Lecturer or Associate Professor in Computational Humanities and Social Science

JOB DESCRIPTION

Lecturer / Associate Professor in Computational Humanities and Social Science: Grade 8; £56,431-£62,903 Grade 9: £68,284-£74,166 (including London Allowance) Department of Information Studies: Location: London (UCL East & Bloomsbury)

Reports to

Head of Department

Context

The UCL Department of Information Studies (DIS) in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities launched the Information, Data & Society BSc programme in 2024. The department also offers postgraduate qualifications for the library, archive, and information professions, publishing, information and data science, and digital humanities, and collaborates in the delivery of an inter-faculty BSc in Information Management for Business. We have a strong international reputation for research and are deeply committed to our teaching quality.

Main purpose of the job

The Department of Information Studies at UCL invites applications for a Lectureship or Associate Professorship in Computational Humanities and Social Sciences (Grade 8 or 9). We seek a scholar whose work brings an applied computational and quantitative methodological approach to research questions about society in the humanities or social sciences, with a special focus on aspects relating to data and information, in line with the nature of the Department of Information Studies. The successful candidate will combine a high degree of technical competence with a compelling and substantive research agenda.

The successful candidate will also demonstrate their ability to contribute to the teaching and development of digital and quantitative methods courses across our undergraduate programme in Information, Data, and Society BSc at UCL East as set out in the Programme Prospectus.

We invite candidates to outline in their cover letter which 2-3 of the following undergraduate modules they could contribute to, either via team teaching or as module lead (we do not expect candidates to cover all listed modules):

INST0065 Data Visualisation

INST0082 Analysing Textual Data at Scale

INST0086 Foundations of Statistical Methods and Computing

INST0091 Introduction to Programming INST0106 Research Design We welcome applicants from disciplinary backgrounds including information studies, social sciences, digital and computational humanities, cultural analytics, or adjacent fields. Candidates should demonstrate computational research that engages meaningfully with societal topics in the humanities and social sciences, while being methodologically rigorous. Candidates should be building a record of high-quality publications and an ambitious research trajectory, centred on the themes of information, data and society.

The Information, Data, and Society BSc attracts students from around the world with a wide range of technical abilities and interdisciplinary interests. The successful candidate will be able to design and deliver teaching that is accessible, engaging, and relevant to students who are not technical specialists, and who approach data and digital systems from diverse cultural, social, and critical perspectives. Experience of undergraduate teaching in small and large groups, as well as in a pastoral role would be welcome. Candidates are strongly advised to read the programme prospectus before applying (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/study/prospective-students/undergraduate/courses/information-data-and-society-bsc). A fuller view of modules offered on the Programme can be found by searching the module codes for the degree on the UCL module catalogue.

The role includes undergraduate teaching, dissertation supervision at UG, PhD, and potentially also MA level, they may be asked to develop and lead a new module aligned with their expertise in addition to teaching on existing modules, including through taking on strategic or developmental roles related to departmental governance and administration. We seek an ambitious scholar with a commitment to interdisciplinary teaching and collaboration. The successful candidate will join a department committed to critical, applied inquiry into the complex interplay of information, data, and society, and will help shape the future of teaching and research at UCL.

This is a fulltime, openended appointment with a negotiable start date, but ideally in early 2027. UCL is able to sponsor visas.

This post is NOT aimed at candidates whose primary expertise lies in computer science, AI/ML, business analytics, digital marketing, or health informatics. We seek a scholar whose technical skills are embedded within humanities or social science research, rather than oriented toward optimisation, modelling, clinical applications, or media production. Candidates who do not have a completed and awarded PhD in a relevant subject will not be shortlisted.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Interviews will take place on Friday 4th December 2026.

Any queries about the role not already covered in this document can be addressed to Dr Daniel Wilson: daniel.c.s.wilson@ucl.ac.uk Queries relating to the recruitment process and/or reasonable adjustments can be addressed to Terrie Fiawoo: t.fiawoo@ucl.ac.uk As part of your application please attach (under the other documents section) ONLY the following.

• Personal/Supporting Statement (Max 2 pages), guidance listed below
• Research Statement (Max 2 pages)
• A CV (Max 4pp)

Duties and responsibilities

To teach at undergraduate and graduate level in topics related to computational and quantitative methodologies in the humanities and/or social sciences, allocated by and reviewed regularly by the Head of Department.

To carry out research, including producing publications and applying for external funding, in line with personal objectives agreed in the Staff Appraisal process.

To supervise or assist with supervision of taught undergraduate, graduate (MA/MSc) and research graduate (MPhil/PhD) students and undergraduate dissertations.

To contribute to the development, planning, and implementation of a high-quality curriculum.

To assist in the development of learning materials, preparing schemes of work and maintaining records to monitor student progress, achievement and attendance.

To participate in the development, administration and marking of assessments, including in relation to AI To provide pastoral care and support to students.

To maintain their own continuing professional development.

To participate in the administration of the Department's programmes of study and other activities as requested.

