Assistant Professor in Egyptian Archaeology (ARCH_01)

Assistant Professor in Egyptian Archaeology (ARCH_01) (

Job Number: 25000128)

Department of Archaeology

Grade 8: - £46,485 - £55,295 per annum

Open-Ended/Permanent - Full Time

Contracted Hours per Week: 35

Closing Date: 06-Apr-2025, 10:59:00 PM

Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement: Not Applicable.

Working at Durham University

A globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a warm and friendly place to work, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other.

As one of the UK’s leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career. The University is located within a beautiful historic city, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and surrounded by stunning countryside. Our talented scholars and researchers from around the world are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives.

We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things in the world. Being a part of Durham is about more than just the success of the University; it’s also about contributing to the success of the city, county and community.

The Department

Durham University’s Department of Archaeology is one of the UK’s top Archaeology departments with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research and the employability of our students. We are regularly ranked one of the top Archaeology departments in the UK (e.g. 2nd in Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, 1st in the Times Good University Guide 2024, 3rd in Complete University Guide 2024) and one of the top ten globally (5th in World University QS rankings 2024). Our expertise covers a broad chronological and geographical span, from the Palaeolithic to the present-day, and from Europe via North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia to China. We are home to a series of cutting-edge laboratories, including facilities for DNA, isotopic and luminescence research, as well as field- and lab-based commercial operations. The Department also works closely with university museums, including the Oriental Museum which houses a substantial collection of Egyptian material. The Department teaches a series of masters courses and hosts a large community of research postgraduate students and post-doctoral researchers. Major international research projects are exploring topics such as landscape archaeology and cultural heritage protection across Africa, Asia and Europe.

Assistant Professors at Durham

Assistant Professors on the Education and Research track are encouraged to focus on research and teaching but are also expected to engage in wider citizenship to enhance their own development, support their department and discipline, and contribute to the wider student experience. Academic colleagues are supported to publish excellent research in their area of interest with a focus on high quality outputs (including monographs and journal articles), rather than quantity. We aim to support your research needs, including practical help such as resources to attend conferences and to fund research activities, as well as a generous research leave policy and a designated mentor. Durham University is also committed to ensuring outstanding teaching quality, stimulating learning environments, and innovative curricula for all our students. You will be supported to develop your teaching expertise and skills.

Assistant Professor in Egyptian Archaeology

To maintain Durham’s strength and reputation in the area of Egyptian archaeology research and teaching, we are looking to appoint a talented individual to the role of Assistant Professor in Egyptian Archaeology. We welcome applications from those with research and teaching interests in the broad field of Egyptian archaeology, including adjacent regions such as Nubia, from the later Predynastic to the Classical periods. We are open to applicants across any archaeological specialism, from material culture through to landscape approaches. Experience of running fieldwork, broader cultural heritage projects, museum engagement or other kinds of cooperation with research Institutes in the region, and/or experience in Egyptian languages, is desirable, although none are essential.

Key Responsibilities

• To pursue research in the field of Egyptian archaeology that is high quality in terms of originality, significance and rigour.
• To develop clear plans for the pursuit of national and international funding opportunities to support research and end-user engagement.
• To play a role in relevant teaching and research supervision, and contribute to ongoing curriculum development.
• Contribute to enhancing the quality of the research environment in the Department, the wider University and beyond through collaborative research activity.
• Demonstrate a willingness to contribute to the administrative work, citizenship and values of the Department.
• To deliver lectures, seminars and tutorials at undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels, as well as engaging in related activity such as assessment.
• To fully engage in and enhance the values of the Department.
• To contribute to attracting and supervising research students, and to enhance the Department’s commitment to its vibrant and inclusive postgraduate culture.
• Carry out other duties as specified by the Head of Department.

Person Specification

Candidates will have completed their PhD (or be close to completion) and should outline their experience, skills and achievements to date, which demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria.

Essential Research Criteria

• Qualifications – a good first degree and a PhD (or close to completion at the time of application) in Egyptian Archaeology or a related subject.
• Outputs – evidence of high-quality outputs, some of which is recognised as internationally excellent or world-class. Candidates are asked to submit two research papers with their application.
• Personal Research Plan – evidence of a personal research plan for the next five years which supports and enhances the research strengths and global profile of the department.

Essential Education Criteria

• Quality – evidence of the development and delivery of effective and engaging teaching.
• Innovation – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate your contribution to new programme development and innovation in the design and delivery of high-quality teaching and assessment of learning.
• Strategic – evidence of strategic teaching development, or achievements that demonstrate the potential to engage in the design of excellent teaching programmes which are research informed and led.

Essential Services, Citizenship And Values Criteria

• Citizenship contribution – evidence of participation in the citizenship/administrative activities of an academic Department, Faculty or University.
• Leadership – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate engagement in activities that contribute to the administrative functioning of an academic Department, Faculty, University and/or discipline.
• Communication – candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of students and colleagues across a variety of forums.

Desirable Criteria

• Qualification – candidates to hold or have the ability to attain the rank of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
• Research Leadership – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of, or the potential to, contribute to the leadership of research groups and mentoring of early career researchers.
• PhD Supervision – experience in the provision of excellent supervision for PhD students.
• Research Impact – evidence of or the potential to demonstrate the impact of the Candidate’s research beyond their institution.
• Income Generation – evidence of engagement in the development of successful research projects and quality research grant proposals.

Contact Information
Department contact for academic-related enquiries
Professor Dan Lawrence. dan.lawrence@durham.ac.uk

Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application
If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk

Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).

How To Apply

We prefer to receive applications online.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants - Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

What To Submit

• A CV
• A covering letter which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out above.
• Personal research plan.
• Two of your most significant pieces of written work.

We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process.
Referees
You should provide 3 academic referees they should not (if possible) include your PhD supervisor(s). The majority should be from a university other than your own.

References will be requested for candidates who have been shortlisted and will be made available to the panel during the interview process.

Next Steps
All applications will be considered; our usual practice is for colleagues across the Department to read the submitted work of long-listed candidates. Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University, either virtually or in-person and will have the opportunity to meet key members of the Department.