Lecturer in Defence Studies

Job description

The Department of Defence Studies seeks to recruit four Lecturers in Defence Studies.  We welcome applications from a broad range of expertise within the field of Security Studies.  Any specific research focus may be considered, but preference will be given to candidates with subject matter expertise in the following areas: current and emerging challenges to the international order, including the environment; Russia and China; future war; artificial intelligence; wargaming; cyber-security and multi-domain integration.

The successful applicants will be based in the Defence Studies Department at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in Shrivenham, and will undertake high-quality research and  support a range of professional military education courses at the postgraduate level.

You will teach and supervise students who are serving officers or civil servants in the UK and allied armed forces. There are also opportunities to contribute to the School of Security Studies’ highly successful open online programmes.  You will support the planning, organisation and delivery of the Defence Studies Department, and, with departmental mentorship, eventually assume leadership and  administrative responsibilities. Beyond teaching and administrative duties, the successful candidate, upon completion of their probation, will be expected to supervise PhD students. They will commit to undertake high-quality research in their subject area, and publish in recognised journals, with research mentorship offered in support of this activity.  The role-holder will further maintain research activities and connections through a portfolio of individual and/or joint research projects and will work to secure external funding as required.

Defence Studies is part of the School of Security Studies and the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy at King’s.  Together, we support an inclusive culture and diversity for our staff and students.  We are committed to encourage further growth from diverse groups, and we look forward to welcoming applicants of all abilities, whom we are able to support with our flexible varied working practices.

Interviews are provisionally  scheduled for 24 April 2023.

Further information about the Department and School can be found here:

About the Defence Studies Department:   https://www.kcl.ac.uk/dsd

About the School of Security Studies:   https://www.kcl.ac.uk/security-studies 

As this post is based within a military establishment, the successful candidates will be subject to a satisfactory ​security clearance to work at the Defence Academy of the UK​.

All posts will be offered on full-time, indefinite contracts.

Key responsibilities

• Undertake high-quality research within the field of Defence Studies, broadly defined, publish the findings in highly-rated internationally recognised journals, and participate in major internationally recognised academic networks
• Participate in the delivery of teaching activities within the department in accordance with established departmental practice
• Develop appropriate courses and lectures with reference to academic and military learning objectives
• 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
• Engage in professional development as appropriate
• Sustain high-quality research activity through a portfolio of individual and/or joint research projects and secure the funding required for this research as required
• Accept academic responsibility within the Department and School, involving administrative responsibilities where appropriate.Undertake any other reasonable duties that may be requested by the Head of Department
• Communication of conceptual and complex ideas to a variety of audiences using appropriate media and methods
• Lead and develop internal networks
• Participate in and develop external networks
• 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 on responsibility for departmental management tasks as required
• Provide specialist or professional advice to students 
• Independently provide advice and deal with queries of a specialist nature, interpret student requirements 
• Meet the required levels of service in relation to academic provision 
•  Extend, transform and apply knowledge acquired from scholarship to teaching and appropriate external activities 
• Give presentations at conferences or exhibit work in other appropriate events. 
• Provide expert opinion to the public media where appropriate 
• 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 both on campus and in digital learning environments 
• Collaborate with colleagues across departments as and when necessary 
• Design teaching material and deliver across a range of courses    
• Supervise student projects 
• Contribute to the planning, design and development of objectives and material 
• Balance the pressures of teaching, research and administrative demands and competing deadlines 

 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 awarded on a relevant topic within Defence Studies, Security Studies, Politics, History, International Relations or other, related, discipline 

2.       Emerging track record in research dissemination and a research agenda 

3.       Appropriate teaching qualification or equivalent 

4.       Ability to teach across the field of defence and security studies 

5.       Good administrative skills 

6.       Ability to be innovative in teaching and curriculum design 

7.       Excellent verbal and written communications skill 

8.       Experience of delivering academic teaching 

9.       Well organised and self-motivated, able to work independently 

10.    Desire to promote the subject at all levels 

Desirable criteria

1.   Experience in teaching postgraduate students 

2.   Willingness to collaborate with colleagues, including military colleagues 

3.   Engagement in professional organisations (conference papers, workshops, memberships 

4.   Experience in the delivery of professional military education