County Durham
Employer Est.:£30K – £36K
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Assistant Digital Learning Developer (Job Number: 23002163)
Science Faculty Office
Grade 6: – £29,605 – £36,024 per annum
Fixed Term – Full Time
Contract Duration: up to 12 months
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Closing Date: 11-Jan-2024, 5:59:00 PM
Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement: Not Applicable.
The University
At Durham University we are proud of our people. A globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other.
Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally. Whether you are at the very start, middle or end of your career, there is a role for you. We believe everyone has their own unique skills to offer.
We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University. Further information about the University can be found here.
The Role and the Department
Durham University is committed to providing a high-quality inclusive teaching experience for all of our students. We use digital technologies and pedagogies to their best advantage whenever appropriate.
The Assistant Digital Learning Developer will make a significant contribution to the development of digital pedagogy in the Faculty of Science. The successful candidate will provide technical and subject expertise and specialist advice, and will be responsible for developing, testing and refining high quality digital learning resources, activities, and programmes to support Durham’s diverse student community.
The Assistant Digital Learning Developer will support the creation of high-quality digital learning materials and resources, working within a team to meet required specifications, ensuring that content developed is accessible and pedagogically effective.
We are pleased to offer hybrid working as part of this role, with a requirement of being on site for a minimum of 2 days a week in line with university policy and business need.
We welcome applications from internal candidates interested in a secondment.
Working at Durham
A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University: you will also receive access to the following fantastic benefits:
- 27 Days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 39 days per year. The University closes between Christmas and New Year.
- No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies.
- Lots of support for health and wellbeing including discounted membership for our state of the art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
- On site nursery is available and access to holiday camps for children aged 5-16 throughout the year.
- Family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, which are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
- There is a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities.
- The opportunity to take part in staff volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community.
- Discounts are available via our benefits portal including; money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, the cinema and days out at various attractions.
- We offer generous pension schemes.
Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion
Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work.
As a University equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. It’s important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.
We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.
What you need to demonstrate when you apply/Person Specification
When you apply it is important that you let us know what skills/experience you have from a similar role and/or what skills/experience you have which would make you right for this role. Further information about the role and responsibilities is at the end of this job description. Where a criteria has an asterisk* next to it, it may be given additional weighting when your application is considered.
Your application should cover the following criteria:
Essential Criteria
Qualifications/Experience
Ability to engage with academic staff in subjects within the Faculty of Science.
1. Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience)
2. Industry or professional knowledge/recognition relevant to the role supported by relevant courses or certification.
3. Strong communication skills and experience of working with, and engaging, academic staff at all levels.*
4. Knowledge of digital pedagogy, the process of design, and the technical tools required for implementation.*
5. Experience of having designed and developed accessible online learning content, activities, or courses.*
6. Experience of working in a team
7. Experience of implementing policies and procedures.
Skills/Abilities/Knowledge
8. Good spoken and written communication skills including the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally.
9. Strong digital competence across a range digital devices and apps e.g. online learning environments*, Microsoft 365 applications, and Adobe Creative Cloud*.
10. Committed to continuing professional development.
11. Regulatory, local and national professional knowledge and experience of compliance.
12. Ability to solve problems and decide on and plan appropriate solutions.
13. Professional knowledge and expertise in one or more areas of technical specialism, and the application of skills to create, build, construct and realise new and innovative resources, equipment and research outputs.
14. Demonstrable ability to deliver high precision technical skills and the operation of standard and complex scientific, technical and creative equipment.
Desirable Criteria
15. Educated to degree level in the field of either learning design, digital education, educational technology or similar
16. Continuing professional development required to maintain professional recognition. Hold either Fellowship of HEA (FHEA) or CMALT Accreditation
17. Ability to provide specialist advice and support to academics on the development of online learning materials and programmes.
18. Experience of creating interactive or rich-media digital content that is engaging and accessible.
How to apply
To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification above. Where there are desirable criteria we would also urge you to provide any relevant evidence. Please don’t forget to check if there is any weighted criteria (see above).
While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.
Submitting your application
We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points during the process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails
What you are required to submit:
- A CV
- A covering letter or statement which shows examples of how you meet all of the criteria within the Person Specification
Contact details
If you would like to have a chat or ask any questions about the role, Adel Gordon would be happy to speak to you. Please email adel.e.gordon@durham.ac.uk.
Typical Role Requirements
Service Delivery
- Show a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and the University’s values.
- Ensure that the University’s procedures and values are always reflected in all aspects of the service and adapt ways of working where this is not evident.
- Provide specialist advice and make decisions to resolve problems relating to the services you are responsible eg. learning resource development, pedagogical practice; translating external requirements into practical application and advice.
- Share technical knowledge and expertise to support other team members.
- Use your experience and problem-solving skills to investigate and resolve issues relevant to your role and make recommendations based on your findings.
- Reactive and proactive service provision with others to deliver an excellent stakeholder experience.
- Collect, organise and record data and information accurately to provide reports.
- Manage, maintain and monitor designated equipment and systems to ensure safety, security and compliance.
- Carry out specialist risk assessments and resolve incidents that require specialist expertise.
- Contribute to business meetings, working groups and committees to help shape service delivery and stakeholder expectations.
- Expert user with equipment either physical, virtual or digital.
- Support the capture of business requirements from users and work with colleagues to translate these into recommendations for future service provision.
Planning and Organising
- Experienced service practitioner, planning and co-ordinating of projects and work streams with inter-related activities.
- Plan and organise own workload to deliver the role, with or without involvement with project work streams.
- Deliver assigned projects in accordance with agreed objectives ensuring a high level of accuracy, complexity, originality and excellence.
- Supervise the work of staff and teams involved in undertaking activities, delivering events, project work and exhibitions.
- Seek feedback from relevant stakeholders to ensure that the service is updated to meet customer expectations.
- Work within budgets and expenditure including buying (and returning) goods and services.
Teaching and Learning Support
- Provide high-level technical guidance and advice to solve problems and help shape the delivery of teaching and learning to academic stakeholders, to support teaching and learning activities within a defined area, specifically providing specialist support to academics on the development of online learning materials and programmes.
- Develop digital resources, courses, and materials to meet design specifications and create interactive or rich-media digital content that is engaging and accessible.
- Design and deliver training for others outside of the team in aspects of digital pedagogy, both face-to- face and online.
- Arrange the maintenance of technical and experimental facilities, teaching and research environments.
- Carry out a range of activities that includes the commissioning, construction and set-up of test and experimental scenarios and practical sessions.
- Setup, demonstrate, instruct and supervise the use and operation of specialist pieces of equipment.
- Record, monitor and collate information, analyse patterns and trends as part of teaching and research activities.
Communication/Liaison
- Develop and improve services by taking part in meetings, working groups and committees.
- Explain and demonstrate to others how to carry out tasks and use a range of digital tools.
- Create good working relationships, including internal and external networks which allow you to increase your knowledge and skills, while swapping information with peers.
- Build relationships with networks, internally and externally, to share good practice, exchange knowledge and information, update knowledge and skills, and work together on joint initiatives.
- Any other reasonable duties.
Useful links
Find out more about the Faculty of Science.
Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Privacy Notices – Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.
MATERNITY COVER
Appointment to this post is fixed term to cover the substantive post holder’s maternity leave and is not anticipated to be extended.
SECONDMENT
The post is full time, fixed term for a one year period and may be offered on an internal secondment basis subject to the agreement of the current line manager.
When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.