Location
The Queen’s College, University of Oxford
Grade and salary
£32,817 (under review)
Hours
Full time (37.5 hours/week)
Contract type
Fixed-term for 3 years
Reporting to
The Governing Body of The Queen’s College
The Role
The Queen’s College, University of Oxford, is offering a Junior Research Fellowship in Modern Foreign Languages for candidates who hold a doctorate in the languages, literatures and cultures of Europe, Asia or the Middle East, or are close to completing such a doctorate. The Fellowship offers early career researchers the opportunity to develop their research within one of the world’s leading universities and so strengthen their future position in the academic job market. Many previous Laming Fellows have moved on to permanent faculty positions at leading world universities.
We are committed to fostering equality, diversity and inclusiveness. We particularly encourage applications from women, disabled people and people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, as these groups are currently under-represented in the College's academic staff.
Junior Research Fellowships are tenable for a fixed term of three years and it is expected that the successful candidate will take up the post no later than 1st October 2021. Consideration will be given to any field of specialisation in Modern Foreign Languages, but particular consideration will be given to comparative projects with a focus on literary translation. Eligible candidates should have no more than three years of post-doctoral research experience by the closing date.
The Junior Research Fellow will be a member of the Senior Common Room at The Queen’s College, and entitled to free meals. The appointee will be nominated for membership of the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages and/ or Oriental Studies.
There are no teaching responsibilities associated with the post. However, the Junior Research Fellow may engage in paid teaching up to a maximum of six hours weekly and, if teaching undergraduates, would normally be expected to give priority to the College’s own undergraduate teaching needs.
Responsibilities
The postholder is required to perform the following duties to the satisfaction of the Governing Body:
Selection criteria
The successful candidate will meet the following criteria. They will:
Salary: the salary for this post is £32,817 per annum (under review). The Junior Research Fellow will be automatically enrolled in the USS pension scheme unless they opt out.
Research Allowance: a personal research allowance of £1,565 per annum is provided by the College for research activities such as conference attendance, research assistance, and the purchase of books and IT equipment.
Travel expenses: The Laming Junior Research Fellow may request reimbursement of reasonable travelling expenses incurred at the beginning and end of their period of residence in a foreign country.
Place of Work: The College will provide a non-residential study room on the main site in central Oxford. It may also be possible to provide, as an alternative, single residential accommodation at a charge. When not abroad, the successful candidate is expected to reside in or near Oxford.
The Queen’s College
The Queen’s College, founded in 1341, is one of the oldest Colleges in the University of Oxford and represents most aspects of the University community and its scientific and scholarly work. There are approximately 45 fellows, about 160 graduate students and about 330 undergraduates.
Modern Foreign Languages are represented in the College by Dr Jennifer Guest (Fellow in Japanese), Dr Laura Lonsdale (Fellow in Spanish), Dr Charlie Louth (Fellow in German), Dr Dirk Meyer (Fellow in Chinese), Dr Macs Smith (Career Development Fellow in French), Dr Jessica Stacey (Career Development Fellow in French), and Prof Seth Whidden (Fellow in French). Information about their research interests is available on the College web site: https://www.queens.ox.ac.uk/whos-here
The College has one of the finest college libraries in Oxford, with around 50,000 volumes in the current lending collection—used extensively by students—and around 100,000 volumes in the antiquarian collection. The library’s recent expansion provides new reading rooms, enhanced accommodation for its special collections, and more space for students and the working collection. The College organises a symposium that meets twice a term for graduate students and faculty to showcase their research and discuss their interests.
For more information about the College please visit https://www.queens.ox.ac.uk
About the Faculties
For more information about the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages, visit https://www.mod-langs.ox.ac.uk
For more information about the Faculty of Oriental Studies, visit https://www.orinst.ox.ac.uk
About the University of Oxford
Oxford’s departments and colleges aim to lead the world in research and education for the benefit of society both in the UK and globally. Oxford’s researchers engage with academic, commercial, and cultural partners across the world to stimulate high-quality research and enable innovation through a broad range of social, policy, and economic impacts.
Oxford’s self-governing community of international scholars includes Professors, Associate Professors, other college tutors, senior and junior research fellows, and over 2,500 other University research staff. Research at Oxford combines disciplinary depth with an increasing focus on inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary activities addressing a rich and diverse range of issues.
Oxford’s strengths lie both in empowering individuals and teams to address fundamental questions of global significance, and in providing all staff with a welcoming and inclusive workplace that supports everyone to develop and do their best work. Recognising that diversity is a great strength, and vital for innovation and creativity, Oxford aspires to build a truly inclusive community which values and respects every individual’s unique contribution.
