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Job Description - ACADEMIC FLEXIBLE Marker, Demonstrator and Teaching Support - Grade 5 (24001000)
Job Number:
24001000
Department of Physics
Fixed Term - Part Time
Closing Date:
Ongoing
Durham University Physics department is currently recruiting for a number of Marking, Demonstrating and Teaching Support roles for the 2024 – 2025 academic year.
Please note these roles are only open to current Physics PhD students only.
Postgraduate Teaching & Demonstrating 2024/25
Postgraduate researchers are invited to provide demonstrator assistance in the undergraduate laboratories, in tutorials and workshops, and with the marking of the undergraduates' set weekly problems. Demonstrators are paid an hourly rate, set by the University (starting from £14.93 (Grade 5 point 19), progressing through the spine points every year of demonstrating undertaken. The role typically occupies, on average, between four to six hours per week, during the Michaelmas and Epiphany Terms. Dependent upon the particular class involved, postgraduate demonstrators are usually required to work for a total of about 18 weeks during the year, but some appointments for part of the year may be made.
All teaching in 2024/25 is expected to be face-to-face.
Please read this whole document before submitting your preferences. Further role details, payments and training dates will be circulated after allocation of duties. Any queries, please contact physics.postgraduate@durham.ac.uk.
Online Application Form - you should have already completed and submitted the Physics online form to indicate your preference of module allocation. If you need to check your submission, please contact physics.office@durham.ac.uk.
Summary of the Work Duties Available
Please note that this is not intended to be a job description and it does not provide all the details of what is involved - more information will be provided at the departmental training sessions. While the workload for some duties (such as laboratory demonstrating) is naturally fairly constant from week to week, for other duties you should expect a certain amount of variation due to timetabling and similar reasons; the number of hours per week given as the expected commitment should therefore be regarded as an average figure. Please note that training credit is not included in the figures below and will be accounted for separately. Information about the physics content of the modules is available from the Faculty Handbook.
LEVEL 1
PHYS1122 Foundations of Physics 1 (tutorials and weekly problems marking)
Commitment (approximate): 6 hours per week for 20 weeks for two groups.
Preparing and delivering one 1 x hour tutorial per week for each group of approximately six students, based on tutorial problems and model solutions supplied by staff. Marking the weekly problems for the same students, including providing written (online) and verbal feedback comments, using lecturer-supplied model solutions. Marking the Collection examination scripts (January), using lecturer-supplied solutions (note: this will take longer than a normal week's marking). Providing general advice and support to tutees regarding the module content. Due to the nature of the role, this activity is not available to first-year postgraduates who are new to Durham. If you wish to undertake this activity then you may be asked to have a short informal interview with the Level 1 Course Director during August/September.
PHYS1081 Introduction to Astronomy (weekly problems marking)
Commitment (approximate): 6 hours per week for 14 weeks.
Online marking of the undergraduates' submitted solutions (10 sets, approximately fortnightly), including providing written feedback, using lecturer-supplied model solutions. Assisting with the marking of the two open-book tests (December/January and March/April).
PHYS1101 Discovery Skills in Physics (weekly problems marking)
Commitment (approximate): up to 6 hours per week for 6 weeks.
This activity runs in the first term. Online marking of the undergraduates' submitted solutions, including providing written feedback, using lecturer-supplied model solutions.
PHYS1101 Discovery Skills in Physics (computing demonstrating)
Commitment (approximate): 5 hours per week for 9 weeks.
This activity runs approximately from the latter part of the first term to the latter part of the second term. Assisting in the delivery of the Introduction to Programming (Python) workshops, preparation and follow-up activities. Being present throughout four 1 x hour sessions per week, to guide students.
PHYS1141 Maths Toolkit for Scientists (support workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 2 hours per week for 17 weeks.
The activity runs in both Michaelmas and Epiphany terms. Being present throughout one 1 x hour session per week to supervise students as they work on mathematics problems set by the lecturer, giving verbal feedback where appropriate. The level of the material will be intermediate between A-Level and first year undergraduate level.
PHYS1141 Maths Toolkit for Scientists (group problem solving workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 2.5 hours per week for 8 weeks.
This activity runs in the second term. Being present throughout one 1 x hour session per week, to supervise students as they work together in groups on solving problems set by the lecturer, marking group work, giving verbal feedback where appropriate.
LEVEL 2
PHYS2581 Foundations of Physics 2A (workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 4 hours per week for 20 weeks.
In rotation with the other demonstrators for this module, preparing for and demonstrating in two 1 x hour workshops per week, to guide students, based on problems and model solutions supplied by the lecturers. Providing verbal feedback comments. Assisting with the marking of the mid-term progress test (December/January).
PHYS2591 Foundations of Physics 2B (workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 4 hours per week for 20 weeks.
As for PHYS2581 Foundations of Physics 2A.
PHYS2611 Mathematical Methods in Physics (workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 4 hours per week for 20 weeks.
As for PHYS2581 Foundations of Physics 2A.
PHYS2621 Stars and Galaxies (workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 4 hours per week for 20 weeks.
As for PHYS2581 Foundations of Physics 2A.
PHYS2631 Theoretical Physics 2 (workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 4 hours per week for 20 weeks.
As for PHYS2581 Foundations of Physics 2A.
PHYS2641 Laboratory Skills and Electronics (laboratory demonstrating)
Commitment (approximate) based on the equivalent of two 3 x hour sessions per week: 6 hours per week for 18 weeks.
