PhD Assistant Professor Computer Science in Digital Humanities 2022

A globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other. We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things in the world.

As part of Durham University, you’ll be working with exceptional minds, all with the desire to ask, and answer the big questions. Access to leading-edge facilities and an active contributor to the global research and university community means you’ll be part of an international and diverse network of partners spanning the world’s best research institutions, organisations, and businesses. And all this within the evocative and historic surroundings of Durham's city, county, and community.

We find it easy to be proud of the extraordinary people we have at Durham. We offer the inspiration, they achieve the outstanding. We invite you to join them.

Applications are particularly welcome from women and black and minority ethnic candidates, who are under-represented in academic posts in the University.  We are committed to equality: if for any reason you have taken a career break or periods of leave that may have impacted on the volume and recency of research outputs, such as maternity, adoption, or parental leave, you may wish to disclose this in your application.  The selection committee will recognise that this may have reduced the quantity of your research accordingly.

Durham University’s Athena Swan institutional award recognises and celebrates good practice in recruiting and supporting the development of women. We have also signed up for the Race Equality Charter, a national framework for improving the representation, progression, and success of minority ethnic staff and students within higher education.

The Department

Enthusiastic individuals are sought to make a major contribution to the Department’s activities in research and teaching in any area in the strongly interdisciplinary area of Digital Humanities (DH), including, but not limited to natural language processing, text mining, social data mining, cultural analytics, augmented editions, digital curation, thick mapping, historical simulation, code criticism, technology-enhanced learning and the relationship between technology and culture. They will be housed in the Artificial Intelligence and Human Systems research group (AIHS), where other DH researchers are housed.

In AIHS and in the Computer Science Department, there are researchers working on related areas such as: natural language processing and sentiment analysis; image processing, computer vision and pattern recognition for conservation and the visual arts; the semantic and social web; digital education and gamification; optical character recognition, and text and data mining.

Additionally, the Faculty of Arts and Humanities is one of the best in the world (ranked 19th in the 2021 THE World rankings), and all of its departments have significant research projects in Digital Humanities. These include the scientific study of manuscripts, digital theology, large-scale digital musical analysis, digital textual criticism, digital technologies for museums and other memory institutions, the ethics of digital modeling and simulation, and the philosophical and political implications of the digital transformation of our culture.

The successful candidates will have the ability and desire to collaborate with leading scholars in the Humanities and to work towards the wider societal impact of their research work.

Assistant Professors at Durham

The University is committed to enabling all of our colleagues to achieve their full potential. We promote and maintain an inclusive and supportive environment to ensure that all colleagues can thrive.  Academic colleagues are supported to publish world-class research in their area of interest with a focus on quality in high impact journals, rather than quantity.

We will fully support your research needs including practical, help such as resources to attend conferences and to fund research activity, as well as a generous research leave policy and a designated mentor. Sitting alongside world class research; teaching quality and innovation is critical to ensure a first class learning environment and curricula for all of our students. You will be supported to develop your teaching expertise and to engage in teaching innovation to embed our student experience.

All of our Assistant Professors are encouraged to focus on research and teaching but also to engage in wider citizenship to enhance their own development, to support their department and wider discipline, and to contribute to the wider student experience.

We are confident that our recruitment process allows us to attract and select the best international talent to Durham. We therefore offer a reduced probation period of 1 year for our Assistant Professors and thereafter, subject to satisfactory performance, you will be confirmed in post.

Assistant Professor in Computer Science (Digital Humanities)

Applicants must demonstrate research excellence in the field of Computer Science, with the ability to teach our students to an exceptional standard and to fully engage in the services, citizenship and values of the University.   The University provides a working and teaching environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate these key principles as part of the assessment process.

Key responsibilities: 

• Pursue research that is world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour, commensurate with the Department’s continuing emphasis on international excellence;
• Develop clear plans for the pursuit of suitable national and international funding opportunities to support research and end-user engagement;
• Play a role in relevant teaching and research supervision, and contribute to ongoing curriculum development;
• Contribute to enhancing the quality of the research environment in the Department, the wider University and beyond through collaborative research activity;
• Demonstrate a willingness to take contribute to the administrative work, citizenship and values of the Department;
• Offer lectures, seminars and tutorials at undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels, with the opportunity to teach more widely within the Department, as well as engaging in related activity such as assessment;
• To fully engage in and enhance the values of the Department;
• To contribute to attracting and supervising research students, and to enhance the Department’s commitment to its vibrant and international postgraduate culture.
• Carry out such other duties as specified by the Head of Department.

Person Specification

Candidates applying for a grade 7 post will have recently completed or be concluding their PhD and, while they may have limited direct experience of the requirements for the post, they should outline their experience, skills and achievements to date which demonstrate that they meet or that they have the potential to achieve the essential criteria.

Candidates applying for a grade 8 post must meet all of the essential criteria.

Research

Candidates must have the capacity for and be progressing towards the independent development of internationally excellent research that produces high-quality outcomes, including some work that is recognised as world-class or that has world-class potential.

Essential Research Criteria – Grade 7

1. Qualifications - a good first degree and a PhD in Computer Science or a related subject (which for grade 7 candidates may be completed or under examination).
2. Outputs - experience, skills and/or achievements which demonstrate experience of or the potential to produce high quality outputs that are recognised as world class or that have world-class potential. Candidates are asked to submit two research papers with their application (as outlined in the How to Apply section below).  Candidates may additionally choose to submit evidence such as external peer review of their outputs.
3. Personal Research Plan - evidence of a personal research plan which supports and enhances the research in the Department. 

