Job description

​This is an exciting opportunity for a Lecturer or Senior Lecturer to join us to contribute to the postgraduate educational programme at the Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry (SGDP) Centre at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London (IoPPN-KCL). We are seeking an enthusiastic and dedicated colleague who can make a distinctive contribution to education and drive forward collaborative high-quality research. You should have excellent teaching and communication skills, and be able to inspire and inform students. 

Education and training of the next generation of scientists is a priority at the SGDP Centre. As post holder, you will provide educational leadership on our MSc in Developmental Psychology and Psychopathology. This would include programme and/or module leadership, course delivery, research project supervision, and personal tutor roles. You may also support other undergraduate and postgraduate psychology courses within the School and Faculty, for example with project supervision. The appointment will be made on the Academic Education Pathway, where the primary contribution is to education (80%).  You should be able to demonstrate suitable teaching skills and experience including curriculum and assessment design, along with an ability to supervise student research, and have a track record of high-quality research outputs.

You should have an area of research that complements the existing interdisciplinary research in the SGDP Centre. Our expertise includes developmental psychology, epidemiology, behavioural genetics, statistical genetics, lifespan approaches, digital phenotyping and the integration of administrative and biomarker data. Inter-disciplinary research and collaboration with existing Centre research programmes will be encouraged. The Centre is home to the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS) and the E-Risk study. We encourage open science practices in data, software and publishing.    

We particularly welcome applicants who are disabled, LGBTQ+ and/or from a minority ethnic background, as they are particularly under-represented at King’s. 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. The SGDP Centre strives to be an open and supportive community, with a strong emphasis on working practices that promote diversity and inclusion, including an anti-racism working group.    

SGDP Centre webpage :   https://www.kcl.ac.uk/mental-health-and-psychological-sciences/about/departments/social-genetic-and-developmental-psychiatry

MSc in Developmental Psychology and Psychopathology    https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/courses/developmental-psychology-psychopathology-msc  

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract   

This is a full-time post - 100% full time equivalent; a part-time role would be considered.

Key responsibilities

Education 

•       Lead the educational programme at the SGDP Centre through programme and/or module leadership, course delivery, assessment, research project supervision, and personal tutor roles. 

•       Engage in teaching innovation activities and practices 

•       Contribute substantially to teaching (80%) 

•       Supervise research projects for postgraduate and undergraduate students    

•       Design appropriate educational materials using appropriate teaching, learning support, and assessment methods 

•       Contribute to and help shape new educational offerings at the SGDP Centre, including both in person, blended and online courses.   

•       Actively participate in creating an atmosphere of diversity and inclusion at the SGDP Centre, the IoPPN and King’s.  

•       Play an active role in the personal tutor scheme and be involved in new initiatives for student welfare and experience.   

•       Generate excellent student success and feedback 

•       Undertake or update professional skills as appropriate and relevant in support of teaching excellence 

•       Identify strategic development opportunities in teaching and research and contribute to the development of these ideas. 

•       Contribute to peer review and departmental based teaching development activities (away days, reviews, policy changes etc.).  

•       Disseminate teaching innovations and initiatives at department, faculty and/or college level.  

•       Communicate educational scholarship, through peer engagement, publication or conferences. 

Research 

• ​Undertake research in an area that complements the work of the SGDP Centre 

• Develop your personal research through collaboration with colleagues across the Department and wider Faculty. 

• Contribute to the dynamic and collegiate research environment at the SGDP Centre  

Additional responsibilities 

Contribute effectively to the administrative duties of the Department, in discussion with the 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.       PhD in an area relevant to the SGDP Centre, of relevance to our MSc programme in Developmental Psychology and Psychopathology.  

2.       Experience of designing and delivering excellent teaching and assessment for postgraduate and/or undergraduate students, in person and/or online 

3.       Ability to supervise postgraduate taught and undergraduate research projects. 

4.       Understanding of the UK Higher Education environment 

5.       Skills in research design, quantitative and/or qualitative research methods relevant for field 

6.       Ability to produce excellent scientific research outputs, as evidenced by peer reviewed publications as a key contributor  

7.       Developing research record with evidence of potential to secure external funding  

Desirable criteria

1.       Fellow (or higher) of the Higher Education Academy (or equivalent)  

2.       Ability to disseminate work beyond academia  

3.       Experience of providing pastoral support and guidance to postgraduate and undergraduate students