Department of SociologyThe Department of Sociology is seeking a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Computational Social Science to help develop our curriculum in this area and to undertake high quality research.
The Department of Sociology was established in 1964 and is renowned for its research excellence. It is ranked 27 in the QS World Rankings and has been in the top ten for the quality of its research in all of the research assessment exercises since 1986.
We embrace the Athena Swan principles of gender equality and strive to create a working environment with a healthy work-life balance. We particularly welcome applications from those from ethnic and racial minorities as we seek to increase the department's diversity.
The department is one of the largest in the country and currently has 36 permanent full-time academic staff. All are research active, and they work in a wide array of fields including sociological theory, social and cultural history, philosophy, anthropology and ethnography, quantitative social science, economic sociology, globalisation, international migration, environmental sociology, social psychology, criminology, cultural studies, LGBT studies, and feminism and gender studies. Journals currently edited from the Department include Sexualities and Crime, Media, and Culture and, from 2020, British Journal of Criminology.
The research culture of the department is sustained through a wide variety of events and forums. There are research groupings on theory and methodology, intimacy and gender, social justice, and economic sociology, whose activities range from seminars to discussions of work-in-progress and funding bids. The Department has four research centres. The Centre for Criminology is distinctive in emphasising sociological approaches within criminology and runs a successful programme of seminars and events, which the new appointee will be able to help develop. The Centre for Research on Economic Sociology and Innovation (CRESI) - the first of its kind in the UK - brings together staff members with an interest in contemporary and historical processes of socio-economic transformation. The Centre for Intimacy and Sexual Citizenship (CISC) was established in 2009 and continues a long tradition of research at Essex on sexualities, intimate life and equalities. The recently established Centre for Migration draws on our long standing expertise in migration, inequalities, and human rights.
Duties of the RoleThe post-holder is required to conduct research in computational science and quantitative methods (individual and/or collaborative) that is in keeping with REF criteria and to teach (designing and delivering substantive and effective teaching and learning support) at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. You will also supervise student projects, fieldwork and placements, and postgraduate taught students appropriate for the discipline.
In addition, you will be expected to generate external research funding, in collaboration with colleagues and that is appropriate in scale to career stage and subject area norms, and to undertake administrative duties within the Department, which might include student recruitment, and sitting on Departmental committees and Boards of Examiners.
A full list of key responsibilities and main duties (Education, Research and Leadership and Citizenship) can be found within the job pack.
Qualifications and Skills requiredThe successful candidate will need to have completed a relevant doctoral level research degree in Criminology, Sociology or cognate Social Science discipline, or be in the final stages of completion of PhD studies.
You will have proven experience in teaching at undergraduate and/or postgraduate levels, or demonstrable potential to achieve this, have evidence of a research agenda, engagement in high-quality research activity and a developing research profile and be able to demonstrate a clear publication plan for submission to future Research Excellence Framework (REF) programmes.
In addition, you will need experience computational and quantitative research methodologies including, for example, machine learning, automatic data collection, text analysis, network science and analysis of big data and be proficient in both programming for social science research in Python and statistical computing in an established software environment - preferably R but also Stata and/or IBM SPSS.
We are seeking an individual who also possesses the ability and willingness to complement and enhance the department/school's research and education strengths and areas of planned development, contributing to courses in areas of Sociology other than their main area of specialisation; can engage with and motivate students; and who is willing to participate in extra-curricular departmental activities.
This is a permanent, full-time post on an ASER (teaching and research) contract with an expected start date of 1 April 2020. Appointment will be made as Lecturer (R).
At the University of Essex internationalism is central to who we are and what we do. We are committed to being a cosmopolitan, internationally-oriented university that is welcoming to staff and students from all countries and a university where you can find the world in one place.
Please see the attached job pack, which contains a full job description and person specification which outlines the full duties, skills, qualifications and experience needed for this role plus more information relating to the post. We recommend you read this information carefully before making an application. Applications should be made on-line, but if you would like advice or help in making an application, or need information in a different format, please telephone the Resourcing Team (01206 876559).
*More information: Working at the University