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Academic Fellowship: History & Heritage Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences University of Keele (Five year Fellowship, leading to permanent Academic post, subject to satisfactory performance review) Salary Scale: £22,289 - £30,002 The Research Institute for the Humanities at Keele University has been awarded a Research Council UK Academic Fellowship in History and Heritage, and wishes to recruit a high-calibre research active individual with expertise in Public History. The successful candidate might be trained as a cultural or landscape historian, historical geographer, field archaeologist, historical anthropologist or museum/heritage professional; and should be of postdoctoral standing (able to demonstrate equivalent and relevant professional experience) or have a PhD. The post is for five years in the first instance and, subject to satisfactory performance, will lead to a permanent post at the end of the Fellowship. Note that, under the rules of the Academic Fellowship Scheme, individuals who already have, or have been promised, a permanent position are not eligible to apply. Within the Research Institute for the Humanities there are a number of colleagues with research interests in public history in Great Britain and the United States in departments rated 5 in RAE 2001, and there is also an established and highly successful regional history research group, with a track-record of out-reach and community engagement. The Local History Centre produces and disseminates high-quality research in local history, particularly of the North Midlands and the North-West. Members of the Centre serve on a range of local history and record societies in Lancashire and Cheshire as well as Shropshire and Staffordshire. The Centre sponsors two journals (Staffordshire Studies and the Shropshire Record Series), a biennial public lecture (the ‘Earl Lecture') and a regular public seminar series, supported by the Jack Leighton Trust Undergraduates in History have the opportunity to follow a second-year module which includes a one-semester work placement in a choice of museums, archives and similar heritage environments. A long-term project is the Victoria County History Project (VCH), which is supported by a unique collaboration between the University and Staffordshire County Council, which provides c£55k p.a. plus in-kind support. Twelve volumes on Staffordshire have now been published and another is expected in 2007/8. This research activity underpins a suite of teaching programmes, ranging from adult education courses (e.g. Certificates in Local History, Archaeology and Post-medieval Archaeology, as well as short courses in Cheshire, Staffordshire and Shropshire delivered to 346 students in 2005/6) to specialist training on archival resources and specialist language skills (e.g. the Latin and Palaeography Summer School now in its 29th year). The Research Institute wishes to further strengthen and broaden the academic scope of its History Group by appointing an individual with a strong interest in representations of the past, historical landscapes and/or communities, ideally with a geographical focus on the Midlands and North West. The History group collaborates with the University's Widening Participation Unit, in providing outreach events for schools within the region, as well as working closely with other public sector partners, voluntary bodies and community groups, heritage sites and museums. The successful applicant will have excellent communication skills and a strong commitment to outreach, and in particular will show the enthusiasm and ability to engage with schools and museums and to enthuse audiences of all ages. The successful candidate will also be expected to promote, through academic exchange schemes, conference and colloquia, the research opportunities provided by local archives (held by the University and collaborative partners) that remain largely untapped: The Foundations of Modern Sociology (Le Play) and the New Vic Theatre (Peter Cheeseman) archives, particularly in relation to oral history; the Aerial Reconnaissance Archive (TARA); and the Wedgwood archive. Depending upon previous experience and skills, the successful candidate may develop an ‘enterprise' role, acting as an academic advisor to regional projects, for example, writing historical guidebooks, and histories of local organizations. These activities would build on the existing track record of the local history group in knowledge transfer, for example, the histories written of Berryhill Fields (with the Millennium Commission), Stafford Castle (with Stafford Borough Council), Ford Green hall (with Stoke on Trent City Council), Churchill China, Staffordshire Fire Service, the Ceramic City Choir and Trentham Golf Course. They will also have a strong commitment to teaching, and will in due course contribute to the delivery of the undergraduate degree programme relevant discipline areas. It is anticipated that the post will initially be strongly research-focused, the duties normally associated with an academic post becoming more prevalent towards the end of the Fellowship, by which point the successful candidate will have facilitated the development of a suite of courses (UG, PG and CPD) related to public history and heritage. For informal discussion and further information about the post, intending applicants are invited to contact either Dr Steve Mills (on 01782 583017 or [log in to unmask]) or Dr Philip Morgan (Tel: 01782 583204 or [log in to unmask]) Full job packs are available from the Human Resources Department, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG or fax: 01782 583471, e-mail: [log in to unmask] or http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/uso/hr/cwisvacs.htm Please quote post reference: RE06/12UK Closing date for applications: 16 June 2006