Lecturer in International Development

Job id: 086546. Salary: £51,974 – £61,021 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance.

Posted: 19 March 2024. Closing date: 16 April 2024.

Business unit: Social Science & Public Policy. Department: Department of International Development.

Contact details:Sarah Bracking. [email protected]

Location: Strand Campus. Category: Academic & Teaching.

Job description

The Department of International Development, King’s College London, is a young, innovative and contemporary department, with a focus on middle-income developing countries. The mission of the department is to explore the sources of success as well as understand the major development challenges these countries continue to face. We also have a strong focus on social and economic justice and understanding how change for the better happens, both now and for the future. 

The Department is seeking to appoint a Lecturer in International Development. We are seeking a candidate who has an outstanding early career profile of publications and grant capture, with an excellent record of teaching and administration. We are seeking a specialist in international development who is focussed on how we make better futures with people, which embody social and economic justice. We welcome candidates from any foundational social science discipline within the international development field, as well as interdisciplinary scholars. We welcome candidates with an area focus. Our successful candidate will be methodologically proficient within their discipline and clearly focussed on how development research and practice can contribute to better futures of wellbeing and social justice, perhaps using machine learning, digital technology and advanced modelling skills.  

The successful candidate will have a PhD in a relevant development studies discipline and will join an interdisciplinary team currently working in a wide range of areas including political economy, inequality and poverty, gender rights, climate change and natural resources, international trade, migration, and social. gender and racial justice. The post-holder should demonstrate evidence of high-quality relevant research and teaching in international development and fulfil the requirements as set out below. 

This post will be responsible to the Head of the Department of International Development. 

At King’s, we are deeply committed to embedding good equality and diversity practice into all of our activities so that the university is an inclusive, welcoming and inspiring place to work and study, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation. King’s offers inclusive benefits to staff including flexible working, Enhanced Parental Leave, funds for Parents and Carers and the potential to join community staff networks. 

This is a full-time indefinite post (100% full time equivalent).

Key responsibilities

• To undertake and publish high-quality research consistent with the Department’s research strategy, and to contribute to impact, knowledge exchange and postdoctoral research training.
• To take an active role in seeking funding for research activities and projects, for example from the AHRC, ESRC or ERC.
• To undertake the supervision of postgraduate research, at Master’s and PhD levels.
• To take a role in the planning, organisation and delivery of teaching activities (both on-campus and online) within the Department in accordance with established practice.
• To participate fully in the design, assessment and examination processes in respect to International Development teaching in the Department of International Development.
• To engage in professional development as appropriate to update skills, and to support teaching excellence.
• To accept academic responsibility within the Department, involving departmental administrative responsibilities where appropriate.
• To undertake any other reasonable duties that may be requested by 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 a relevant social science subject as applied to development. 

2.      Evidence through publications of an ability to produce work in their specialist field at an international standard.  

3.      Demonstrable ability to design and deliver teaching effectively at undergraduate and/or postgraduate level, both on-campus (essential) and online (desirable) 

4.      Demonstrable commitment to and/or experience of working in a multi-disciplinary environment, with refined and collegial interpersonal skills to develop and maintain good working relationships 

5.      Demonstrable commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion  

Desirable criteria

1.      Evidence of acquiring competitive research grants, or evidence of potential to attract research funding. 

2.      Evidence of engagement with appropriate research and policy communities 

3.      Proven experience of academic leadership appropriate to career level, and of collaborating with and influencing research users. 

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a presentation to the department and an interview. The post is scheduled to start in September 2024, or sooner as convenient for the candidate.