Essential Research Criteria – Grade 8

1. Qualifications - a good first degree and a PhD in Computer Science or a related subject.
2. Outputs - evidence of high quality outputs, some of which is recognised as world-class.  Candidates are asked to submit two research papers with their application (as outlined in the How to Apply section below).  Candidates may additionally choose to submit evidence such as external peer review of their outputs.    
3. Personal Research Plan - evidence of a personal research plan which supports and enhances the research in the Department.

Teaching

Candidates must demonstrate the development and delivery of high-quality teaching that contributes to providing a world-class learning environment and curricula which enable students to achieve their potential.

Essential Teaching Criteria – Grade 7

1. Qualification - candidates must be or have the ability to attain the rank of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, which is the national body that champions teaching excellence (or Equivalent).
2. Quality - Experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrates the experience of or the potential to deliver high-quality effective, and engaging teaching. (Candidates may choose to provide student evaluation scores and/or peer reviews of teaching).
3. Innovation – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to contribute to new programme development and innovate in the design and delivery of high-quality teaching or assessment of learning including lectures, small group learning and/or using technology or other techniques to enhance learning and/or assessment. 
4. Strategic - experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to engage in the design of excellent teaching programmes which are research-informed and led.

Essential Teaching Criteria – Grade 8

1. Qualification - candidates must be or have the ability to attain the rank of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, which is the national body that champions teaching excellence (or Equivalent).
2. Quality - evidence of the development and delivery of high-quality teaching effective and engaging teaching. (Candidates may choose to provide student evaluation scores and/or peer reviews of teaching).
3. Innovation – evidence of contribution to new programme development and innovation in the design and delivery of high-quality teaching or assessment of learning including lectures, small group learning and/or using technology or other techniques to enhance learning and/or assessment. 
4. Strategic - evidence of strategic teaching development - engagement in the design of excellent teaching programmes which are research-informed and led.

Services, Citizenship and Values

Candidates must actively engage in the administrative and collegial requirements of the Department and positively contribute to the University Values and to fostering a respectful environment; as well as demonstrating their commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Essential Services, Citizenship and Values criteria – Grade 7

1. Collegial contribution – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to participate in the collegial/administrative activities of an academic Department, Faculty or University.  (Candidates may choose to evidence departmental or University roles, mentoring activity, pastoral and academic support of students, engagement with widening participation, involvement in equality and diversity initiatives and membership or engagement with external bodies).
2. Leadership - experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to engage in activities that contribute to the administrative functioning of an academic Department, Faculty, University and/or discipline including leadership or responsibilities in an academic context.  (Candidates may choose to detail any leadership roles which they have undertaken, preferably in an academic context).
3. Communication - candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of students and colleagues across a variety of forums.

Essential Services, Citizenship and Values criteria – Grade 8

1. Collegial contribution – evidence of participation in the collegial/administrative activities of an academic Department, Faculty or University.  (Candidates may choose to evidence departmental or University roles, mentoring activity, pastoral and academic support of students, engagement with widening participation, involvement in equality and diversity initiatives and membership or engagement with external bodies).
2. Leadership - engagement in activities that contribute to the administrative functioning of an academic Department, Faculty, University and/or discipline including leadership or responsibilities in an academic context.  (Candidates may choose to detail any leadership roles which they have undertaken, preferably in an academic context).
3. Communication - candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of students and colleagues across a variety of forums.

Desirable Criteria – Grade 7

The desirable criteria for this post (for which candidates should provide evidence of some if not all criteria) are:

1. Research Leadership - experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to contribute to the leadership of research groups and the mentoring of early career researchers.  (Candidates may choose to include information about research group leadership, mentoring of research colleagues, invitations to external events, engagement with international networks or projects).
2. PhD Supervision – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to provide excellent supervision for PhD students. 
3. Research Impact - experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to evidence research impact beyond their institution.  
4. Income Generation - experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to develop successful research projects and quality research grant proposals.

Desirable Criteria – Grade 8

The desirable criteria for this post (for which candidates should provide evidence of some if not all criteria) are:

1. Research Leadership - contribution to the leadership of research groups and the mentoring of early career researchers.  (Candidates may choose to include information about research group leadership, mentoring of research colleagues, invitations to external events, engagement with international networks or projects).
2. PhD Supervision – involvement in the provision of excellent supervision for PhD students. 
3. Research Impact - demonstrable evidence of the impact of the Candidate’s research beyond their institution.  
4. Income Generation - evidence of engagement in the development of successful research projects and quality research grant proposals.

About Durham University

As one of the UK’s leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career while enjoying a high quality work/life balance. We are home to some of the most talented scholars and researchers from around the world who are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives.

The University sits in a beautiful historic city where it shares ownership of a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Durham Cathedral.  A collegiate University, Durham recruits outstanding students from across the world and offers an unmatched wider student experience.

All new staff are given membership in a Senior Common Room in one of our 17 colleges for their first year and thereafter they may choose to remain and/or to join additional SCRs.  SCR membership offers the opportunity to participate in social and scholarly events - dinners, lectures, debates, research talks (colleges are all interdisciplinary), music and drama.  Membership includes past and present University staff, alumni, and members of the wider Durham community and gives the opportunity to engage with the College’s students.

Less than 3 hours north of London, and an hour and a half south of Edinburgh, County Durham is a region steeped in history and natural beauty. The Durham Dales, including the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, are home to breathtaking scenery and attractions. Durham offers an excellent choice of city, suburban and rural residential locations. The University provides a range of benefits including pension and childcare provision and the University’s Relocation Manager can assist with potential schooling requirements.