Lecturer in English Literature

About the Role

We are seeking to appoint a Lecturer in English Literature within the School Arts and Humanities.

To apply for this post, you should have a proven track record of research in the literature of the Romantic period. You should also have a readiness to prepare teaching materials on the literature of the eighteenth and nineteenth century.

The post is based in the department of English and Creative Writing in the School of Arts and Humanities.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop learning materials, including the planning and preparation, updating, writing and redrafting of materials for distance learning modules and resources, critical reading, and the editing of associated material, as well as the production of audio-visual and online resources.
• Contribute to the administration of modules in presentation, including preparing and monitoring of assessment, and provision of tutor and student support.
• Contribute to decisions about curriculum, teaching and assessment strategies.
• Meet the requirement of direct contact with students through a variety of means, for example at day schools, moderating forums and delivering lectures online, and research student supervision, as appropriate.
• Contribute to the briefing, debriefing and training of Associate Lecturers.
• Contribute to high-quality research publications for REF submission, with bids for research funding encouraged.
• Contribute more broadly to the activities of the School and Faculty as required.
• Promote equal opportunities and participation across all aspects of School activities, including teaching and research.

About You

Essential Criteria:

• An honours degree in English Literature or a related subject.
• A completed PhD in English Literature (completed is defined as having a successfully signed qualification at the point of application, rather than having submitted a thesis which is pending amendments).
• A research specialism in literature of the Romantic period.
• A track record of successful research, commensurate to career stage, and detailed plans for future research with clear potential for REF submission.
• Broad experience of undergraduate teaching, with a willingness to contribute to teaching beyond the post-holder’s area of specialisation
• The ability and readiness to develop, research and write (together with other colleagues) innovative distance-learning materials.
• The ability and readiness to manage (together with other colleagues) modules in presentation, including the preparation of assessment materials and participation in examination and Quality Assessment processes.
• A lively interest in pedagogical techniques for teaching English Literature through distance-learning in Higher Education.
• The ability and willingness to work in a way that aligns with the ideals of The Open University, including a willingness to engage in activities to widen participation in Higher Education.

Desirable Criteria:

• A qualification in teaching in a Higher Education context (e.g. PGCert, FHEA).
• An interdisciplinary approach in research and/or teaching, with a willingness to think across genre/subject boundaries.
• Experience of teaching Literature at postgraduate level.
• Experience of (or with plans for) securing external research income.
• The ability to contribute to maintaining and raising the profile of the School and the Faculty (e.g. through outreach work or activities with a public impact).