Overview

Permanent Whole-time Post

UCC wishes to appoint an experienced academic to the role of Munster Agricultural Society Lecturer in Farmland Biodiversity within the within the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences. The School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences (BEES), within the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science (SEFS), comprises the academic disciplines of Environmental Science, Geology, Plant Science, Zoology & Ecology, and Agricultural Science. Research within the School is closely aligned with UCC Futures - Sustainability initiative and the strategic goals of the Environmental Research Institute which the academics will be affiliated with.

The successful candidates will be expected to have a doctorate in Agricultural Science, Agroecology or a related area. In addition, they need to demonstrate a proven commitment to excellence in teaching and research, as evidenced by a strong track record of peer-reviewed publications and international scholarly standing. The appointee will teach on the BAgrSc Agricultural Science degree, and contribute to strengthening research and teaching in farmland biodiversity and agri-environmental sustainability across programmes in BEES and the wider University. In addition, they are expected to develop their own research programme in farmland biodiversity.

Informal enquiries can be made in confidence to Professor Astrid Wingler, Tel: 021 490 4660.

Further information on the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences (BEES) can be found on the school website.

This position is being filled as part of UCC Futures - Sustainability.

What is UCC Futures – Sustainability

The greatest global challenge of our time is finding sustainable solutions for the world’s growing population, balancing the need for economic development with our limited natural resources. Achieving a balance between people, profit and planet requires us to find equitable and just solutions to the problems of climate change, hunger, poverty and social and health disparities among the world’s populations. The complexity of the global sustainability challenge requires experts from multiple disciplines and sectors to collaborate in new and reimagined ways.

UCC believes that to solve these sustainability challenges, we need creative, inter-disciplinary solutions, driven by an innovative and holistic approach. Through our existing programme of transdisciplinary research, we are generating new knowledge, developing technologies and tools and contributing to services and policies that facilitate a just transition that is economically prosperous and socially inclusive, while protecting our natural environment.

We invite you to join us on the next phase of this important and impactful journey of discovery with UCC Futures - Sustainability.

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 members 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 Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences.

The appointee will teach on the BAgrSc Agricultural Science degree, and contribute to strengthening research and teaching in farmland biodiversity and agri-environmental sustainability across programmes in BEES and the wider University. In addition, they are expected to develop their own research programme in farmland biodiversity. The candidate should complement and engage with current academic staff and research programmes within the Discipline of Agricultural Science, the School of BEES, and the wider research community as part of the UCC Futures – Sustainability initiative.

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, that statutory provisions 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.

Teaching and Examining | Research | Contributions

Teaching and Examining

1. Contribute to and assist in the delivery of research-led teaching, assessment and examining on courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level and where appropriate adult and continuing education courses including the delivery of modules off campus;
2. Supervise research projects for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes;
3. Undertake the development and regular evaluation of modules with reference to content, delivery and assessment;
4. Participate in the development of new curricular initiatives;
5. Demonstrate excellence in teaching and learning and apply innovative teaching and learning methodologies within the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences and within other academic units in the University, as appropriate;
6. Contribute towards the maintenane of academic standards within his/her discipline:

Research

7. Engage in productive research and scholarship, contribute to the advancement of knowledge, participate in research activities, and publish the research in appropriate peer-reviewed publications, creative works or other forms of scholarship appropriate to the discipline;
8. Supervise postgraduate research students (particularly PhD students);
9. Undertake initiatives in generating research income as appropriate to the discipline;
10. Engage in other scholarly activities relevant to the research discipline.

Contributions

11. Participate in the administrative activities of the School and the academic life of the College and University;
12. Act as a member of such committees as may be required by the University;
13. Develop links with professional bodies and external agencies, where appropriate;
14. Promote the discipline both inside and outside the University and contribute to the overall intellectual life of the University and society;
15. Carry out other duties appropriate to the post as may be assigned by the head of discipline/ school:

The above listing is not exclusive or exhaustive and the post holder may be required to undertake duties as can reasonably be expected. All staff are required to be flexible, co-operative and professional within the needs of the post and the Discipline/Department/School, College and University. The University is undertaking a major reform of its internal structures which may necessitate possible future changes in the organisation of its activities.

Selection Criteria

The successful candidate will be expected to meet the following essential criteria:

Qualifications | Teaching and Examining | Research | Contributions | Other

Qualifications

Essential Criteria

1. A doctorate in Agricultural Science, Agroecology or related discipline.

Teaching and Examining

Essential Criteria

2. Relevant teaching experience or evidence of teaching potential in Agricultural Science, in particular the topic of farmland biodiversity;
3. An ability to contribute across a range of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching programmes both in and outside the area of research specialisation;
4. Evidence of a commitment to excellence in research-led teaching;
5. Evidence of an understanding of and willingness to use modern teaching technologies and potential for innovative teaching and curriculum development;
6. Evidence of an ability to supervise students, communicate ideas and concepts in a teaching and learning environment.

Research

Essential Criteria

7. Evidence of appropriate research achievement in farmland biodiversity by published work and other research outputs appropriate to the discipline;
8. Potential to attract funding through competitive research grants or other sources as relevant;
9. Experience of or potential for research supervision (particularly PhD students);
10. Evidence of other relevant scholarly activity, including the presentation of papers at national and international conferences and/or publication of conference papers in peer-reviewed conference proceedings;
11. Ability and willingness to collaborate with colleagues on research projects, as appropriate to the discipline.

Contributions

Essential Criteria

12. Administrative experience or evidence of ability to contribute to academic administration;
13. Experience in or potential to participate in relevant academic and professional associations/bodies as appropriate;
14. The potential to participate in and contribute to the overall intellectual life of the University, the academic discipline and society at large.

Other

Essential Criteria

15. Good communication and interpersonal skills;
16. Evidence of ability to work on own initiative as well as part of a team;
17. Ability and willingness to work in a collaborative environment;
18. An understanding of, and empathy with, the concerns of students;
19. A commitment to the long-term development of the discipline;

The University, at its discretion, may undertake to make an additional appointment(s) from this competition following the conclusion of the process.

Salary Information

Appointment may be made on the Lecturer Below the Bar Salary Scale: €38,662 - €67,426 (Scale B) / €40,689 – €64,159 (Scale A).

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 - Sustainability 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 - Sustainability initiative.

Details of the following should also be included, as appropriate:

• Publications
• Research Interests
• Grants and Funding
• 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 queries about this post can be made in confidence to: Professor Astrid Wingler.

Deadline for applications

Candidates should apply, in confidence, before 12pm (Irish Local Time) on Tuesday, 14 May 2024. 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.