***INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY***
The Department of Mathematical Sciences is seeking to appoint a Graduate Teaching Assistant to work on modules across the Department.
Applicants must be registered for a postgraduate research degree at the University of Essex during all or part of the academic year 2020-2021. The post will be offered as a fixed-term employment contract.
Although an overarching contract will be in place for the duration of postgraduate studies, GTAs will need to apply for individual posts and will have no entitlement to future engagements beyond their initial post. The reason the contract is fixed-term is that these posts provide an opportunity for postgraduate research students to develop interpersonal, communication and practical skills.
Range of hours offered
The total number of hours per week will be determined by the number of classes undertaken by each Graduate Teaching Assistant.
Purpose of the role and responsibilities
GTAs support academic staff at the University by performing teaching or teaching related duties in line with business need and affordability. This post also provides a development opportunity for postgraduate students to develop their teaching skills in preparation for more senior teaching posts in future and to achieve professional recognition.
Teaching should normally be undergraduate class teaching/seminars or demonstrating, using existing teaching materials. Lecturing duties, and any delivery of teaching at Masters level, would not usually be undertaken by GTAs/GLAs/GDs and must be associated with a student's research interest, and require prior approval from the Deputy Dean (Education) of the relevant Faculty in which the teaching will be conducted.
Marking should be undertaken in line with the Marking Policy and with permission from the Deputy Dean (Education), on the basis of a case made by the Head of Department.
The main duties of the post are:
1) Teaching classes to students, providing them with a thorough knowledge of the subject and enabling them to meet the learning outcomes.
2) Preparation time-lesson planning, reading around the subject.
3) Attending the lecture associated with the class.
4) Holding academic support hours related to the courses taught and undertaking student liaison (e.g. responding to emails).
5) Undertaking related administrative duties relating to the module as and when required.
6) Marking coursework and assignments.
Background Knowledge and Skills required
The following knowledge and skills are required for this role:
Knowledge/Qualifications - Essential:
1) Undergraduate degree in a relevant subject area
2) Studying for a PhD in a relevant area but not in further completion
3) Good knowledge of the subject area being taught.
4) Willing to undertake training to the requirements of the post.
Skills – Essential:
1) Able to communicate academic and teaching material clearly to both academic staff and a wide range of students.
2) Effective organisation skills to manage time and prioritise different duties
3) Able to present work on a well-structured and coherent manner
4) Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Experience – Desirable:
1) Some experience in delivery of academic content to small groups using oral presentation
2) Previous experience of teaching
3) Previous experience of assessing student’s work and providing feedback.
Training and Support
Graduate teaching assistants will receive close supervision and direction from the module supervisor, including regular feedback, pastoral support and guidance. The module supervisor will give full background on the module and clear direction on the content to be taught and the preparation necessary, and will undertake assessment of teaching.
GTAs must engage in professional development activity related to teaching, learning and assessment responsibilities. All GTAs are expected to achieve Associate Fellowship of the HEA (CADENZA) at the first possible opportunity and by the end of their first year of teaching (or they will not normally be able to continue teaching as a GTA). GTAs will be paid for all mandatory training. The following training should be undertaken:
General Information about the Department
You can find more information about the department at the following link: http://www.essex.ac.uk/maths/
How to Apply
Please send a completed application form, CV, covering letter to Sanja Marjanovic, s.marjanovic@essexa.ac.uk by 5th February 2021.