Department of Psychology

Grade 10: - £65,575 - £78,145 per annum
Open-Ended/Permanent - Full Time
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Closing Date: 22-Oct-2021, 6:59:00 AM

Durham University

Durham University is one of the world's top universities with strengths across the Arts and Humanities, Sciences and Social Sciences. 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.

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 benefits and the University’s Relocation Manager can assist with potential schooling requirements.

Durham University seeks to promote and maintain an inclusive and supportive environment for work and study that assists all members of our University community to reach their full potential. Diversity brings strength and we welcome applications from across the international, national and regional communities that we serve.

The Department

Founded in 1952, the Department of Psychology is consistently ranked as one of the very best in the UK with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research, and student employability. The department is committed to creating and maintaining a research environment that spans the entire breadth of psychology. 

The Department of Psychology is an internationally recognised centre of research excellence and interdisciplinarity across the breadth of psychological and behavioural science. We are currently ranked in the top 100 of Psychology Departments world-wide according to the QS World Rankings. The department’s research groupings reflect our major areas of activity: Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental Science, & Quantitative Social Psychology. Each group also leads a taught Masters programme, extending our research strengths into the next generation. In addition, the department houses a number of University Research Centres which bring in staff from across the department, university, and region to focus on key research issues.

There is a vibrant research culture with a departmental weekly research seminar series, regular training opportunities and a commitment to open science. We pride ourselves on being a collegiate and welcoming department, committed to success for all who work here. This is illustrated by our Athena Swan Silver Award received in 2013 and renewed in 2017.

The University is investing heavily in the Department to support a growing undergraduate, taught postgraduate and research postgraduate community. Significant recent investment in staff and new research facilities will continue with planned development of new taught programmes, research centres and leading large-scale interdisciplinary projects across the University and the region. The department’s broad approach to the discipline places it in an excellent position to take advantage of emerging opportunities and challenges and our collegiate approach allows staff to work across research areas to provide novel solutions to global problems.

The department delivers internationally excellent research across all of its research groups. We are committed to maintaining and building on this research excellence across the entire breadth of psychology. The department’s research falls within three groupings: Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental Science, & Quantitative Social Psychology, and we house a number of University research centres in developmental disorders, neuroimaging, vision, and learning and memory underpinning our collaborative and interdisciplinary approach to large scale challenges. The department also has strong links with other centres and institutes across the university including the Wolfson Research Institute, the Institute of Advanced Study, the Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Research (BEER) Centre and the Centre for Visual Arts and Culture. We also have a strong collaborative link to the James Cook University Hospital where our 3T MRI scanning facility is based.

With recent expansion into a second building and over £2M investment in research infrastructure over the past four years, the department has outstanding research facilities. Our major research facilities include a 3T fMRI scanner and mock scanner for piloting and habituating clinical populations, as well as excellent dedicated space for rodent behavioural neuroscience. We also have extensive research labs including dedicated TMS, tDCS, EEG/ERP, eye movement tracking, virtual reality, and various biophysiological recording set-ups. The department also has a large whole-body motion capture lab, a fully equipped molecular diagnostics lab, an echo-attenuated chamber, a suite of observation labs. Our collegiate approach to research allows all members of staff access across our full range of research facilities, which are supported by award winning IT and mechanical technicians.

The department currently has around 40 academic staff members across our three research groups. The department benefits from substantial dedicated administrative support for research and teaching as well as the support of our award-winning technical team.

We offer a prestigious Psychology undergraduate programme (C800), a new undergraduate programme in Behavioural Science (C803), as well as a suite of Masters programmes. We are committed to research-led and small group teaching. Our single honours Psychology programme achieved 91% satisfaction with our students in the 2020 NSS and we are privileged to work with outstanding students who are attracted to Durham from across the globe.

The Role

The Department of Psychology at Durham University seeks to appoint two talented individuals to the role of Professor. We welcome applications from those with research and teaching interests in the broad field of Quantitative Social Psychology. This post offers an exciting opportunity to make a major contribution to the development of internationally excellent research and teaching while allowing you unrivalled opportunities to progress and embed your career in an exciting and progressive institution. For more information, please visit our Department pages at https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/psychology/ 

The University is committed to developing 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. Academic colleagues are supported to publish world-leading and world-changing research in their area of interest in highest impact journals with a focus on quality rather than quality. We will fully support your research needs including practical, help such as resources to attend conferences and to fund research activity, as well as a generous research leave policy and a designated mentor. Sitting alongside world class research; teaching quality and innovation is critical to ensure a first class learning environment and curricula for all of our students. You will be supported to progress through the levels of the Higher Education Academy (HEA).

All of our Professors are encouraged to focus on quality and innovation in their research and teaching, and to provide excellent leadership in the administrative functioning and collegial environment of the Department, discipline and University in support of the wider student experience.  We of course value research income, which is a necessary input to drive research outputs and impact.

Applicants must demonstrate research excellence in the field of Quantitative Social Psychology, with the ability to take a leading role in the development of the Department’s research and teaching, and to fully engage in the services, citizenship and values of the University. 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

Successful applicants will, ideally, be in post by 1st January 2022.

