Job description

This is an exciting opportunity for a Teaching Fellow to join the BSc Psychology and MSc in Health Psychology programmes at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London.   

This post provides an opportunity to contribute to both undergraduate and post-graduate programmes with the object of ensuring a high standard of education and good, timely examination results. 

The post holder will undertake teaching activities on the BSc in Psychology and MSc in Health Psychology programmes, contributing to the delivery and development of teaching modules, including both in-person and online teaching. The poster holder will contribute to the design and marking of assessments and examinations and will deliver high quality student feedback.  

The appointee will undertake administrative activities as well as supervisory /pastoral activities for students, and will also support research and academic activities within the Undergraduate Psychology and MSc Health Psychology Programmes and the wider Department, Institute and College. 

About the Department of Psychology

Since the Department of Psychology was founded in 1950, it has carried on a distinguished programme of research, teaching and clinical practice, with a long-standing link with the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. In 2004, the psychology sections of Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ School of Medicine merged with the Department, creating one of the world’s largest groupings of clinical and health psychologists. Today, Psychology is one of the largest departments in the IoPPN.  

The department offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses. These include our Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (the UK’s oldest training programme which helped to establish the scientist/practitioner model that is now almost universal in the field), our MSc in Health Psychology, and BSc programmes (BSc Psychology, BSc Neuroscience with Psychology, and Intercalated BSc in Psychology). In addition, we are internationally renowned for our wide range of clinical training programmes for mental health professionals including diplomas and certificates in CBT Psychosis, Family & Early Intervention, high intensity Adult IAPT training, CYP IAPT (Children & Young People) training and IAPT for Long Term Conditions/Medically Unexplained Symptoms. These courses are made possible by the expertise of the staff within the department and elsewhere within the IoPPN and our close ties with our NHS partners, the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, and King’s College London NHS Foundation Trust. Many members of academic staff are qualified Clinical and Health Psychologists providing expert psychological services to our NHS partners as part of their work. 

The Department’s research interests span a wide range of mental health disorders and physical health problems, including anxiety disorders, trauma, somatoform disorders, pain, psychosis, depression, antisocial personality, disorders in childhood and adolescence, emotion and personality, and neurodegeneration. In physical health, we work at the interface between physical health and mental health and wellbeing, focusing on the development and evaluation of new psychological treatments and on understanding the mechanisms that maintain psychological distress. Much of our past work has informed UK national treatment guidelines in mental and physical health. The breadth of research expertise has broadened with the recent recruitment of cognitive and social psychologists whose interests intersect with and extend our existing profile in translational and applied research.  

Link to Department of Psychology webpage: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/depts/psychology/index.aspx 

About the Faculty

The IoPPN is a Faculty of King's College London and the largest academic community in Europe devoted to the study and prevention of mental illness and brain disease.  

 The complementary roles of the IoPPN are: (i) to pioneer research into new and improved ways of understanding and treating mental illness and brain disease; (ii) to offer advanced research training for psychiatrists, psychologists, neurologists and other scientific and paramedical workers.  The IoPPN's greatest strength is the interdisciplinary nature of both its research strategy and educational activities, providing unique opportunities for students and staff. 

The IoPPN comprises three Academic Schools in Neurosciences; Psychiatry; and Mental Health and Psychological Sciences. These encompass researchers with interests in addictions, biostatistics, child and adolescent psychiatry, basic and clinical neuroscience, forensic mental health sciences, health service and population research, neuroimaging, psychology, psychological medicine, old age psychiatry and psychosis studies. The Institute also hosts an NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health and an NIHR Dementia Unit. 

Link to IoPPN webpage:   http://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/index.aspx 

At King’s we are deeply committed to embedding good equality and diversity practice into all our activities so that the university is an inclusive, welcoming, and inspiring place to work and study, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation. 

We particularly encourage applications from candidates within black and minority ethnic groups which are under-represented within the Department and University.

These posts will be offered on an a fixed-term contract for 3 years 

This is a full-time post.

Key responsibilities

Course development and administration  

•          Assist with planning, teaching and assessment of modules within the BSc and MSc  

•          Contribute to the ongoing development and design of the curriculum, in a manner that supports an innovative and research-led approach to student learning 

•          Ensure that module design and delivery comply with the quality standards and regulations of the Department, School and University 

Teaching and assessment

•          Supervise student research projects and dissertations on the BSc 

•          Co-supervision of student research projects on the MSc 

•          Assist with formative and summative assessments, including marking, and moderation of assignments across programmes 

•          Take responsibility for dealing with student feedback and issues relating to individual teaching 

Research and Professional Activities

•        Identify and undertake activities to develop individual research interests, including contribution to joint projects within the Faculty/Department, or with external collaborators, where appropriate 

•        Participate in personal and professional development activities where appropriate 

•        Undertake any other reasonable academic or administrative duties that may be requested by the Director of the BSc Programme and/or Head of Department 

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. Good first degree in Psychology or related subject (2:1 or above) 
2. Skilled in teaching psychological practice and/or theory  
3. Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations to students, in public, professional and academic meetings 
4. Well-developed IT skills for purposes of research and teaching  
5. Experience of teaching undergraduate psychology in a university environment, including marking and providing feedback on a range of assessment activities  
6. Ability to provide support and guidance through the supervision and tutoring of undergraduate students 
7. Ability to design and deliver lectures/seminars effectively and a willingness to undertake an appropriate teaching qualification, if not already held 
8. Evidence of commitment to continuing professional development in teaching and research 

Desirable criteria

1. PhD or equivalent in psychology, neuroscience, social science, health and behavioural medicine or related subject  
2. MSc in Health Psychology  
3. Higher Education teaching qualification (e.g. PGCAPHE or PGCHE) 
4. Experience in leading modules on a BSc Psychology or similar programme, including online provision  
5. Experience of teaching and supervising MSc students 
6. Experience of delivering research methods teaching (qualitative and/or quantitative). 
7. Experience of research activity in a relevant research area supporting teaching on areas of the BPS curriculum 

Further information

This post is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service clearance.