Job description

Global Health & Social Medicine is a unique interdisciplinary department at King’s College London founded in 2012. Its mission is to address the changing landscape of health and medicine from social science perspectives.   

The Department invites applications for a Senior Lecturer/Reader in the area of Critical Global Health.  We are interested in applicants who ask fundamental questions about the social, political, epistemic, economic, or historical stakes of global health research, in ways that are oriented toward realising greater social justice whether in health policy in particular or in broader social or political domains. 

You should hold a PhD in any relevant social science (e.g., sociology, anthropology) or interdisciplinary field (e.g., science and technology studies; women’s, gender, and sexuality studies). Potential focal areas of social justice interest might include but are not limited to domains such as environmental justice, reproductive justice, disability rights, LGBTQ rights, Indigenous health, antiracism, decolonisation, migration. The range of health topics that might be explored is also open, and could include such topics as social and political determinants of health, post/pandemic health policy-making, health care infrastructures and supply chains, access to medicines and medical technologies, digital technologies, climate change, or other topics, in domains including but not limited to infectious disease, chronic disease, reproductive health, mental health, ageing and the life course. You should have an outstanding track-record of research, publications, and external funding relative to career stage, and have the ability to demonstrate a clear leadership trajectory in research and teaching.  

You will be expected to make a major contribution to teaching on the Department’s undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, including the core PGT module Critical Global Health, and to provide academic leadership in teaching and student supervision at all levels. You will have relevant teaching experience and excellent communication skills. You must have a proven ability to initiate and lead research projects and a record of attracting research grant income. Experience or familiarity with the academic environment in the UK is an advantage. You will be expected to carry out administrative duties at senior level within the Department. A commitment to collegiality is essential, as is the ability and willingness to engage in constructive dialogue with researchers and practitioners in a variety of contexts, and with policy makers. You will be responsible to the Head of Department of Global Health & Social Medicine. 

At King’s, we are deeply committed to embedding good equality and diversity practice into all of our activities so that the university is an inclusive, welcoming and inspiring place to work and study, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation. We welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences. 

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract 

This is a full-time post - 100% full time equivalent

Key responsibilities

• To take an active role in the planning, organisation and delivery of teaching activities within the Department in accordance with established practice.  
• To participate fully in assessment and examination processes as appropriate using a variety of methods and techniques and provide effective, timely and appropriate feedback to students to support their learning. 
• To contribute to the ongoing development and design of Global Health and Social Medicine teaching in the Department and the College 
• To assist with difficulties encountered by students, e.g. learning support/problems. 
• To undertake the supervision of postgraduate research, at Masters and PhD levels. 
• To lead and undertake and publish high-quality research, developing a portfolio of individual/joint research projects with high quality outputs in line with the Departmental, School and College research strategies and international research profile. 
• To take an active role in securing external funding for research activities to underpin the long-term growth of the activity, for example from the ESRC or ERC 
• To promote the aims of the next generation of academics by mentoring early career researchers and junior staff as required. 
• To develop the research activities of the department by leading and co-ordinating a broad research activity, centre or programme  
• To be PI or Co-I in external grants of continuous stream of funding that bring research posts to the Department  
• To carry out major external roles (e.g., within a professional association on advisory boards, within a research council, etc)  
• To engage in external academic activities in accordance with the Department, School and Faculty’s research strategy, and which will enhance its national/international research profile  
• To contribute to performance and development review processes as appropriate in accordance with the College’s strategy. 
• To engage in professional development as appropriate to update skills, and to support teaching excellence. 
• To accept senior academic responsibility within the Department and School of Global Affairs, involving efficient delivery of departmental administrative responsibilities as allocated by the Head of Department of School. 
• To demonstrate impact produced from own research, demonstrated by links with non-academic stakeholders and significant public engagement activity  
• To lead teams and develop productive working relationships with others  
• To undertake any other reasonable duties that may be requested by the Head of Department. 

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.  

Skills, knowledge, and experience 

Essential Criteria

1.       PhD in a relevant social science or interdisciplinary field and particular expertise in critical global health. 

2.       Strong research profile for career stage, as demonstrated through lead authorship of well-placed publications and significant successful external grant capture. 

3.       Demonstrable ability to design and deliver the teaching needed by GHSM’s programmes, both at the undergraduate level and in the department’s postgraduate programme in Global Health, Social Justice, and Public Policy. 

4.       Capability to contribute to the department’s administration, including but not limited to departmental roles that ensure excellence in education. (*For Reader level, would expect higher level of administrative experience and leadership potential.) 

5.       Potential for impact beyond the academy, through reaching broader audiences and/or influencing public policy. (*For Reader level, would expect significant track record of impact.) 

6.       Openness to multidisciplinary department and collegiality. 

Further information

The selection process will include an online presentation to the wider department and a panel interview using Microsoft Teams.