Department of Geography

Grade 7: - £33,797 - £40,322 per annum
Fixed Term - Full Time
Contract Duration: 9 months
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Closing Date: 29-Oct-2020, 7:59:00 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 work with and serve.

The Department

The Department of Geography at Durham comprises 68 academic staff (approximately equally divided between physical and human geography), a graduate school of around 100 research students, around 40 taught postgraduate students and more than 650 undergraduates. The Department is well supported with technical staff, including a cartography unit, and administrative staff.

The most recent QS rankings for Geography placed Durham 10th overall in the world, its 8th year in the top ten, and 2nd for citations in the discipline. The department is recurrently ranked in the top handful of programmes in the UK by various league tables; in 2020, we were ranked 1st  in the Times Good University Guide and 4th in the Complete University Guide and 6th in the Guardian University Guide. The Department was graded top for research power (quality weighted by volume) in UK geography in REF 2014 and 3rd for iGPA (average score scaled by proportion of staff submitted). With 43% of work assessed as being in the highest category, it produced the largest number of world-leading (4*) publications in the country

The Role

The Department of Geography at Durham University seeks to appoint a Post-doctoral Research Associate to work on heritage, belonging and governance issues in Eurasia. Please note this post is fixed term up until 31 July 2021. They will support ongoing UKRI/GCRF projects Fragile heritage ecologies: vernacular cultures and the at-risk landscapes of the Hindu-Kush-Himalaya mountain region, Developing a novel Climate change Risk Assessment Framework for cultural heritage in Turkey (CRAFT), Resilient Silk Route Cultural Heritage Network and Fostering Adaptive Governance and Resilience in Local Communities of Central Eurasia. They will support the involvement of Professor Crang in these projects while he is also Head of Department. The projects speak to the value and values in built heritage across Eurasia. They look at different stresses and vulnerabilities arising from climate change, other natural hazards and social change brought on by infrastructural change. The latter principally is the growth of transport connectivity resulting from China’s Belt and Road Initiative. All the projects are being reconfigured for delivery by local partners during the global pandemic.

The successful applicant will liaise with local and other partners in the projects, organising online training and networking events as required. They will undertake analysis and synthesis of data developed from the projects, developing presenting and co-authoring outputs as appropriate.

Responsibilities:

• 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 Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To assist with the development of research objectives and proposals.
• To conduct individual and collaborative research projects under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To work with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and other colleagues in the research group, as appropriate, to identify areas for research, develop new research methods and extend the research portfolio.
• To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and offering creative or innovative solutions.
• To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration.
• To plan and manage own research activity, research resources in collaboration with others and contribute to the planning of research projects.
• To deliver training in research techniques/approaches to peers, visitors and students as appropriate.
• To be involved in student supervision, as appropriate, and assist with the assessment of the knowledge of students.
• 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 up until 31 July 2021 to support Professor Crang whilst he is Head of Department in Geography.

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.

The Requirements

Essential Criteria:

Qualifications

• A good first degree in geography or or related fields such as heritage studies.
• A PhD (or be close to submission) in geography, heritage studies or a related subject.

Experience

• Experience in conducting high quality academic research.
• Demonstrable ability to write material of a quality commensurate with publication in highly-ranked journals.
• Demonstrable ability to present research papers at national conferences and communicate complex information to specialists and within the wider academic community.
• Experience in event organisation.

Skills

• Demonstrable ability to work cooperatively as part of a team, including participating in research meetings.
• Ability to work independently on own initiative and to strict deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Desirable Criteria:

Experience

• Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals, commensurate with stage of career.
• A track record of presenting research at conferences, symposia, or meetings, commensurate with stage of career.
• Demonstrable ability to develop research proposals and designs in collaboration with other academics.
• Experience of overseeing students with respect to the development of their practical/research skills e.g. acting as a demonstrator; supervising student projects/practicals.
• Experience in museum or heritage studies, participatory methods and/or knowledge of Eurasia would be an advantage

 Skills

• Demonstrable ability to plan and manage independent research.
• Ability to start soon

How to Apply

For informal enquiries please contact Professor Mike Crang, m.a.crang@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/

As part of the application process, you should provide details of 3 (preferably academic/research) referees and the details of your current line manager so that we may seek an employment reference.

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;

Next Steps

The assessment for the post will be via online interview. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview and assessment on a date to be confirmed

DBS Requirement: Not Applicable.