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Te Whare Wananga o
Otago
Dunedin, New Zealand
Lecturer – Science Communication
(Confirmation Path)
CENTRE FOR SCIENCE COMMUNICATION
Applications
are invited for the position of Lecturer in Science Communication to teach science communication
at postgraduate level and to develop
a strong research programme in some aspect of science communication. The Centre
for Science Communication offers a Master of Science Communication (MSciComm)
degree in three streams: popularizing science, science and natural history
filmmaking, and creative nonfiction writing. The successful candidate should
have expertise in one or more of those areas. Favourable consideration may be
given to candidates with a doctorate in science communication and evident
familiarity with the theory of science
communication.
The position will be offered as a confirmation-path (tenure track)
position at the level of Lecturer. The successful candidate is expected to take
up duties no later than 1 February 2010, but preferably earlier.
Further information may be obtained from: http://www.sciencecommunication.info
Specific enquiries may be directed to Professor Lloyd Davis, Director,
Centre for Science Communication, Tel 64 3 479 7654, Fax 64 3 479 7584, Email
[log in to unmask]
Applications
quoting reference number A09/104 close on Thursday 15 October
2009.
Application
Information
Send applications to the Human Resources
Division, Email job.applications@otago.ac.nz,
Fax 03 479 8279.
With each application, please include an application form, an EEO
information form, a covering letter and your curriculum vitae. The forms and a full job description
are available at www.otago.ac.nz/jobs
Alternatively, contact the Human Resources Division, Tel 03 479 8269,
Email job.applications@otago.ac.nz
Equal opportunity in employment is University
policy.
E
tautoko ana Te Whare Wananga o Otago i te
kaupapa
whakaorite whiwhinga mahi.
www.otago.ac.nz/jobs
DO
NOT send
original documents in support of your application - copies are adequate and
preferred. Documents will not be
returned.
Please complete a
separate application form and include a separate copy of your curriculum vitae
and supporting documents for each vacancy you wish to apply
for.
For ease of
processing and to avoid cost and waste, we ask that applications are not
presented in folders.
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INFORMATION FOR
CANDIDATES
for appointment as
Lecturer - Science Communication
(Confirmation Path)
CENTRE FOR SCIENCE COMMUNICATION
The University of Otago
The University of Otago, which was established in 1869, is situated
within the urban area of Dunedin, a city of ~120,000 and regarded in New Zealand
very much as a University town. Dunedin City is attractively situated within
easy distance of mountain, lake, fiord and coastal sites. The University of
Otago currently has a little over 17,000 equivalent full-time students, spread
over a wide range of disciplines, and organised into four main
Divisions.
For more information about the University of Otago: http://www.otago.ac.nz/about/index.html
For more information about Dunedin City: http://www.cityofdunedin.com/city/
Divisional Structure
The Division of Sciences is one of the four teaching divisions in the
University, the others being Health Sciences, Commerce, and Humanities. The
Science Division represents a broad range of disciplines in 14 Departments and a
number of inter-disciplinary programmes.
For more information about the Division of Sciences: http://www.sciences.otago.ac.nz/
Centre Information
The Centre for Science Communication is New Zealand’s first
tertiary-based centre devoted to science communication. Opened in February 2008,
it built upon the successful Postgraduate Diploma in Natural History Filmmaking
and Communication, which had been taught jointly by the University of Otago and
NHNZ (the world’s second-largest producer of factual filmmaking) since
2001.
Currently, we have 52 masters students enrolled in our Master of Science
Communication (MSciComm) degree and 1 PhD student, making us – in little more
than a year – one of the largest entities in the world for postgraduate studies
in science communication. The MSciComm is taught in three specialty streams:
popularizing science, science and natural history filmmaking, and creative
nonfiction writing in science. We have our own building with dedicated
facilities as well as close links with NHNZ.
Current staff include a full-time director (also responsible for
directing the writing stream); a half-time professor of science communication
who directs the popularizing science stream, and a half-time director of
filmmaking. There is a full-time teaching fellow and half-time centre manager,
as well as part time professional practice fellows responsible for teaching
camera techniques and editing.
