Lecturer/Senior Lecturer - Interprofessional Science

Job description

This is an outstanding development opportunity for a talented individual who wishes to advance excellent and innovative research and education on the integration of interprofessional learning and work in healthcare, especially with a focus on immersive environments and team-based practice.

While there is a growing body of evidence on the benefits of teamwork, there is still a lack of understanding of how to train, create, and sustain effective healthcare teams. Healthcare teamwork research can help to fill this gap by identifying the factors that contribute to effective teamwork and developing interventions to improve teamwork skills. The postholder will be expected to use teaching opportunities as a fertile ground for research by, for example, developing a programme of research based on interventions designed to enhance interprofessional teamworking. Simulation and VR settings could act as a test bed for piloting and trialling interventions in vivo. Equally, innovations in the field could be reverse engineered into the simulation lab for prototype testing and scaling up.

For education, this post will improve and sustain both our undergraduate and postgraduate provision in relation to teamwork and interprofessional education. A key part of the postholder role will be the Academic Lead for Team Based Practice and Learning whose principal responsibility is for the continued development and delivery of the Faculty’s Team Based Practice & Learning Portfolio or Interprofessional Education (IPE) in collaboration with the Centre for Team Based Practice & Learning in Health Care. IPE is a key requirement of the NMC Standards for Pre-Registration Nurse Education 2018 and thus is integral to the pre-registration programmes within the Faculty and is viewed as a strength of KCL health programmes. The post holder would work closely with the Faculty Academic Lead for Simulation and Virtual Reality, the leads for IPE activities within the Faculty and the IPE leads within other health faculties. The post holder will also be able to contribute to the Teamwork and Leadership postgraduate and workforce development modules.

Why choose us

King’s College London is a leading University with nine Faculties. As part of King’s Health Partners, we have an excellent environment for health care interaction and a strong focus on mentoring and career development.

For the last 5 years, King’s has been number 2 in the world and number 1 in Europe for Nursing QS world rankings. King’s produces more highly cited research outputs -  top 1 percent citations on palliative care than any other centre internationally (SciVal). The Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care (NMPC) is based in the heart of central and south London. It includes the Cicely Saunders Institute for Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabilitation, the premier Institute for Palliative Care, bringing together clinical, research and education teams.

Our award-winning NMPC education programmes span pre-registration nursing and midwifery, and multidisciplinary post-graduate taught and research programmes. King’s is the largest provider of health care education in Europe. Our applied clinical and health research transforms therapies, the healthcare experience and outcomes for patients and those important to them, wherever they are cared for.

You should apply if

We are seeking an enthusiastic and dedicated individual who can make a distinctive contribution, bridge theory and practice, and drive forward collaborative sustainable high quality and impactful research. You should have excellent teaching and communication skills, able to inspire and inform students, and a demonstrable ability to deliver high quality impactful sustainable research.

We are committed to continually improving the diversity of our workforce, and therefore we encourage applications from all groups. This includes from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups, the LGBTQI+ community, those who are neurodiverse and those with a disability.

This post will be offered on a full-time, indefinite contract pending successful completion of a 3 year probation period. However, we offer flexibility for part-time working.

The post-holder is required to actively participate in academic performance development review (PDR) annually.

Key responsibilities

• Contribute to and develop a sustainable, high quality applied health care research programme in Interprofessional Education (IPE) & Teamwork and relevant to the educational focus of this post. You will work with relevant health care, charity and industry or commercial research partners.
• Play an active role in NMPC and King’s undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training, focussed on the programmes, especially educational content outlined above and below. This will include module and programme leadership, developing and delivering high quality innovative and inclusive education and education and relevant materials, including incorporating King’s and Faculty research, pastoral support, supervision, and assessment and generating excellent student success and feedback
• Have a clear forward plan for sustaining and enhancing NMPC education, PhD supervision, and research consistent with our strategy, including to increase research or evidence informed education, multi- and interdisciplinary endeavours, digital offerings and improved student success and experience.