How to Apply

For informal enquiries please contact Professor Richard Crisp (Head of Department), richard.j.crisp@durham.ac.uk.  All enquiries will be treated in the strictest confidence.

We prefer to receive applications online via the Durham University Vacancies Site. https://www.dur.ac.uk/jobs/

Applications are particularly welcome from women and black and minority ethnic candidates, who are under-represented in academic posts in the University.

What to Submit

All applicants are asked to submit:

• A CV and covering letter which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out above;
• PDFs of two significant pieces of work that you have been involved with and an explanation of your input. Please note that your work may be read by colleagues from across the Department; and
• An ambitious personal research plan.

Referees

You should provide details of 3 academic/research 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/research references during the application process.  Academic/research referees should not (if possible) include your PhD supervisor(s) and a majority should be from a University other than your own.  We would ask that you alert your academic/research referees to this application as soon as possible so that we can quickly obtain references should you be progressed to the long list stage.  Please note that it is our usual practice to provide a copy of your CV to your referee.  If you do not consent to us sending your CV to your referees or 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.
• Academic/research references sought for long-listed 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 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.

Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University and will have the opportunity to meet with key members of the Department. The assessment for the post will include a presentation and interview and we anticipate that the assessments and interviews will take place in or around November/December 2021.

The Requirements

Applicants must demonstrate research excellence in the field of Quantitative Social Psychology, with the ability to fully engage in the services, citizenship and values of the University.

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.

Research

Candidates will demonstrate world-leading and world-changing research, and leadership in a research field within and / or beyond their institution(s). Research outputs will be consistently recognised as internationally excellent with some evaluated as world class. 

Key responsibilities

• Pursue research that is world-leading, and world-changing in terms of originality, significance and rigour, showing leadership in a research field within and/or beyond the academy which is commensurate with the Department’s continuing emphasis on international excellence; 
• To lead the development of successful research project/fellowship proposals in pursuit of suitable national and international funding opportunities to support research and end-user engagement.
• Deliver excellent teaching, offering lectures, seminars and tutorials at undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels. Demonstrate leadership and innovation in the design and delivery of high quality learning environments and curricula.
• Enhance the quality of the research environment in the Department, providing leadership of national and international research groups and networks which is recognised at an international level. Engage in the mentoring of early career researchers; 
• To attract and provide excellent supervision to research students, and contribute significantly to the development of PhD programmes. Enhance the Department’s commitment to its vibrant and international postgraduate culture. 
• Contribute significantly to the administrative functioning and collegial environment of the Department and wider University, demonstrating sustained excellence in leadership activities which support the functioning of the Department and wider University.
• To fully engage in, champion and enhance the values of the Department;
• Carry out such other duties as specified by the Head of Department.

The essential research criteria for this post are:

• Applicants must have a good first degree and a PhD in Psychology or a related subject. 
• Evidence of research outputs which are consistently recognised as internationally excellent, with some evaluated as world class (Candidates are asked to submit two pieces of work as detailed below).   
• A personal research plan which supports and enhances the department’s research strategy. 
• Evidence of leadership of successful research projects and / or fellowship proposals.    
• A significant contribution to the development of PhD programmes and / or groups, including successful recruitment and excellent supervision of PhD students.    
• Evidence of leadership of national / international research groups and networks, with an internationally recognised contribution to the development of research fields, along with leadership of research groups and / or mentoring of early career researchers (Candidates may choose to include information about research group leadership, mentoring of research colleagues, invitations and engagement with significant external events and/or involvement with international networks or projects).
• Leadership of research that has demonstrable impact beyond the candidate’s institution(s). 

Teaching

Candidates will be able to evidence excellence in the development and delivery of teaching. They will demonstrate leadership, distinction and innovation in the design and delivery of high quality learning environments and curricula that enables student to achieve their potential.

The essential teaching criteria for this role are:

• Candidates must be or have the ability to attain the rank of Principal Fellow of HEA.
• Evidence of excellence in the development and delivery of high-quality and distinctive teaching, at least at a nationally competitive level.   
• Candidates may choose to provide MEQ scores and / or peer reviews of teaching.
• Leadership in the development of innovative teaching and the design of learning environments / curricula that provide high quality teaching and student experience at an internationally competitive level including lectures, small group learning and/or using technology or other techniques to enhance learning and/or assessment. 
• Demonstrating leadership in the design and delivery of internationally-excellent teaching programmes and the creation of learning environments that enable students to achieve their potential. 

Services, Citizenship and Values

Candidates must demonstrate evidence of sustained excellence and active leadership and contribution in the administrative functioning of an academic department (notably related to the research and/or research environment), faculty or university.

Candidates must positively contribute to fostering a collegial environment; as well as demonstrating their commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

The essential services, citizenship and values criteria for this role are:

• A significant contribution to the collegial work and environment of the Department and/or discipline (Candidates may choose to evidence departmental, faculty or University roles, mentoring activity, engagement with widening participation, involvement in equality and diversity initiatives and membership of engagement with external bodies).
• Candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of students and colleagues across a variety of forums.
• Evidence of sustained excellence in leadership activities that support the administrative functioning of the department, faculty or university and / or which support the development of the discipline.

DBS Requirement: Not Applicable.