In rotation with the other demonstrators for this module, assisting in the delivery of the experimental laboratory classes. Being present throughout one or two 3 x hour sessions per week, to guide students, to ensure appropriate student conduct, to encourage safe working practices and to assist the laboratory leader in other ways, as required, such as developing experiments. Attending activity-specific training and familiarization. In any given 3-week period, there would be four contact sessions and two preparation sessions.
PHYS2641 Laboratory Skills and Electronics (computing demonstrating)
Commitment (approximate): 6 hours per week for 8 weeks.
This activity runs in the first term only. Assisting in the delivery of the Computational Physics workshops, preparation and follow-up activities. Being present throughout four 1 x hour sessions per week, to guide students. The programming language used is Python.
LEVEL 3
PHYS3621 Foundations of Physics 3A (workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 4 hours per week for 19 weeks.
In rotation with the other demonstrators for this module, preparing for and demonstrating in two 1 x hour workshops per week, to guide students, based on problems and model solutions supplied by the lecturers. Providing verbal feedback comments. Assisting with the marking of the progress test (December/January).
PHYS3631 Foundations of Physics 3B (workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 4 hours per week for 19 weeks.
As for PHYS3621 Foundations of Physics 3A.
PHYS3651 Planets and Cosmology (workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 4 hours per week for 19 weeks.
Preparing for and demonstrating in two 1 x hour workshops per week, to guide students, based on problems and model solutions supplied by the lecturers. Providing verbal feedback comments. Assisting with the marking of the progress test (December/January).
PHYS3661 Theoretical Physics 3 (workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 4 hours per week for 19 weeks.
As for PHYS3651 Planets and Cosmology.
PHYS3711 Condensed Matter Physics 3 (workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 4 hours per week for 19 weeks.
As for PHYS3651 Planets and Cosmology.
PHYS3721 Modern Atomic and Optical Physics 3 (workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 4 hours per week for 19 weeks.
As for PHYS3651 Planets and Cosmology.
PHYS3591 Mathematics Workshop (workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 4 hours per week for 19 weeks (or 9 weeks if for one term only).
Preparing for and demonstrating in two 1 x hour workshops per week, to guide students, based on problems and model solutions supplied by the lecturers. Invigilating the two open-book examinations in January and April.
PHYS3601 Advanced Laboratory (laboratory demonstrating)
Commitment (approximate) based on two 3 x hour sessions per week: 6 hours per week for 16 weeks (or 8 weeks if for one term only).
Assisting in the delivery of the experimental laboratory classes in one of the four laboratory sections: Astronomy, Condensed Matter Physics, High Energy Physics, Optical and Atomic Physics. Being present throughout two 3 x hour sessions per week, to guide students, to ensure appropriate student conduct, to encourage safe working practices and to assist the laboratory leader in other ways, as required, such as developing enhanced experiments. Attending activity-specific training and familiarization.
Commitment (approximate): 6 hours per week for 17 weeks.
Assisting in the delivery of the computing (Python) support. This is delivered in a hybrid synchronous/asynchronous way. Being present throughout two 1 x hour drop-in sessions per week, to guide students, with the remaining time devoted to answering student queries via the Talkyard platform. Attending activity-specific training and familiarization. This role also includes Python support for Level 4 project students, including two 2 x hour drop-in sessions in the first week of the academic year.
LEVEL 4
(Please note that applicants for these modules will be considered by module leaders to ensure that candidates with suitable expertise are appointed)
PHYS4121 Atoms, Lasers and Qubits (workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 4 hours per week for 12 weeks.
Preparing for and demonstrating in two 1 x hour workshops per week, to guide students based on problems and model solutions supplied by the lecturers. Providing verbal feedback comments.
PHYS4141 Advanced Theoretical Physics (workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 3 hours per week for 12 weeks.
Preparing for and demonstrating in one 1 x hour workshop per week, to guide students based on problems and model solutions supplied by the lecturers. Providing verbal feedback comments.
PHYS4151 Advanced Condensed Matter Physics (workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 3 hours per week for 12 weeks.
As for PHYS4141 Advanced Theoretical Physics.
PHYS4161 Advanced Astrophysics (workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 3 hours per week for 12 weeks.
As for PHYS4141 Advanced Theoretical Physics.
PHYS4181 Particle Theory (workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 3 hours per week for 12 weeks.
As for PHYS4141 Advanced Theoretical Physics.
PHYS4201 Theoretical Astrophysics (workshops)
Commitment (approximate): 3 hours per week for 12 weeks.
As for PHYS4141 Advanced Theoretical Physics.
We will update you about your application at various points during the process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails.
What you are required to submit:
1. A CV.
Teaching and marking
* Plan, prepare, and teach courses / deliver tutorials as specified by the relevant department.
* Provide and update syllabus materials.
* Assist with curriculum development and the production of L&T materials.
* Set and/or mark assessments according to relevant published criteria.
* Keep accurate records of marks awarded, liaising with the departmental assessment team as necessary.
* Provide oral and/or written feedback to students in line with departmental policy, procedures and timescales.
Demonstrating
* Guide and support students in the laboratory.
* Assist in the delivery of laboratory classes.
* Assist the laboratory leader as required, such as developing enhanced experiments.
* Ensure safe working practices and good order in the laboratories.
Student supervision
* Assist and direct student projects as required.
* Ensure that students follow ethical guidelines in conducting their projects.
General
* Help ensure appropriate student conduct, implementing the University’s code of conduct and reporting any concerns to the academic mentor.
* Monitoring the welfare of the student(s) and report any concerns immediately.
* Maintain registers and monitor attendance.
Requirements
* Maintain up-to-date knowledge of the subject area.
* Attend relevant briefings and training sessions.
Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement: Not Applicable.
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