The Centre for
Science Communication is friendly and
progressive, with a very international flavour (about half our students come
from overseas). The emphasis with respect to communication is on story telling,
with story telling forming the core part of all our streams. Our programmes are
distinguished by the emphasis we place on producing outputs that must go into
the public domain. The MSciComm theses consist of two parts: an academic
component and a creative component. The latter may be a film, book, website,
installation or just about anything that communicates science to the public.
This creates peculiar challenges but potentially great satisfaction when it
comes to supervision of such student theses. This is one reason why the Centre
for Science Communication also places great store by encouraging its academic
staff to be active themselves in communicating within the public domain.
Nevertheless, we live in an academic environment that rewards academic outputs
favourably compared to those in the public domain, and so we are working hard to
develop scholarship and research in areas of science
communication.
The Centre for Science Communication is actually a stand-alone unit
within the Department of Zoology and, as such, we are fortunate to have the
department’s expertise and facilities available to us. The Department of Zoology
currently has seven full Professors, eight Associate Professors, five Senior
Lecturers, two Lecturers, two Senior Teaching Fellows, and 16 Postdoctoral
Researchers. Non-academic staff include three secretarial and administrative
staff and 16 research and technical staff, four of whom are concerned primarily
with laboratory teaching duties. The duties of the other technicians include
management of a mechanical workshop, photographic darkrooms, histology suite,
radioisotope laboratory, chemistry laboratory, computer facilities and research
assistance. Field-based research is supported by access to departmental 4WD
vehicles, boat, caravan, and technical support. The Department of Zoology
strongly supports the principle that research is an integral part of academic
life and provides some research support. Funds are available for research also
from the University of Otago Research Committee, and from grants or contracts
from New Zealand’s Foundation for Research, Science and Technology for applied
work, the Marsden Fund for fundamental science, and from government agencies,
private trusts, and non-governmental organisations. Members of staff are
encouraged to apply for support of their own research and that of students
working under their supervision.
For more
information about the Department of Zoology: http://www.otago.ac.nz/zoology/
Duties and
Responsibilities
The successful candidate will be responsible to the Director, Professor
Lloyd Davis, and will be required to contribute to teaching and examining of
postgraduate degree courses in Science Communication as appropriate to their
area of specialization. The successful candidate will be expected to engage
actively in their own research and to supervise the work of masters and PhD
students.
Salary
The salary range
for a Lecturer is $67,768 to $81,737 per annum. Appointment will be made at an
appropriate step in this range depending on qualifications and experience.
Equal Employment Opportunities
The Centre is committed to diversity in staffing and we encourage
applications from women and other under-represented groups. Parental leave
without pay of up to 54 weeks and paid parental leave of twelve weeks’ salary
may be granted to female or male employees with at least one year of service.
The University operates childcare centres (unsubsidised) covering the period
birth to eight years. Job splitting and flexible working hours may be negotiated
for periods of child rearing.
Contact
Person
Specific
enquiries may be directed to Professor Lloyd
Davis, Director, Centre for Science Communication, Tel 64 03 479 7654, Fax 64 03
479 7584, Email [log in to unmask]
Offer of the
Position
Should the
University wish to offer you the position, a formal, written letter of offer
will follow any verbal discussions that might be held with you. It is recommended that you do not resign
from your current employment until you have received our written offer. The contents of this formal letter of
offer and its attachments will constitute the entire agreement between the
employee and the employer, and will supersede all previous representations,
negotiations, commitments and communications, either written or oral between the
parties. Any agreements will only
be binding on the employer where they have been formally offered by the Human
Resources Division and accepted by the employee.
Applications
Applications quoting reference number A09/104 close with the Recruitment Consultant, Human Resources Division on Thursday 15 October 2009. With each application you must include an application form, an EEO Information Statement, a covering letter, contact details for three referees and one copy of your full curriculum vitae.
Tel 64 3 479
8269
Fax 64 3 479
8279
Email [log in to unmask]