Lecturer /Associate Professor in History of Art, Materials & Technology, UCL Dept. of History of Art

Posted on Tue, 12/10/2019 - 15:47

Lecturer /Associate Professor in History of Art, Materials & Technology, grade 8/9

UCL Department of History of Art, London, Bloomsbury

UCL’s Department of History of Art is a successful medium-sized department with a very high international reputation both for its scholarship and research. Academic staff have a wide range of approaches to the history of art, working across an expanded global geography and including interests in image cultures, the materials and materiality of art, and visual technologies of all kinds; in terms of period cover we have concentrations of expertise in contemporary art, in art since c.1800, and in medieval and early modern art.

The Department has a large and productive research-student community with an average of 30-40 research students registered in any one year. We offer undergraduate and masters programmes in History of Art of the western tradition from the medieval period onwards, including an engagement with global cultural relations of this tradition and modules in contemporary art. Undergraduate programmes include a single honours History of Art degree, a range of combined honours degrees and a degree in History of Art, Materials and Technology (the ‘MAT’ programme). This programme, unique to UCL, includes a strong component of lab-oriented work for students wishing to explore issues of materiality, technique, technical analysis and object-based enquiry, as well as associated theoretical, historical and ethical questions. For programme descriptions, see www.ucl.ac.uk/art-history/prospective-students.

The Department houses the Material Studies Laboratory, a research and teaching facility consisting of two laboratory spaces, one dedicated to teaching and handling of materials and artifacts, with the second focusing on the instrumental analysis of heritage materials. The laboratory is used by UCL academic staff, research fellows, research students, in addition to undergraduate students studying on the MAT programme. The facility is equipped with instruments for materials characterisation, with a particular focus on mechanical analysis of cultural heritage materials. The laboratory also has portable equipment that can be used for scientific investigations onsite within museum and heritage collections.

Job Specification
The Department is seeking to appoint a full-time Lecturer (UCL Scheme Grade 8) or Associate Professor (Grade 9) in the History of Art, Materials and Technology, to begin on or before 1 September 2020.

The successful candidate will either be a Heritage Scientist, Conservation Specialist or an Art Historian with expertise and research interests in materials and/or technologies. They would join a thriving department with close links to London’s museums and gallery networks and a university with its own important collections. They would contribute to teaching, take on administrative responsibilities, be research active and generate research income by actively pursuing and applying for appropriate research grants.

UCL is committed to a programme of action to ensure that equality, diversity, and inclusion initiatives are implemented and monitored at organisational, faculty, and departmental levels. Applications are particularly welcome from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, who are currently under-represented in academic posts in the Department.

Key Requirements
We welcome applications from candidates with a PhD or equivalent in any relevant specialism. Applicants would be particularly welcome from the fields of conservation (including traditional or contemporary art, the built environment and preventive conservation), technical art history and material science. We also encourage candidates with interests in visual material culture, and in exchanges across cultures. An interest in developing lab-based and/or workshop-oriented teaching in these areas is desirable. Additional experience in museum collections, curatorial practice, studio practice or cultural heritage would be an advantage. The ability and willingness to engage with current debates in the discipline of art history and to work across disciplines are essential.

Current modules offered within the History of Art, Materials and Technologies (MAT) programme include Introduction to Art and Science; Introduction to Media and Technologies; History and Theory of Conservation; Methodologies of Making; Methods and Materials of Artists; and Art/Work/Space. The postholder will be expected to engage with a selection of these modules, as appropriate, while also developing new options at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

More senior/experienced candidates looking to be appointed Associate Professor at Grade 9 should have at least four publications that could plausibly be ranked 3* or above by the criteria that were used in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (www.ref.ac.uk/2014/panels/assessmentcriteriaandleveldefinitions/)

Main purpose of the job
 To deliver a range of research-based teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate level in relevant fields.
 To contribute to team-taught modules at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
 To take on an appropriate share of the administrative work of the Department and of UCL.
 To generate research income by actively pursuing and applying for research grants.

Duties and responsibilities
 To teach at undergraduate and postgraduate level in modules developed under the guidance of the Departmental Teaching Committee, approved by the Director of Studies and reviewed from time to time by the Head of Department and through UCL’s module review process.
 To carry out research, including applying for and participating in grant-funded collaborative projects, and to produce publications, or other research outputs, in line with personal objectives agreed in UCL’s Appraisal process.
 To supervise or assist with supervision of undergraduate, postgraduate taught (Masters) or postgraduate research (MPhil/PhD) students.
 To contribute to the development, planning and implementation of a high-quality curriculum.
 To assist in the development of learning materials, preparing schemes of work and maintaining records to monitor student progress, achievement and attendance.
 To participate in departmental and faculty seminars aimed at sharing research outcomes and building interdisciplinary collaboration within and outside the department.
 To participate in the development, administration and marking of exams and other assessments.
 To provide academic support to students.
 To participate in the administration of the department’s programmes of study and other activities as requested.
 To contribute to departmental, faculty, or UCL-wide working groups or committees as requested.
 To maintain own continuing professional development.
 To comply with and promote UCL policies, including Equal Opportunities.
 To maintain an awareness and observation of fire and health and safety regulations.
 To carry out any other duties commensurate with the grade and purpose of the post

Follow this link for more information: https://cutt.ly/de6mNEb.