Main other responsibilities

• Proactively communicate and collaborate with research and teaching staff within the Faculty, across the University, and where appropriate lead collaborative developments
• Actively engage in Patient and Public Involvement and embed Patient and Public Involvement into all research projects and teaching endeavours
• Engage with the media, press, publicity, policy makers, practitioners, and others to deliver impact of the research and teaching to the benefit of patients, families, and society.
• Deliver outstanding, inclusive education for relevant programmes based on best evidence, health policy and research
• Actively participate in, and where appropriate plan and lead relevant modules and teaching programmes at King’s, with a strong focus on excellent student experience, seeking opportunities for efficiencies with other modules and programmes
• Communicate and work in partnerships with students, patients, families, the public, policy makers and clinical colleagues and in research and teaching, and its relevance to care and policy.
• Work in collaboration and partnership with key stakeholders, institutions, and organisations
• Actively participate in marking, course and programme development, assessment, module leadership, personal tutoring, project supervision as appropriate. If a registered nurse or midwife then also act as an academic assessor and link lecturer
• Play a broader role in the Faculty, contributing to the growth and development of our people and the wider organisation as appropriate to role.
• Actively participate in relevant audit and clinical governance activity, including audit of research and teaching activity, and team building activities
• Champion, model and uphold King’s values and principles, and maintain highest standards of adherence to data protection, ethical and research governance principles and practices
• Have and maintain a research passport, honorary contract if required,  Good Clinical Practice in research, and complete all mandatory training
• Undertake relevant professional development in negotiation with line manager and PDR discussions.

Research (60% FTE)

• Contribute to the academic work of the Faculty, working with colleagues and clinical teams, with the aim of obtaining significant research funding and conducting research at an international and world-leading standard according to King’s performance framework
• Collaborate on, assist with and increasingly lead externally funded peer-reviewed collaborative research projects, programmes and fellowships, including winning funding from NIHR, UKRI, industrial or commercial funding and prestigious charities as co-investigator or Principal investigator
• Form and grow external collaborations to enhance the quality of reach of our research programmes, linking with world leading academics and groups in related fields.
• Supervise, co-supervise and nurture clinical and non-clinical researchers (including PhD students and fellowships) to build the field for the future.
• Publish research findings in high quality peer view journals, with 1 – 2 open access publications that are internationally excellent or world leading each year.

If Senior Lecturer (Education & Research contract) above plus

• Generate substantive external peer review grant income, sufficient to support research group with 1-3 research staff, and with greater than 10% research time, steadily increasing, funded from external grants FEC
• Minimum of 3 research publications consistent with 3 - 4 star REF outputs over a rolling three-year period with unique role clearly identified in acknowledgements.

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. Track record of peer-review publication and presentations that demonstrate international excellence and are world-leading in terms of originality, rigour, and significance in areas relevant to Faculty research themes and this role. If Senior Lecturer should demonstrate leadership in publications and projects, with sustainable track record consistent with world-leading and internationally excellent REF outputs 
2. Evidence of ability to secure research grant money, demonstrated by previous experience or track record, involvement in research active teams, responsibilities, plans, awareness of grant schemes relevant to Faculty research themes. If Senior Lecturer should demonstrate upward sustainable trajectory, being CI, PI on at least one substantial externally sponsored current grant, with clearly defined major role within a very large programme, and plans to win support for research group of 1 to 3 externally sponsored staff 
3. Experience of the planning and delivering high-quality evaluated education at undergraduate, postgraduate levels with a strong focus on a high-quality student experience and success. If Senior Lecturer, evidence of leadership in education / assessment initiatives
4. Evidence of commitment to continued development in evidence-based practice, research methods and evidence relevant to care, with up-to-date knowledge, skills and accomplishments, able to supervise MSc and undergraduate student projects and critically appraise a wide range of relevant research, including data presentation and basic analysis  
5. Ability to work well as an effective and inclusive member of teams and networks and to share and encourage good practice in teaching and research and to inspire and motivate others, including in challenging environments. If Senior Lecturer, evidence of successful team and staff development
6. Excellent written, verbal and digital communication skills, in all formats, face to face, presentation, email, reports, written and for teaching. If Senior Lecturer, evidence of developing this in others
7. Excellent administrative and organisational skills, underpinned by strong interpersonal skills and personal effectiveness, able to deliver high quality work and projects to deadlines, work efficiently and prioritise  
8. Registration as a healthcare professional
9. Demonstrates a commitment to promoting equality, diversity and inclusivity for staff and students
10. PhD or equivalent relevant to themes of the Faculty and this role

Desirable criteria

1. Experience of innovative and effective approaches to teaching, including distance learning, blended learning, digital learning/ simulation; virtual and face to face, with appropriate training completed.
2. Experience of co-leading and leading research projects, education activities or clinical service.
3. Experience of and training in PhD supervision, as first or second supervisory or as part of supervisory progression panels. 
4. Track record of winning and delivering successful externally procured grants, world leading or internationally excellent publications, and impact relevant to the field

Further information 

The selection process will include a presentation and a panel interview. Scheduling of presentations will be confirmed once shortlisting has taken place.

Please note that you must provide three Academic referees upon application, including one from your current or most recent employer. Should you be shortlisted, letters of recommendation will be sought ahead of the interview from two of your references. The third reference, from your employer, will only be requested with your consent.