Position
Senior Lecturers are academics who make a significant contribution to teaching within their Department. Senior Lecturers typically teach across a range of courses to postgraduate level. This includes assessment and course administration duties, and having a leadership role in the administration of a programme including curriculum design.
Senior Lecturers play a major role in scholarship, research and/or professional activities relevant to the profession or discipline and may be involved in commercial research activities. Senior Lecturers are independent researchers who publish and advance scholarship in their field and/or advance professional practice. Senior Lecturers may be involved in knowledge-transfer to industry and/or the community. Performance Senior Lecturers advance artistic practice.
Senior Lecturers are contributing to University planning and/or governance and serve the relevant profession and/or academic discipline and contribute to the wider community
It is expected that academic staff will be routinely at work on campus so they are available to assist students and for students to see the University as a place of active scholarship.
Expectations
Teaching, assessment and curriculum development
It is expected that Senior Lecturers:
- conduct research-informed teaching across a range and level of courses in accordance with their share of the Department or School's teaching programme
- teach to a standard which meets the quality standards expected in the Department/School and profession.
It is expected that Senior Lecturers may be:
- preparing and developing course plans, being responsible for programme design and construction, outlines and materials for delivery of classes, in consultation with other senior colleagues
- facilitating learning by presenting lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops and papers
- fostering the development of individual student talent
- developing assessment material and methods related to courses taught
- guiding and mentoring other staff in the development of appropriate assessment material
- providing assessment and feedback to students on their progress towards learning outcomes
- providing course advice
- acting as the convenor of one or more papers
- attracting and successfully supervising postgraduate students
- starting to demonstrate an ability to inspire high academic endeavour and original thought with respect to teaching.
Research and/or commercialisation of research and/or advancing professional practice and scholarship activities
It is expected that Senior Lecturers:
- either produce quality assured publications within the field or discipline, either individually or as part of a group; or for performance staff, contribute to the advancement of artistic practice through performance as a soloist or a director, as evidenced by published scholarly or critical reviews.
It is expected that Senior Lecturers may be:
- obtaining research funding, being awarded nationally or internationally competitive external research grants and/or being awarded grants from industry
- attending and presenting papers at academic conferences, both nationally and internationally
- attending and presenting at national hui or wānanga and/or international indigenous conferences
- forming effective research collaborations within the Department, School, Division, or outside the University. Collaborations outside the University may be within the community, regional, national and/or international
- engaging in scholarly activities including editing journals and other publications, membership of an editorial board, acting as a referee
- contributing to the commercialisation of research (new intellectual property, products and services; knowledge-transfer)
- making scholarly contributions to advancing knowledge within the profession/discipline
- mentoring the development of research students and new and emerging researchers
- involved in disseminating scholarship to other members in the profession/discipline
- making scholarly contributions to the advancement of professional practice, where appropriate.
Service to the University and the community
It is expected that Senior Lecturers:
- make a significant contribution to administration in their Department or School, eg: Doctoral convenorship; and contribute to University planning and/or governance
- represent the Department through contributions to committees, working parties etc within the Division, or the wider University (including the Māori Strategic Framework)
It is expected that Senior Lecturers may be:
- fostering collegiality within the Department/School
- sharing knowledge with the community outside the University and contribute to local and national communities through involvement in the development of policy, practice, and cultural activities (eg: iwi/Māori development)
- transferring knowledge and technology to the community, industry or commerce, as appropriate
- contributing to the research environment
- contributing to the profession/discipline
- having service contributions of significance and distinction that are recognised as such by the University, if they have been in the role for several years.
Other
It is expected that Senior Lecturers:
- take an active interest in the activities relating to the Department
- develop a leadership role in the Department/School
- meet all compliance and reporting requirements
- work collegially with staff and students in the Department, School, Division and the University.
Employment conditions
Requirements
- PhD or equivalent doctorate in appropriate field normally required. Masters degree minimum or relevant postgraduate qualifications.
- Tertiary teaching experience normally required.
- For clinical positions within the Health Sciences Division it is normally expected the individual is registered with the appropriate registering body.
- Demonstrated capacity for independent research and a good record of publications in refereed journals.
- May be transferring knowledge to the community and industry for the development of products and services that benefit society.
Authority to appoint
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Dean in Health Sciences).
Find out more about authority to appoint
Confirmation path
Yes, if the appointment is permanent.
Find out more about confirmation path
Salary scale
- Senior Lecturer scale (Non Medical/Dental) (steps 1 to 6)
- Senior Lecturer scale (Medical/Dental) (steps 1 to 6)
- Senior Lecturer range beyond the bar (Non Medical/Dental) (steps 1 to 3)
- Senior Lecturer range beyond the bar (Medical/Dental) (1 step only)
Performance and salary review (Senior Lecturers below the bar)
Annual review of performance required. Senior Lecturers progress one step on salary scale through to the top of the scale, subject to being assessed as performing at a satisfactory level.
Find out about performance and salary reviews
Performance and salary review (Senior Lecturers beyond the bar)
Biennial review of performance required. Senior Lecturers on the non-medical/dental scale progress one step on salary scale through to the top of the scale, subject to being assessed as performing at a satisfactory level. The reviews are held in 2018, 2020 etc.
Find out about performance and salary reviews
Promotions (Senior Lecturers below the bar)
Senior Lecturers may apply for the following promotions:
- Additional salary step(s) within the Senior Lecturer salary scale
- Senior Lecturer beyond the bar
- Associate Professor
- Professor
Promotions (Senior Lecturers beyond the bar)
Senior Lecturer beyond the bar may apply for the following promotions:
- Associate Professor
- Professor
Research and Study Leave
Confirmation path or confirmed staff are eligible.
Find out more about research and study leave
Other information
The Senior Lecturer position also includes Senior Lecturers beyond the bar. Senior Lecturers paid on the range beyond the bar are expected to perform at at higher standard than Senior Lecturers below the bar.
Useful information
- Conference leave policy
- Support for teaching
- Support for research
- Support for commercialisation of research
Key contacts
Dan Wilson
HR Manager - Promotions & Remuneration
dan.wilson@otago.ac.nz
+64 3 479 8092