. Digital Humanities involves cultural studies of technology such as musicology with machine learning and text analysis of ancient history and modern social media. HCI and SE apply established and emerging approaches (e.g., use-centred design, model-driven engineering) to different projects involving, for example, mixed reality, self-adaptive and autonomous systems.  TEL aims to integrate emerging technologies and data science with pedagogical theories to address educational challenges. In addition, through our Bias in AI network we explore, with external experts, methods to reduce bias in the design and use of AI systems and services. 

 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/