Job Description

Position Details

School of Psychology

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822

Grade: 7

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to August 2028

Closing date: 18th June 2026

Background

The School of Psychology at the University of Birmingham is one of the UK’s leading centres for Psychology research and education. Home to over 120 academic staff, the School has internationally recognised strengths in mental health, lifespan development, and brain health, and delivers highly rated, BPS accredited undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Building on the success of our BPS-accredited provision, we have recently added an MSc Psychology (Conversion) programme to our portfolio. The programme is designed for students wishing to attain BPS Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC), with the inaugural cohort starting in the 2026/27 academic year.

We are seeking to appoint a creative, thoughtful, and collaborative Teaching Fellow to join the School of Psychology. This is an excellent opportunity for an early career academic who is passionate about high quality delivery of Psychology education, and who wants to develop their academic career within a supportive, inclusive, and intellectually vibrant environment.

You will contribute primarily to the MSc Psychology (Conversion) in an education focused role. Working closely with colleagues, you will play a central role in delivering high quality Psychology education. You may also contribute to other Master’s and Undergraduate programmes.

You will contribute to a range of education-related activities. In addition, you will be expected to demonstrate academic citizenship, developing and maintaining mutually respectful and supportive working relationships with all staff and students, and ensuring the way you carry out your role impacts positively on how others carry out theirs.

You will contribute to a range of teaching and administration duties on the MSc Psychology (Conversion) as well as, where appropriate, other courses delivered by the School of Psychology. We are particularly looking for someone with an ability to teach Cognitive and Developmental Psychology, and Research Methods.

Teaching is likely to include a substantial contribution to: (a) the development, and leadership of modules (including module review); (b) delivery of teaching and assessment at postgraduate level; (c) supervising student research projects; and (d) contributing to the marking of academic work.

Teaching focused role-holders should advance the practice of teaching within the School, take a role in leading module development, and play an important role in student academic and pastoral support. You will deliver excellent teaching that inspires students and is informed by discipline-based research and pedagogical practice. While this role is education focused, engagement in research is encouraged. Management and administration are likely to involve contributions within the School by, for example, taking part in panels and/or working groups.

Main Duties

Education

1. You will contribute across the range of teaching and learning activities:

• contribute to leading programme development.
• develop and manage approaches to teaching and learning that are best practice in the subject area or institution;
• advance the practice of teaching in their modules and within the school, and play an important role in student academic support;
• frequently update your subject expertise, and undertake personal professional development in teaching, including self-reflection on own teaching, using student and peer review feedback, to enhance own teaching and learning processes;
• you may play an important role in the recruitment and admission of students; and co-supervise doctoral students to completion.

2. Using a variety of methods in teaching and advising individuals and groups of undergraduates, postgraduates, or CPD students, including (as appropriate):

• teaching and examining courses at a range of levels;
• planning and reviewing your own teaching approaches and encouraging others to do the same;
• designing contemporary, inclusive, engaging and academically challenging curriculum content;
• working collaboratively with colleagues to design and deliver teaching, learning and assessment;
• using digital resources/environments effectively to support learning and assessment;
• developing programme proposals and making substantial contributions to the design of teaching programmes more widely;
• where appropriate, undertaking and developing the full range of responsibilities in relation to supervision, marking and examining;
• developing and advising others on learning and teaching tasks and methods;
• devising and supervising projects, student dissertations and practical work.

Management/Administration

To contribute to School administration. This may include:

• contributing to the administration/management of teaching across the School;
• making a contribution to administrative activities within the University (e.g. appeals panels, working groups);
• promoting equality, diversity and inclusion through monitoring and evaluation and actively challenging unacceptable behaviour.

Citizenship

Contributing to an inclusive working environment:

• pursuing your activities in a way that helps others to pursue their activities effectively and efficiently;
• demonstrating a willingness to be involved in a variety of activities supporting University life (e.g., participation in graduation, School committees);
• demonstrating support for colleagues, such as sharing resources, providing advice;
• willingness to volunteer for one-off duties (such as supporting School projects);
• positively engaging in School strategic initiatives;
• proactive support and involvement in activities specifically contributing to a positive and inclusive community spirit across the School/College/University.

Person Specification

• Higher degree relevant to teaching area or equivalent qualifications
• Recent experience in teaching Psychology at university level
• Ability to teach Cognitive and Developmental Psychology, and Research Methods
• High level analytical capability
• Ability to design and deliver module materials successfully
• Ability to assess and organise resources effectively
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.

Informal enquiries to Fay Julal Cnossen, email: f.s.julal@bham.ac.uk

Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyoneon our website