JOB DESCRIPTION

Assistant Professor in Political Science (Global Challenges) Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Law and Government 3 Year Fixed Term (Full-Time)

Dublin City University

Dublin City University (DCU) is a young, dynamic and ambitious university with a distinctive mission to transform lives and societies through education, research and innovation. We are a research-intensive, globally-engaged institution, distinguished by both the quality and impact of our graduates, and focus on the translation of knowledge into societal and economic benefit. Excellence in education and research activities has led to DCU’s consistent presence in the rankings of the world’s top young universities.

Over its relatively short history has developed a strong reputation nationally and internationally for pioneering innovations in higher education. The university is embarking on a period of significant investment in learning innovation across all of its Faculties. This initiative will help us transform the learning experience of undergraduate students at DCU, reconceptualizing learning opportunities, creating authentic connections between the classroom and enterprise, and embedding digital literacies, disciplinary competencies and transversal skills required to truly future-proof our graduates for the rapidly changing workplace. DCU is joined in this project by a strong consortium of enterprise partners, representing key employment sectors in the Irish economy and with a strong presence in DCU’s primary catchment area. This programme of innovation is funded under the Irish Government’s Human Capital Initiative (HCI) supported by the National Training Fund. It will deliver on the ambitions we have to reimagine undergraduate curricula and to embed innovative pedagogies, enhanced use of technology and deep industry engagement.

Overview of the department

The School of Law and Government is an ambitious, research-intensive school. It has a range of programmes at BA, MA, and PhD level. It offers seven taught postgraduate programmes, including the MSc in Public Policy. The School has over forty research students and offers a structured PhD in Politics and International Relations.

Role Profile

The position will report to the Head of School and work closely with other colleagues, the Teaching Convenor/Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning and industry partners. Building positive relationships with professional support staff and technical and pedagogy specialists and engagement with key stakeholders within and outside of DCU is an important part of this role.

The appointee will be expected to assist the School in implementing an innovative curriculum project, specifically:

• developing and delivering a new bachelors programme/specialism in [degree associated with the appointment], ensuring an industry engaged, research-led approach, integration of challenge based learning, digital tools and hybrid delivery.
• broader implementation of teaching approaches into other target programmes in the school,
• engaging with university-wide elements of the initiative including cross faculty cooperation, project evaluation and reporting.

Duties and Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to the following:

Teaching:

• Creating, updating, teaching, assessing and coordinating modules at undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD level;
• Using a wide range of teaching and assessment methodologies which foster a deep approach to learning and equip students with the skills and attributes needed to be lifelong learners, including challenge based learning and concentrated and immersive learning experiences;
• Co-designing with other academics and industry partners a suite of tools and initiatives that support the transversal skills pathway and embedding transversal skills development, diagnostics and assessments into new and existing programmes;
• Working proactively to enhance and enrich existing modules and programmes;
• Engagement with professional development for teaching particularly in that related to the approaches embedded in the project;
• Prepare, deliver and assess a range of core subjects in a manner consistent with DCU’s high academic standards and in a hybrid environment which involves both campus and elements of remote delivery. Teaching extends to assisting innovation in curricula development. The role includes teaching, student mentoring and supervision of taught projects and research.

Research:

The successful individual will be expected to sustain and conduct research, engage in scholarship of quality and substance, generate research income, supervise postgraduate students and publish to the highest international standard both individually and, where appropriate, in partnership with colleagues in DCU and elsewhere. The appointee will be expected to have clearly articulated research interests and research profile development plans that assist the school’s current research priorities, and which will underpin senior modules and projects related to the new degree programme(s) or specialism.

Contribution to the School, Faculty, University and Profession:

• Engagement with planning, quality review and improvement processes and external programme accreditations;
• Involvement with appropriate professional bodies and associated initiatives;
• Development and delivery of the international activities of the School including international travel to do so;
• Contributing proactively to relevant School and University committees, working groups and meetings;
• Adoption of some administrative functions related to the activities of the School, the Faculty, and the wider University. Such duties will be defined by the Head of School and include some of the following: degree programme coordination; participation in committees; visits to students on industrial placement within the DCU INTRA programme.

Qualifications and Experience

• Applicants must hold an honours degree in a relevant discipline, and should be qualified to a post-graduate level with a PhD specialism in Political Science, Pubic Policy, International Relations, or a related discipline.
• They must have at least three years’ relevant experience, with appropriate higher-level teaching experience.
• Applicants must have demonstrated teaching experience at undergraduate and/or postgraduate level, ideally including experience in innovative pedagogies and/or assessments, international and/or online or technology-assisted teaching.
• The successful individual will also have demonstrated potential to establish an independent research programme and attract research funding from competitive research funding schemes and/or industry. The successful individual will be able to convincingly demonstrate a strong commitment to academic research and will have a track-record of international peer-reviewed publications.
• Candidates should demonstrate excellent interpersonal and communication skills consistent with the highest quality of teaching and learning, together with evidence of successful teamwork and a collegial approach

Dublin City University is an equal opportunities employer.

In line with the Employment Equality Acts 1998 – 2015, the University is committed to equality of treatment for all those who engage with its recruitment, selection and appointment processes.

The University’s Athena SWAN Bronze Award signifies the University’s commitment to promoting gender equality and addressing any gender pay gaps. Information on a range of university policies aimed at creating a supportive and flexible work environment are available in the DCU Policy Starter Packs