While Oxford has long traditions of scholarship, it is also forward-looking, creative and cutting-edge. Oxford is one of Europe's most entrepreneurial universities. It consistently has the highest external research income of any university in the UK (the most recent figures are available at www.ox.ac.uk/about/organisation/finance-and-funding
), and is ranked first in the UK for university spin-outs, with more than 130 spin-off companies created to date. Oxford is also recognised as a leading supporter of social enterprise.
Oxford admits undergraduate students with the intellectual potential to benefit fully from the small group learning to which Oxford is deeply committed. Meeting in small groups with their tutor, undergraduates are exposed to rigorous scholarly challenge and learn to develop their critical thinking, their ability to articulate their views with clarity, and their personal and intellectual confidence. They receive a high level of personal attention from leading academics.
Oxford has a strong postgraduate student body which now numbers over 10,000. Postgraduates are attracted to Oxford by the international standing of the faculty, by the rigorous intellectual training on offer, by the excellent research and laboratory facilities available, and by the resources of the museums and libraries, including one of the world’s greatest libraries, the Bodleian.
For more information, please visit https://www.ox.ac.uk/about/organisation
How to apply
Click on the 'Apply online' button on the vacancy webpage.
Applicants are asked to upload two supporting documents:
A cover letter is optional; if you wish to upload one as part of the two permitted documents, you may include it as page one of your supporting statement.
Applicants are also asked to arrange for two letters of recommendation to be emailed by their referees in PDF format directly to The Academic Administrator (sarah.mchugh@queens.ox.ac.uk) no later than midday on the closing date.
Your application will be judged solely on the basis of how you demonstrate that you meet the selection criteria stated in the job description.
All applications and references must be received no later than midday on Monday 29th March 2021
Informal enquiries concerning the post may be made to Dr Laura Lonsdale, Secretary to the Laming Committee (laura.lonsdale@queens.ox.ac.uk). If you experience any technical difficulties with the online application form, please contact vacancies@queens.ox.ac.uk
Selection committee and process
Applications will be considered by a selection committee containing representatives from Modern Foreign Languages at The Queen’s College. The College is committed to fairness, consistency, and transparency in selection decisions. Members of the selection committees will be aware of the principles of equality of opportunity, fair selection, and the risks of conscious and unconscious bias. The entire Governing Body of Queen’s voluntarily participated in and completed an unconscious bias training programme in 2019.
If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognising that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result.
The selection committee is responsible for conducting all aspects of the recruitment and selection process; it does not, however, have the authority to make the final decision as to who should be appointed. The final decision will be made by the Governing Body of The Queen’s College. No offer of appointment will be valid, therefore, until and unless the recommendation has been approved by the Governing Body, and a formal contractual offer has been made.
Interviews
Interviews will be held online in the week beginning Monday 3rd May 2021. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to submit a sample of written work not to exceed 6000 words; during the interview they will be expected to deliver a research presentation to the selection committee.
Important information for candidates
Pre-employment screening
Please note that the appointment of the successful candidate will be subject to standard pre-employment screening, as applicable to the post. This will include right-to-work, proof of identity and references. We advise all applicants to read the candidate notes on the University’s pre-employment screening procedures, found at:
www.ox.ac.uk/about/jobs/preemploymentscreening/
Visa Applications
If the successful candidate requires a visa, the College will cover the visa application fee, but not the immigration NHS surcharge.
Diversity and Equal Opportunity at Queen’s
The Queen’s College embraces diversity and equal opportunity. Applications are particularly welcome from women, disabled people, and people from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds, as these groups are currently under-represented in academic posts in Oxford. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. For more information, visit https://www.queens.ox.ac.uk/equality-information
The College invites all applicants to familiarise themselves with its equal opportunities policy, also available on its Equality Information page: https://www.queens.ox.ac.uk/equality-information
The College also shares the university’s commitment ‘to fostering an inclusive culture which promotes equality, values diversity and maintains a working, learning and social environment in which the rights and dignity of all its staff and students are respected.’ The university’s full policy is available at: https://edu.admin.ox.ac.uk/equality-policy
We are committed to the principles of equal opportunities and respect for individuals in creating and maintaining an inclusive environment that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We value and celebrate diversity and feel that is critical to achieving our strategic aims and long-term success. We work to recruit employees and admit students from a wide range of backgrounds and promote an inclusive culture in which:
All College meetings include consideration of its duties under the Equality Act 2010 as they pertain to the meeting’s actions and decisions. In formal and informal settings alike, the College endeavours to make decisions that afford equal opportunities to, and foster good relationships between, different groups of people.
In response to the Black Lives Matter movement, the Governing Body set up a working group, including students and staff, which looked at all areas where we can improve: in our outreach activities, in admissions, and in financial support, for undergraduates and postgraduates alike; in the procedures related to hiring and retaining academic and non-academic staff members of the highest calibre; in student support; and in all aspects of fostering an inclusive community in which everyone feels respected, valued, and heard. The Governing Body approved the Group’s findings in November 2020 and the College is implementing them.
February 2021