Jean Humphreys Postdoctoral Fellow

We are looking for an outstanding Postdoctoral Fellow in English, with a specialism in contemporary World literatures in English, to join the School of Arts as part of our wider vision to remain the home for trail-blazing research, internationally recognised teaching, and inclusive public engagement and widen our offering of inclusive and diverse contemporary literary studies and creative writing. As a Postdoctoral Fellow, you will carry out research and teaching activities while contributing to the School’s impact, knowledge exchange, leadership and citizenship activities. You will undertake core department teaching as well as delivering specialist options on the undergraduate programme and the MA Modern and Contemporary Literature. You should also have the potential to develop outstanding research programmes, with an existing record of published work of international standing. The duration of the Postdoctoral Fellowship is three years, with a teaching load of 50% in the first year, 75% in the second year, and 100% (that is, equivalent to a full-time lecturer) in the third year. Subject to a successful performance review at the end of the Fellowship, the postholder would be offered a permanent full-time Lectureship in Contemporary World Literatures in English at Grade 8.

 

Our world-leading research in literatures and cultures in English is recognised nationally and internationally. We ensure that our research underpins our innovative teaching; however, we are also deeply embedded in the local life of our city, as the impact of our recent work on the Dickens Code, Joe Orton, and with the National Trust so richly attests. We now want to lead the way by appointing a postdoctoral fellow who will help us to widen our offering of diverse and inclusive contemporary literary studies. We will continue to centre Leicester in global conversations about gender, race, and inequality, and we use our expertise to model creative solutions to real problems. We ask difficult questions and, by building a learning community with our outstanding students, academics, local community partnerships, and the public, offer responses to these questions. As an international hub for literary culture and creative writing, English at Leicester is known for its bold work, training the next generation of citizens and scholars to change the world. This position has been made possible by a generous philanthropic donation to the University of Leicester by Mrs Jean Humphreys, a donation which has funded the appointment of the Jean Humphreys Professor and Writer in Residence, Kit de Waal, and a PhD scholarship.