Lecturer in the History of Early Modern Europe and the World

About us:

The Department of History at King’s College London is an internationally-recognised centre for the study of the history of the world. Our undergraduate curriculum introduces students to world history from the early medieval period to the present; it then offers students pathways to study every continent through their second and final years. Our MA provision is similarly broad, developing students’ expertise in medieval, early modern and modern history. We are an intellectual home for scholars of every region of the world, who use approaches which range from local micro-histories to large-scale quantitative analysis. We particularly value conversation between scholars of different periods and places, with different approaches.

About the role:

The Department of History seeks to appoint a Lecturer in the History of Early Modern Europe and the World. The post is a five-year appointment, starting on the 1st January 2026. It arises as a consequence of the award of a European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant to Professor Francisco Bethencourt. The postholder will be expected to undertake teaching and research in early modern European and world history. The responsibilities of the postholder will include teaching modules that would have otherwise been delivered by Professor Bethencourt, specifically modules on World History 1500-1900, European Expansion 1500-1800, and early modern and modern visual culture. The postholder will also be expected to contribute to core undergraduate and postgraduate survey and skills modules, and to the administration of the department.

A strong research record, excellent teaching ability, outstanding interpersonal skills and a collaborative ethos are essential for the role. 

The post is entirely funded by the ERC grant, and it is non-renewable.

This is a full-time post (35 hours per week) and the successful candidate will be offered a fixed term contract until 31st December 2030.

About you:

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

• PhD qualified in relevant subject area
• Excellent research expertise and record in Early Modern European and/or World History, relative to career stage
• Ability to teach, convene and assess undergraduate and postgraduate modules in Early Modern European and World History
• Teaching experience relevant to the role
• Ability to engage students, support their learning and wellbeing through their degree
• Some experience of effective and diligent academic administration and academic and/or external networking
• Evidence of a collaborative ethos, capacity for team-working and enthusiasm for engaging with other colleagues

Desirable criteria

• Experience of teaching and supporting students at postgraduate level

Further information:

*We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, as well as a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert (via the ‘Apply’ button above). If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

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