Professor/Chair in Applied Psychology
Overview
Permanent Whole-time Post
UCC wishes to appoint an outstanding academic to the role of Professor/ Chair in Applied Psychology. Reporting to the Head of School the successful applicant will provide leadership in advancing research and innovation, research led teaching and discipline developments related to at least one of the core Futures interdisciplinary research clusters of the University and research themes of the School. They will have an outstanding academic track record consistent with this ambition.
Whilst we welcome applications from high quality candidates whose work is anchored in any of the above strategic areas, we particularly invite applications from those whose research and teaching relate to at least one of the following areas of applied psychology: health / psychological health and well-being, mental health, children or life-span Psychology.
Please note that Garda vetting and/or an international police clearance check may form part of the selection process. For an information package including full details of the post, selection criteria and application process see https://ore.ucc.ie/. The University, at its discretion, may undertake to make an additional appointment(s) from this competition following the conclusion of the process.
Informal enquiries can be made in confidence to Professor Chris McCusker, Head of School of Applied Psychology, email: Christopher.mccusker@ucc.ie
This position is being filled as part of UCC Futures - Collective Social Futures.
What is UCC Futures – Collective Social Futures
UCC Futures - Collective Social Futures is re-imagining and addressing the complex and intertwined societal, environmental and political challenges faced across the world. These include social and gender-based inequalities, geopolitical shifts, migration, health and climate change and the urgent need to foster a more caring and liveable world for all. The imperative to develop more collective and social visions of the future is more pressing than ever. By driving innovative, critical, theoretical, participatory and community-engaged research, UCC Futures – Collective Social Futures will foster excellence in social research to understand, re-envision and enact our collective social futures.
Duties of the post
In accordance with the University’s strategic objective as a research-led institution, the duties of all academic staff will include research, research-led teaching and contributions to the University, the discipline and the community. The academic staff member shall teach and examine, undertake administrative duties and carry out other duties appropriate to the post under the general direction of the Head of the School of Applied Psychology.
The appointee will be expected to assume the role of Head of School for a term(s) during their tenure. The roles and responsibilities outlined below are to be interpreted in the context of the relevant statutes and where there is any difference arising from interpretation, statutory provisions will take precedent. For the sake of clarity, the relevant elements of the statutes not already incorporated in the numbered sections are appended in italics under each subheading.
Leadership | Research | Teaching & Examining | Contributions
Leadership
- Demonstrate clear vision and strategy to support the development of Applied Psychology through teaching, research and scholarship;
- Provide leadership and strategic vision in advancing research and innovation, research led teaching and discipline developments related to at least one of the core Futures interdisciplinary research clusters of the university and research themes of the School;
- Lead and inspire the significant development of one or more strategic areas. We particularly invite applications from those whose specialisms relate to health / psychological health and well-being or children or life-span Psychology;
- Mentor, support and advise staff as appropriate to their career stage and trajectory and assist in their academic career development in teaching and research.
Research
- Engage in high quality research and scholarship with impact and of international standing and contribute to the advancement of knowledge within their discipline and publish their research in appropriate peer-reviewed publications, creative works or other forms of scholarship appropriate to the discipline;
- Lead in generating research income and in establishing flagship research and innovation initiatives;
- Lead in the supporting research funding activities within the school, and as specifically related to the Futures research clusters of the University and research themes of the School;
- Attract and supervise doctoral students;
- Supervise students at all levels undertaking research projects;
- Manage resourced research projects including the recruitment and mentorship of research staff and governance of projects therein;
- Play a leading role in the advancement of our research strategy, through participation in appropriate committees and fora of the University, College and School;
- Engage in and lead other scholarly activities relevant both to the discipline and the senior level of the post.
Teaching & Examining
- Promote excellence in leadership in teaching and learning and support in both the development and the application of innovative teaching and learning methodologies within the School of Applied Psychology and within other academic units in the University, as appropriate;
- Teach and examine on courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level and where appropriate, adult and continuing education courses, and make a significant contribution to teaching at all levels;
- Supervise undergraduate and postgraduate students;
- Contribute to, and take a leadership role where appropriate, in the regular evaluation of curricula, and the development of new curricular initiatives;
- Perform a significant role in the development of postgraduate studies at UCC;
- Play a significant role in the maintenance of academic standards and in the development of the curriculum within their subject areas
- to give the students attending his/her ordinary lectures assistance in their studies, by advice, by informal instruction, by occasional and periodic examination, and otherwise, as s/he may judge to be expedient; also, to make such arrangements as s/he sees fit to make;
- to meet students who have individual queries;
- to give instruction to his/her students and assist them in the pursuit of knowledge;
- to hold, or assist at, all University examinations in the subjects with which s/he is an examiner.
Contributions
- Enhance the promotion of the discipline of applied psychology both inside and outside the University and contribute to the overall intellectual life of the University and society;
- Engage with external stakeholders and communities to inform and enhance the impact of applied psychology in teaching and research;
- Serve, if required, as head of one of the College’s academic units, subject to relevant University regulations, statutes and management requirements;
- Actively seek to develop and maintain links with professional bodies and external agencies, nationally and internationally, where appropriate;
- Play a significant role in academic citizenship duties of the school, including strategic leadership in realising School and University plans, and act as a member of such committees as may be required within the School and the University;
- Fulfil other duties appropriate to the post as may be assigned by the Head of School;
- Carry out other duties which may arise as identified in the University statutes
- to carry out administrative and other appropriate duties lawfully allocated to them within their department or other academic unit;
- if a member of the Academic Council, to attend its meetings;
- to serve upon all the committees to which they may be appointed by the Governing Body or the Academic Council, and to assist and co-operate with the Governing Body in such other reasonable ways as the Governing Body may prescribe, for the maintenance of discipline and good conduct among the students, or for the general business of the University.
