Lecturer in Comparative Literature

Job ID: 021645

Salary: £38,304-£42,652, including London Weighting Allowance

Posted: 28-Apr-2021

Closing date: 28-May-2021

Business unit: Faculty of Arts & Humanities

Department: Comparative Literature

Contact details: Dr Anna Bernard, anna.bernard@kcl.ac.uk

Strand Campus   Academic and teaching    

Job description
The Department of Comparative Literature at King’s College London seeks to appoint a Lecturer in Comparative Literature (Academic Education Pathway), tenable for two years from 1 September 2021. The successful candidate will have established a strong research profile and possess relevant teaching experience in areas of literature which complement our existing areas of expertise. Expertise in 18/19C European literatures may be an advantage.
 
The successful candidate will teach on a range of undergraduate modules such as ‘The Writer in the Text’, ‘Forms of Shorter Narrative’, ‘The Canon’, ‘Comparative Literature: Theoretical Foundations’, ‘The Book in the Modern World’ and ‘Imaginary Geographies’. They will also contribute to team-taught MA modules on approaches to comparative literature.

They will additionally be expected to supervise BA and MA dissertations, to take on administrative roles in the department and to contribute to the pastoral care of students. They will play a full part in the intellectual life of the Department.
 
Applicants should have a PhD in a relevant field of literature in hand by the start date and relevant experience of undergraduate teaching.
 
This post will be offered on an a fixed-term contract for 2 years
This is a full-time post - 100% full time equivalent

Key responsibilities

• Participate in the planning, organisation and delivery of teaching activities within the departments in accordance with established departmental practice.
• Serve as module convenor for undergraduate modules.
• Act as personal tutor to students as agreed with the Head of Department and assist with difficulties, e.g. learning support/problems.
• Participate fully in assessment and examination processes as appropriate using a variety of methods and techniques and provide effective, timely and appropriate feedback to students to support their learning.
• Contribute to developing and enhancing the research profile of the Departments, Faculty and university.
• Attend and participate in appropriate research seminars/conferences within subject-related areas.
• Accept academic responsibility within the Departments and Faculty, involving departmental administrative responsibilities, as well as participating in aspects of Faculty governance.
• Engage in professional development as appropriate.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties that may be requested by the Head of Department.
• Communicate conceptual and complex ideas to a variety of audiences using appropriate media and methods. 
• Communication with students through the appropriate media.
• Design, deliver and assess modules. 
• Collaborate with colleagues on implementation of assessment procedures.
• Contribute to accreditation and quality control processes.
• Ensure student needs and expectations are met.
• Manage projects relating to own area of work. 
• Take responsibility for administrative duties such as admissions, time-tabling, examinations, attendance, etc.
• Attend staff training courses as appropriate, and identify areas in which further training is required.
• Develop ideas for promoting the subject, and disseminating and applying the results of scholarship.
• Take a role in the provision of, managing, agreeing, and defining of service standard. 
• Extend, transform and apply knowledge acquired from scholarship to teaching and appropriate external activities.
• Act as a responsible team member, leading where agreed, and develop productive working relationship with others.
• Collaborate with colleagues to identify and respond to student needs. 
• Collaborate with colleagues across departments to deliver relevant interdisciplinary programmes.
• Design teaching material and deliver across a range of modules within subject area.
• Use appropriate teaching, learning support and assessment methods.
• Supervise student projects at all levels.
• Contribute to the planning, design and development of objectives and material.
• Set, mark and assess work and examinations and provide feedback to students.
• Conduct risk assessments and take responsibility for the health and safety of students and others.  
• Balance the pressures of teaching and administrative demands and competing deadlines.
• Take responsibility for the welfare of tutees and students on their modules.
• Provide support and be considerate of other members of staff.

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge and experience

Essential criteria 

1. PhD in relevant discipline (completed or submitted by the time of application)
2. Teaching experience at undergraduate level
3. Ability to teach Comparative Literature at BA level and MA level 
4. Knowledge of Comparative Literature, its contexts and its critical traditions
5. High-quality teaching skills: ability to communicate difficult concepts and material to students of all levels; ability to inspire students; ability to enable students to develop their individual intellectual and personal potential
6. Excellent presentational skills: ability to present information and concepts in written and oral form to a variety of levels
7. Excellent administrative skills: ability to support the organisational aspects of teaching, learning and research
8. Enthusiasm for teaching, learning and research, and ability to inspire enthusiasm in others
9. Collegiality in working with academic and administrative staff
10. Willingness to contribute to the pastoral care of students

Desirable criteria

1. Teaching experience at postgraduate level
2. Administrative experience