Overview
We are seeking an ambitious and talented individual to join the School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities in a 12 month fixed‑term position to develop our research, teaching and knowledge exchange in Political Philosophy. The post is to cover a member of staff who has gained external research funding.
We look for candidates with research and teaching expertise enabling them to undertake and/or contribute to teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate modules in Political Philosophy. The School supports the candidate to develop research and knowledge exchange profile.
Main duties and responsibilities
- Contribute fully to the Philosophy unit as a teacher, researcher, leader, collaborator.
- Conduct personal research for publication in high‑quality journals and give presentations at seminars and conferences, in line with School and Faculty strategy.
- Deliver teaching and undertake assessments of modules, including preparing teaching material, communicating material, encouraging creative and critical engagement, observing and reacting to student interventions, responding to questions outside class times and introducing innovative teaching methods as appropriate.
- Supervise students’ projects and dissertations.
- Undertake course evaluation, facilitating student feedback, reflecting on own teaching design and delivery, and implementing ideas for improvement.
- Act as academic tutor for students, referring them to university services where appropriate.
- Participate in administrative processes of the School, including committee membership, quality assurance procedures, and recruitment and admission of students.
- Contribute to the School and Faculty’s knowledge exchange and civic engagement agenda.
- Make a full and active contribution to the principles of the Sheffield Academic, including excellence in applied teaching and research, and scholarly pursuits to make a genuine difference to the subject area and the University’s achievements.
- Carry out other duties commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.
Person specification
Our diverse community recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds and beliefs. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and are respected. Even if your past experience does not match perfectly with this role’s criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply.
Essential criteria
- Have a PhD (or equivalent experience) in Political Philosophy or a related subject area.
- Demonstrable track record of high‑quality peer‑reviewed publication.
- Possess an appropriate level of teaching experience in Philosophy.
- Ability to design and lead taught modules and programmes.
- Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, report writing skills and experience of delivering presentations.
- Ability to work both collaboratively and independently with a high degree of personal effectiveness.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to liaise effectively with colleagues, students and others in the University and beyond.
- Proven ability to work to and meet deadlines.
- Demonstrable capacity to meet educational needs of a diverse body of learners.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of supervising undergraduate and postgraduate taught students.
- Ability to deliver research impact through activities that demonstrate an effect beyond academia, such as public engagement activities, consultancy, etc.
Further information
Grade: 8.2
Salary: £48,822 per annum
Duration: Fixed‑term 12 months from 1 September 2026 until 31 August 2027
Hours of work per week: Full‑time
Website: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/hpdh
Contact: Chris Bennett, Professor in Philosophy – c.bennett@sheffield.ac.uk
We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.
