Keble College, Oxford

Official Fellowship and Tutorship in Physics (Astrophysics)

Further Particulars of Vacancy DB02003
Keble College proposes to elect to an Official Fellowship and Tutorship in Physics. The Fellowship is tenable from 1 October 2002 and must be held in conjunction with a University Lecturership in the Department of Physics, Sub-department of Astrophysics (for which there are separate further particulars).

1. College Duties
   
   The duties of the Fellow will be teaching, administration and research.
   
   The Fellow must provide 6 hours of teaching per week (averaged over the academic year), in particular teaching core topics in Mathematics or Physics to Keble Physics undergraduates in their first three years. The senior Physics Tutor (Professor Wade Allison) is responsible to the College for organizing teaching in Physics. The Fellow will be expected to cooperate with him and will be expected to be involved in the pastoral care of students. The Fellow must set and mark internal examinations to monitor their progress and write termly reports. In addition the Fellow must play a part in the admissions process and in College Open Days.
   
   The College admits 8 or more undergraduates per year, most of whom read for the four-year (as opposed to three-year) course. The three Physics Tutorial Fellows (including Professor Wade Allison and vice Professor Artur Ekert) are therefore responsible for about 30 undergraduates. In their first three years each receives between one and two paired tutorials per week (or equivalent); in the fourth year there are departmental classes for which the College Tutorial Fellows are still ultimately responsible. While there is some flexibility in actual teaching arrangements (eg in the mix of class and tutorial sessions), written student work must be collected, read, commented upon, returned promptly and discussed individually. Topics are shared flexibly with College Lecturers and other tutors who provide further tutorial teaching hours. Tutorial Fellows are also expected to advise the College Librarian on the stocking of the Physics section of the College Library.
   
   There are a number of Physics graduate research students in College to some of whom the Fellow would be asked to act as a College Adviser (as distinct from Academic Supervisor), taking an interest in their welfare and progress. It is normal to accept only students who are studying in fields familiar to one of the Tutorial Fellows, broadly defined.
   
   The Fellow will be a member of the Governing Body of the College and must take on the duties associated with the collective governance of the College, attending meetings of the Governing Body, and, from time to time, serving on College committees and undertaking College Offices (e.g. Senior Tutor, Tutor for Admissions, Tutor for Graduates). Extra payment is attached to College Offices.



2. College Stipend and Allowances
   
   In addition to the age-related salary attached to the University Lecturership (see the further particulars for that post), the Tutorial Fellow will receive a stipend from the College (currently £6768). In addition, the Fellow will receive a pensionable housing allowance (currently £6429), or, instead of a housing allowance, may, if living alone, choose to live in College accommodation free of charge. A Fellow not living in College will have the use of a College teaching room. The College has recently decided to offer Tutorial Fellows assistance with house purchase (details available on request). The Fellow will be entitled to all meals free of charge at the common table, when the College kitchens are open. The Fellow will be able to draw on an academic allowance (currently £573), which may be used for the purchase of books for teaching or research, or for computer software or hardware; all items purchased remain the property of the College. The Fellow is entitled to a computer for use in College. The Fellow will be able to draw on an entertainment allowance for the purpose of entertaining students (currently £351).
   
   The Fellow is entitled to join the Universities Superannuation Scheme. The Fellow contributes 6.35% of the stipend (exclusive of academic and entertainment allowances), whilst the College contributes a sum equal to 14% of the stipend. The College is prepared to make (taxable) payments to the College's private medical scheme, if the Fellow wishes to join.
   
   The Fellow is entitled to apply to the Governing Body for one term of sabbatical leave from College duties for every six terms worked (concurrent leave may be requested from the University).
   
   The Fellow may not undertake substantial remunerated employment without the College's permission.



3. Tenure
   
   The Tutorial Fellowship must be held with a University Lecturership in Physics. In the event of the termination of the University Lecturership, the College Fellowship will terminate on the same day.
   
   The Tutorial Fellowship is for one probationary year in the first instance, renewable for a further four years, and renewable thereafter at seven-yearly intervals subject to satisfactory performance of duties. The University Lecturership is for five years in the first instance renewable thereafter until retirement age. The retiring age is 65.



4. Criteria for Selection
   
   The College is looking for a candidate who most fully meets the following criteria:
   
   
   • a distinguished reputation in the subject (actual or potential);
   • the skills and commitment to be a fully participating member of the College's Governing Body, able and willing to take on a share of administrative tasks and College Offices;
   • the ability to assume the tasks of tutorial administration (the selection of undergraduates, the advising of graduates, the pastoral welfare of students, the organisation of tuition) and to provide tutorial teaching for a number of the following core papers: First Year Mathematics; Mechanics & Relativity; Wave Motion & Optics; Electricity & Magnetism. Second Year Thermal Physics, including Statistical Mechanics; Electromagnetism; Optics; Quantum Mechanics; Atomic Physics. Third Year Condensed Matter; Nuclear & Particle Physics; Relativity; Astrophysics; Atmospheric Physics.
   
   
   Applicants are requested to state in their letter of application which of the subjects above they could teach now and which they would be able to teach (and interested in teaching) with preparation. [Syllabuses available on request.]



5. Other Information
   
   Maternity Leave The College has a generous maternity leave scheme, which goes beyond the statutory provisions. Provided that they have at least 26 weeks' service by the expected date of birth, or have at any time been eligible to receive full-rate Statutory Maternity Pay or were at any stage entitled to benefits of a previous employer's paid maternity leave scheme, women are eligible for 18 weeks' maternity leave on full pay, followed by up to 22 weeks' unpaid maternity leave. Creche Facilities There are two University nurseries with 47 places for children aged from four months to five years. About half the places are reserved or nominees of the University Press and certain colleges, including Keble. Enquiries about the nurseries should be directed in the first instance to the Nursery Manager, Mansion House Nursery, Summertown House, Oxford OX2 7QZ. In other cases the University Childcare Officer may be able to help, and may be contacted at the University Offices, Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JD. Equal Opportunities Policy The policy and practice of Keble College requires that entry into employment with the College and progression within employment will be determined only by personal merit and the application of criteria which are related to the duties of each particular post and the relevant salary structure. Subject to statutory provision, no applicant or member of staff will be treated less favourably than another because of his or her sex, marital status, race, ethnic or national origin, or colour. Website Potential applicants can find out more about Keble College at: http://www.keble.ox.ac.uk and http://www.keble.ox.ac.uk/courses/physics/index2.php.



6. Selection Process
   
   No separate application is required for the Fellowship. Details of how to apply for the University Lecturerships are contained in the Further Particulars supplied by the Department of Physics.
   
   Shortlisted candidates wishing to stay in Oxford overnight when attending for interview will be offered accommodation in College. All shortlisted candidates will be invited to lunch or dinner in Keble College, and there will be a formal plenary meeting with the Warden, Senior Tutor and other relevant Fellows, to discuss the College Fellowship and to answer questions. Formal discussion with individual applicants about teaching, tutorial and departmental, will take place at the general interview in the Department.
   
   The selection committee for the post is composed of representatives of the Department and the College. The recommendation of the selection committee will have to be approved by both the Governing Body of the College and the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Division of the University before a formal offer of employment can be made.

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Last modified: Mon Mar 11 17:32:10 GMT 2002