Assistant Professor in Egyptian Archaeology (ARCH_01)

Working at Durham University

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Our University Strategy is built on three pillars of research, education and wider student experience, but also on our keen sense of community and of inspiring others to achieve their potential.

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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 ( https://www.durham.ac.uk/things-to-do/venues/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. For further information on our current projects, research and teaching see https://www.dur.ac.uk/departments/academic/archaeology/

This post offers an exciting opportunity to make a major contribution to the development of internationally excellent research and teaching while allowing unrivalled opportunities to progress and embed your career in an exciting and progressive institution.

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. We are confident that our recruitment process allows us to attract and select the best talent to Durham. We, therefore, offer a reduced probation period of 1 year for our Assistant Professors and thereafter, subject to satisfactory performance, your position will be confirmed as permanent. Applicants must demonstrate high quality research in the field of Egyptian Archaeology, with the ability to teach our students to an exceptional standard and to fully engage in the services, citizenship and values of the University. We strive to provide a working and teaching environment that is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate these key principles as part of the assessment process.

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.

The successful candidate will contribute to the recruitment and supervision of PhD students working on Egyptian archaeology topics and develop strong research collaborations with colleagues at Durham (in Archaeology and other departments, including the Oriental Museum), nationally and internationally, leading to grant-funded projects and world-class publications.

The successful candidate will be able to teach broadly across Egyptian archaeology. They will be involved in teaching at all levels, offering our students an exceptional educational experience.

The successful candidate will be expected to engage fully in the services, citizenship and values of the University. The University provides a working and teaching environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate these key principles as part of the assessment process.

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.

Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion

Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key component of the University's Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our Purpose and Values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. It's important to us that all colleagues undertake activities that are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.

We welcome and encourage applications from those who are currently under-represented in our work force, including people with disabilities and from racially minoritised ethnic groups.

If you have taken a career break or periods of leave that may have impacted on the volume and ...