As the university continues to expand and evolve, it is likely that flexibility in regard to the allocation of specific duties will be necessary. Accordingly, the list of duties specified above is not intended to be exclusive or restrictive; duties may be added or withdrawn but any such alteration will take place after consultation with the appointee.
Selection Criteria
The successful candidate will be expected to have:
Qualifications | Leadership | Teaching and Examining | Research | Contributions | Other
Qualifications
Essential Criteria
- A doctorate strongly related to the discipline of Applied Psychology.
Leadership
Essential Criteria
- The ability to contribute substantially to the development of Applied Psychology within the strategic frameworks of the College of Arts Celtic Studies and Social Science and the University;
- Evidence of established leadership in teaching, research and academic citizenship.
Desirable Criteria
- Excellent management, communication and interpersonal skills commensurate with playing a significant role within a team of committed academic and administrative colleagues together with the demonstrated ability and willingness to work in a collaborative environment.
Research
Essential Criteria
- International standing as a leading researcher and scholar in the relevant discipline or profession as evidenced through a substantial volume and consistent and continued output of high-quality refereed publications, creative works or other appropriate forms of scholarship and a strong research funding record, as appropriate to the discipline and / or specialism;
- Evidence of an outstanding international reputation and peer recognition in the applicant’s discipline through research and scholarly activity within the discipline, including research supervision, examining, editing and refereeing, as appropriate for the discipline;
- An established record of attracting and supervising doctoral students to successful completion.
Teaching and Examining
Essential Criteria
- Evidence of high-quality achievement in, and commitment to, excellence in research led teaching and learning in Applied Psychology, at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and evidence of having developed teaching programmes offered by an academic unit;
- Evidence of substantial contribution to innovation in teaching and in curriculum or programme development, review and evaluation;
- The ability to teach, inspire and supervise students, communicate ideas and concepts in a teaching and learning environment and where the opportunity has existed, to develop and lead postgraduate supervision to doctorate level;
- Evidence of engagement with continuous professional development related to the requirements of the post.
Desirable Criteria
- Evidence of a proficient use of modern teaching technologies.
Contributions
Essential Criteria
- Proven administrative experience and evidence of holding significant positions of responsibility, people and project management, and leadership;
- Ability to participate in and contribute to the overall intellectual life of the University, the academic discipline and society at large.
Desirable Criteria
- Evidence of significant participation in relevant academic and professional associations/bodies as appropriate.
Other
Essential Criteria
- An understanding of, and empathy with, the concerns of students;
- Evidence of ability to work on own initiative as well as part of a team;
- A commitment to the long term development of the discipline.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience in leading outreach and community engagement initiatives.
A requirement of appointment will be demonstrable experience of leadership in advancing equality and a strong commitment to the successful delivery of initiatives which drive improvements in equality, diversity and inclusion in their widest sense.
Candidates are requested to make a personal assessment of these criteria against their own qualifications, skills and abilities to assess whether they should apply for the post.
Please note: Candidates who do not demonstrate that they meet the criteria as detailed above will not be short listed.
The University, at its discretion, may undertake to make an additional appointment(s) from this competition following the conclusion of the process.
Salary Information
Applications for this post
How to apply
Applications for this post are received through UCC's online application portal. You'll be required to set up a profile (if you don't already have one).
You can find the posts associated with UCC Futures - Collective Social Futures by selecting 'Academic UCC Futures' in the search by vacancy type field.
Queries relating to the online application process should be referred to uccfuturesrecruitment@ucc.ie, quoting the job title.
What to include in your application
Applications should consist of your academic CV and a cover letter demonstrating your academic and research achievements. We would also like to hear about your research ambitions and how your academic and research profile aligns with the UCC Futures - Collective Social Futures initiative.
Details of the following should also be included, as appropriate:
- Publications
- Research Interests
- Teaching Interests and Abilities
- Teaching Objectives and Methods
Who to contact
We encourage all applicants to contact us prior to making an application for the position.
- Contact: Informal enquiries can be made in confidence to Professor Chris McCusker, Head of School of Applied Psychology, email: Christopher.mccusker@ucc.ie
Deadline for applications
Candidates should apply, in confidence, before 12pm (Irish Standard Time) on Tuesday, 16 June 2026. No late applications will be accepted.
Equality statement
University College Cork is committed to being a fully inclusive global university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) are core values under our UCC Strategic Plan 2023-2028. UCC holds a Bronze Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advancing equality in higher education. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from everybody, regardless of age, care-giving status, disability, ethnicity, gender and/or gender identity or expression status, nationality, marital status/civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion/creed, and/or sexual orientation. We are committed to supporting all staff through flexible working schemes, family-friendly policies, training and development, and staff networks. We value the enrichment that comes from a diverse community and seek to promote equality, prevent discrimination and protect the human rights of each individual in line with equality legislation. We encourage applicants to consult our Dignity and Respect Policy and learn more about our EDI related initiatives.