Job Location: Milton Keynes, Remote/Hybrid
Department: School of Life, Health & Chemical Sciences
Closing Date: Monday 12th May 2025
Weekly Working Hours: 37
Contract Type: Permanent
Fixed Term Contract: End Date:
Welsh Language: Not Applicable
About the Role
Change your career, change lives
The Open University is the UK’s largest university and is a world leader in flexible part-time education combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education.
The School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences is part of the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). It brings together a multi-disciplinary team of academics with expertise in a broad range of subjects, providing a stimulating, collaborative and supportive teaching and research environment.
The School offers undergraduate qualifications in Biology, Natural Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Chemistry, and Health Sciences and a postgraduate qualification in Mental Health Sciences, as well as hosting PhD students and research fellows.
Members of the School were submitted to REF2021 in Units of Assessment A3 (Allied Health Professions) and B12 (Engineering). For more information about our School, our research and our facilities please see here.
Key Responsibilities
We are seeking to appoint a lecturer in biology to join the School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences (LHCS) to support teaching in the area of animal biology (whole organism) with experience in the application of computational / quantitative approaches in biology, and to contribute to our research profile.
In particular, within the supportive environment in the School, the post-holder(s) will be expected to:
* Be an active member of the School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences to help deliver academic excellence across both teaching and research.
* Work as part of one or more teams, to contribute to the design, production, and presentation of asynchronous online materials for our Biology programme.
* Work with key stakeholders and new technologies to ensure our curriculum is future-focussed and innovative in its approach.
* Develop a research portfolio that has synergy with the School’s research strategy, attracting external funding and enhancing our reputation.
* Contribute to the University’s submission to future Research Excellence Framework exercises.
Skills and Experience
Your Supporting Statement should explain how you meet or exceed the requirements of each of the points on this list. You may find it helpful to list each point and give an example for how you meet that requirement.
Essential
* A PhD in Biology or a relevant biological science.
* Experience of teaching biology at undergraduate level in an aspect of animal (whole organism) biology (e.g. zoology, physiology, behaviour, evolutionary biology, ecology) with experience in the application of computational/quantitative approaches in biology.
* An understanding of the role of modern technologies to deliver engaging learning opportunities for students, and a commitment to innovation in this area.
* Evidence of the ability to successfully conduct research that complements the existing research in the School.
* A broad knowledge of developments relevant to teaching and/or research in your discipline area.
* Commitment to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of your work and to the aims, ethos, and values of the Open University.
* Excellent team working skills and ability to work collaboratively and supportively with others and to agreed deadlines.
Desirable
* An understanding of supported open and distance learning and experience of producing asynchronous online and/or distance learning materials.
* Higher Education professional accreditation or equivalent teaching qualification.
Essential Requirements
To apply for this role please submit the following:
* CV that includes details of academic qualifications, teaching and research experience, grants received and publications.
* Supporting statement, up to 1,000 words, you should set out in your supporting statement why you’re interested in this role and provide examples of where your skills and experience meet the essential and desirable criteria for this role as detailed above.
* Research Plan, up to 400 words, please outline your plans for the next 3 years. Please add this to the bottom of your supporting statement and upload as 1 document.
You will need to have your documents ready ahead of submitting the electronic application.
Next Steps
Interview date: Week commencing 2nd or 9th June.
The selection process for those shortlisted for interview will include the following (in addition to the main interview itself):
1. A short, specified written teaching activity to be completed before the interview date; this will be discussed with a teaching panel.
2. A short presentation on your plans for research/scholarship.
The written teaching text and presentation will be discussed with you as part of the interview process.
Candidates will be notified as soon as possible after the closing date whether they have been shortlisted for interview.
Work location
It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where you can work from home and the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes office it is expected that attendance on our Milton Keynes campus will be required when necessary and in response to business needs, for example for laboratory-based research and/or supervision of research students or occasional team meetings.
Flexible working
We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what may work for you and the role.
Early closing date notification
We may close this job advert earlier than the published closing date where a satisfactory number of applications are received. We would therefore encourage early applications.
If you have any queries or questions about the recruitment process, or regarding your application, please contact: Careers@open.ac.uk.
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