To contribute to Departmental, Faculty, and/or UCL-wide working groups or committees as requested.

To take on substantive enabling roles as assigned by the Head of Department (Grade 9).

General

Follow and actively promote the UCL Ways of Working.

Carry out any other duties within the scope, spirit and purpose of the job as requested by the line manager.

Follow UCL policies including Equal Opportunities and Equality policies.

Carry out their duties in a way that embodies UCL's environmental and social sustainability values, actively supporting UCL's Sustainability Strategy, policies and objectives within the remit of the role.

Maintain an awareness and observation of Fire and Health & Safety regulations.

Continue developing skills and knowledge in work practices, policies and procedures.

This job description may be reviewed and be subject to amendment in consultation with the post holder.

Person SpecificationNote to job applicant: Copy and paste the following criteria into your “Statement in support of your application” and describe underneath each criteria how you meet it, giving examples. You will be scored on how you meet each criteria.

See Key Steps to Complete the Application and The Best Structure for Your Statement, below, for more guidance on how to complete your application.

Essential Criteria: Assessment method (Application form/ Interview/Practical Test)

Qualifications, experience and knowledge

PhD in a relevant subject: Application

Experience of advanced level research in computational humanities or computational social science: Application Expert knowledge sufficient to deliver advanced level teaching focussed on computational and quantitative methodologies on an interdisciplinary humanities programme.: Application/Interview Teaching and teaching support experience at university level.: Application/Interview Curriculum design experience, including innovative curriculum development and learning material creation.: Application/Interview Experience of supporting the learning needs of students from all cultures and backgrounds, and students with a range of disabilities.: Application/Interview Experience of assessing student work, using a variety of assessment approaches that are appropriate in the context of AI: Application/Interview Experience of teaching styles and strategies in the humanities.: Application/Interview

Skills and abilities

Evidence of ability to teach from an introductory to a high level of skill at undergraduate level.: Application/Interview Evidence of ability to conduct high quality research which is reflected in the authorship of high-quality publications: Application/Interview Evidence of supervision of research-oriented academic work by undergraduate, Master’s or doctoral students.: Application/Interview Ability to manage time, work to strict deadlines and complete administrative tasks in a timely fashion.: Application/Interview Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills.: Application/Interview Ability to participate in the pastoral care of students.: Application/Interview Evidence of interest in cross- or interdisciplinarity, either in research or in curriculum development.: Application/Interview

UCL Ways of Working

Taking pride in delivering an excellent service to colleagues, students, partners and the wider community.: Application form/ Interview Listening closely, and speaking with clarity to all colleagues, staff, students, and partners.: Application form/ Interview Anticipating and avoiding potential strategic flaws and risks in plans.: Application form/ Interview Commitment to and knowledge of advancing equality, diversity and inclusion.: Application form/ Interview

Desirable Criteria

Teaching qualification, ideally in higher education setting, or a willingness to work towards one.: Application Experience in submitting and/or reviewing research ethics applications or in applying structured ethical frameworks within research practice.: Application/Interview

Key Steps to Complete the Application

• Read the Job Description: Review the role requirements and the Person Specification to understand the essential and desirable criteria.
• Create an Account: Register or log in via the UCL Job Site. You can save your progress and return to it before the deadline.
• Complete the Personal/Supporting Statement: Address each point in the person specification directly. Note that online text boxes have character limits, so you may add your statement to your application as a separate file in the Other Attachement section

Accepted file formats: jpg, xlsx, bmp, png, wpd, docx, pptx, pdf, ppt, xlsm, doc, jpeg, text, xls. Maximum File Size: 10240 kB

• Submit and Track: Click submit before the closing time and watch your UCL Candidate Portal for email acknowledgements and updates.

The Best Structure for Your Statement

To structure your UCL supporting statement effectively, you should organise it around the Person Specification provided with the job description. UCL panels use a scoring matrix directly tied to these criteria, so making your matches explicit is essential.

• Introduction (1 short paragraph): State the job title, reference number, and your enthusiastic intent to apply.
• Core Body Sections (Organised by themes): Address each criterion in the person specification
• Conclusion (1 short paragraph): Reiterate your excitement for the role and your commitment to UCL’s values.

Step-by-Step Writing Framework

1. Address Every Single Criterion

• Do NOT write a long essay, instead copy and paste each criterion listed in the Person Specification and explain beneath it how you meet the requirement, using specific examples from your experience. Your application will be assessed against each criterion, so address all Essential and Desirable criteria in turn. This makes it incredibly easy for the recruiter to tick off your qualifications.
• Dedicate 1–2 short paragraphs to each criterion. Do not skip any essential criteria, as failing to meet even one can disqualify you from shortlisting.
• The STAR Methodology can be very helpful in organising your paragraphs

Critical Tips Before Submitting

• Draft Outside the Portal: The UCL MyView application portal can timeout, and formatting can sometimes break. Always draft your statement in a standard word processor (like Word or Google Docs) first.