College/Division: College of Arts & Social Sciences
Faculty/School/Centre: School of Sociology and the Fenner School of Environment and Society
Classification: Academic Level B

PURPOSE STATEMENT:

A Level B Academic (Teaching and Research).

Environmental social science and its application is a core research and teaching area of both the School of Sociology and the Fenner School of Environment & Society. This joint position across the two schools has responsibility for contributing to and developing a shared program of research and undergraduate and postgraduate education in this area, as well as for research student supervision and progressing the research interests and profile of each of the Schools.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITY AREAS:

Position Dimension & Relationships:

The position is shared between the School of Sociology and the Fenner School of Environment & Society. The appointee will report to supervisors in both schools, with a model of shared accountability to be negotiated over the period of tenure. The appointee will be expected to engage with the activities of both Schools and will work closely with academic staff in both Schools who are working in relevant teaching and research programs.

A key aspect of the role will be to strengthen the alignment between the research and teaching portfolios in the two Schools and to contribute to the development of collaborations in environmental social science. The appointee is expected to make significant, independent and original contributions to the research of the School of Sociology and the Fenner School of Environment and Society in their field of expertise.

Role Statement:

Specific duties required of a Level B Academic may include:

• Conducting independent or team research in environmental social sciences, and enhancing the research profile and expertise in interdisciplinary environmental social sciences in both Schools. This includes publishing research in national and international refereed journals and peer-reviewed academic books; presenting research at academic seminars and national and international conferences; developing research networks locally, nationally and internationally; and collaborating with other academic staff both within and outside the University. 
• Contributing to teaching environmental sociology and related topics at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and marking student work. Contributions to other team-taught courses in natural resource management and sustainability studies may be expected. Applicants with expertise in climate adaptation or related fields, or in human-animal studies, will be particularly welcomed, but other topic areas will also be considered.
• Supervising student research at undergraduate, Honours, graduate coursework and postgraduate (PhD) levels, including supervision of major honours or postgraduate research projects. 
• Actively seek and secure external funding including the preparation and submission of research proposals to external funding bodies. 
• Developing engagement with environmental policy and decision makers at local, national, regional and international levels, as well as participating in community outreach activities, with a view to increasing research impact.
• Supervising research support staff in your research area, where required.
• Ensuring high academic standards in all education, research and administration duties.
• Actively contributing to agreed aspects of the operation of the two Schools as these are determined by each supervisor.
• Attendance at departmental and/or faculty meetings and/or membership of committees.
• Complying with all ANU policies and procedures, and in particular those relating to work health and safety and diversity and equal opportunity.

• Undertaking other duties as allocated by the supervisor or the Vice-Chancellor consistent with the classification of the position.

Skill Base

A Level B Academic shall have qualifications and/or experience recognised by the institution as appropriate for the relevant discipline area.

In many cases a position at this level will require a doctoral or masters qualification or equivalent accreditation and standing.

In determining experience relative to qualifications, regard is had to teaching experience, experience in research, experience outside tertiary education, creative achievement, professional contributions and/or to technical achievement.

SELECTION CRITERIA:

Academic Level B       

1. A PhD in a cognate environmental social science area that supports an understanding of interconnections between social and natural systems.
2. A track record of independent scholarly research in that field as evidenced by publications in peer-reviewed journals, invitations to give talks at leading conferences, etc.
3. Ability to attract external funding for research to support individual and collaborative research activities in environmental social sciences, as well as to develop and maintain partnerships with the relevant stakeholder communities.
4. Evidence of high quality teaching, including preparation and delivery of lectures, tutorials and assessment, as evidenced by excellent oral and written English communication skills and teaching evaluations.
5. Demonstrated ability to supervise research students at Honours and postgraduate level.
6. Demonstrated understanding of strategies for enhancing research impact and evidence of a willingness to apply these strategies.
7. Demonstrated ability to communicate and interact effectively with a variety of staff and students in a cross-disciplinary academic environment, to manage administrative duties across different work areas, and to foster respectful and productive working relationships with staff, students and colleagues at all levels.
8. Capacity to undertake effective administration and leadership at the School and College level.
9. A demonstrated high-level understanding of diversity and equal opportunity principles and policies and a commitment to their application in a university context.

A Level B Academic is expected to make an independent and significant contribution to the teaching and learning program of the School. A Level B Academic will normally have a relevant doctoral qualification or equivalent accreditation and standing, together with significant teaching experience and impactfulness. An appointee at this level will normally undertake administration primarily relating to their activities at the institution.

References:

Academic Minimum Standards