Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University announces an open competition for the position

Associate Professor or Extraordinary Professor

Workplace: Department of Romance Languages and Literatures, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University
EU Researcher Profile: R3
Amount of Working Hours: full-time - 40 hours per week
Number of Open Positions: 1
Expected Start: 1 February 2025 
Type of Employment Contract: 1 year with possibility of extension 
Application Deadline: 30 September 2024

The Department of Romance Languages and Literatures of the Faculty of Arts of the Masaryk University is looking for an associate professor or extraordinary professor I (in case of foreign applicants) with a focus on teaching Spanish as a foreign language in secondary schools. Habilitation in a field related to teaching Spanish as a foreign language in secondary schools (Spanish language or Spanish literature, or Romance languages or Romance literatures, applied linguistics, didactics of foreign languages with a focus on Spanish) is a prerequisite. Another requirement is a robust research and publication record in the field of teaching Spanish as a foreign language, with a particular focus on teaching Spanish in secondary schools. It is expected that the candidate will be able to serve as a guarantor of the MA program in Teaching Spanish Language and Literature for Secondary Schools.

MAIN JOB CONTENT

Pedagogical

Teaching makes up 40% of the workload, it consists of:

• Conducting lectures and seminars in the field of Spanish didactics and teaching Spanish language or Spanish literature in secondary schools.
• Participation in the organization of teaching activities in collaboration with other teachers in the program Teaching Spanish Language and Literature for Secondary Schools.
• Supervising, consulting and opposing theses.

Research

Research makes up 40% of the workload, it consists of:

• Developing own research and publication activities in the field of teaching Spanish as a foreign language in secondary schools and in general, cooperation on other joint research topics within the department.
• Publication activity in relevant journals in the field indexed in Scopus and WoS databases (Q1-Q2) and openness to joint publications within the department and outside its own narrow profile.
• Involvement in the preparation and solution of own and joint grant projects.
• Participation in the organisational support of research activities within the department.

Administration and other

Administrative activities account for 20% of the workload. Specifically, this includes organizing the running of the Teaching Spanish Language and Literature for Secondary Schools programme, or according to other instructions of the Head of Department, e.g.:

• Coordination of internships at cooperating high schools where students in the program are interning.
• Communicating with teachers at cooperating high schools.
• Coordination with other guarantors of teaching programs at FFMU and participation in the activities of their didactics.
• Routine administrative tasks in the administration of one's own courses, the use of e-learning and communication with students through the MU Information System.
• Promotion of the field at secondary schools, professional forums and to the general public.

WE REQUEST

• Associate professor: the condition is habilitation in one of the fields related to teaching Spanish as a foreign language in secondary schools (Spanish language or Spanish literature, or Romance languages or Romance literatures, applied linguistics, didactics of foreign languages with a focus on Spanish).
• Extraordinary professor I (applicants from abroad): an advantage is habilitation in one of the fields related to teaching Spanish as a foreign language in secondary schools (Spanish language or Spanish literature, or Romance languages or Romance literatures, applied linguistics, didactics of foreign languages of languages with a focus on Spanish). If the applicant did not go through the habilitation process abroad, it is a condition to fulfil the requirements for scientific and research activities, which are usual for successful completion of the habilitation.
• For both positions, the condition is a successfully completed doctoral study in one of the fields related to teaching Spanish as a foreign language in secondary schools (Spanish language or Spanish literature, or Romance languages or Romance literatures, applied linguistics, didactics of foreign languages with a focus on Spanish).
• We require robust scientific research and publication activity in the field of teaching Spanish as a foreign language, especially with an orientation to teaching Spanish in secondary schools with results in leading periodicals and publishers in the field (Scopus and Wos Q1-Q2).
• We require experience with involvement in international projects in the areas of education in general and/or teaching Spanish as a foreign language in particular; experience as a PI in international projects is an advantage.
• An advantage is a broader perspective in the field of didactics of other Romance languages in secondary schools, the acquisition of Spanish as a foreign language or the acquisition of other Romance languages by non-native speakers.

Length of experience required

• Experience in the field is not required, but experience in teaching undergraduate students in a university environment is an advantage.

Language skills

• Knowledge of Spanish language at C2 level or native speaker - a prerequisite.
• Knowledge of English language at least B2 level - a prerequisite.
• Knowledge of another Romance language - an advantage.

Requirements related to job content 

• ability to communicate effectively with students and engage them in learning
• ability to provide constructive feedback to students
• ability to use modern teaching resources and materials
• ability to work collaboratively with colleagues from other programs within the department
• ability to cooperate with guarantors of other teaching programs at FFMU and their didacticians
• ability to work independently and as a team member in scientific research
• ability to participate in publishing activities
• diligence, responsibility, reliability in the performance of work tasks

The advantage is

• knowledge of the university environment
• previous experience in working in education

WE OFFER

Working environment 

• stable working environment in a prestigious institution employment in a prestigious institution awarded by the HR Excellence in Research 
• the opportunity to work in an international, interdisciplinary team of experts
• friendly and inspiring working environment  
• convenient location of the faculty in the city centre  
• a friendly approach to work-life balance 

Employee benefits  

8 weeks of paid vacation per year, flexible working hours with the possibility to work partly from home for better work life balance, meal allowance in the salary or for meals in canteens, pension insurance contribution or nursery school/ playgroup allowance, selected vaccinations free of charge, favourable mobile tariffs Vodafone, Multisport card, sports lessons organized by the Faculty of Sports Studies, the nursery school Elánek for children of employees near the faculty.  

Training and development 

Opportunities for training and personal development, e.g., language and other courses provided by MU, use of MU libraries, use of placements and mobilities abroad, participation in conferences, etc.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send your application via the electronic application link by 30. 09. 2024 (please use the link in the Electronic Application section below) and please attach all required documents.  

The following documents are required as a part of your application:

• cover letter specifying the area of research interest 
• structured CV with an overview of previous experience 
• copies of proof of education  
• overview of scientific and publishing activities  

Once your application has been successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation of acceptance to your e-mail address. After the e-application deadline, you will receive information about the next steps.

If you are unsure, please contact the FF MU Personnel Office: Mgr. Eva Brázdová Urbanová, e-mail: eva.urbanova@phil.muni.cz

SELECTION PROCESS

Selection criteria:

After submitting of all required documents in the e-application selection steps will take place as follows:

Preselection. The selection board will preliminarily assess the profile and the curriculum vitae of the candidates, paying attention to:

1. fulfilment of the requirements (doctoral studies in the required field; habilitation in the required field, or fulfilment of the criteria for a habilitated researcher);
2. quality, continuity and coherence of publications;
3. any previous research and teaching experience. The board will draw up a shortlist of candidates admitted to the next selection stage. Candidates will be notified of the results of the preselection process via email.

• Demonstration of teaching didactics. Candidates who have passed the pre-selection will give a short demonstration of teaching didactics (30 minutes) based on the information given to them at the same time as they are notified that they have passed the pre-selection.
• Interview consisting of:
  1. Discussion of the teaching demonstration
  2. Discussion of the candidate's experience in the field of training future teachers of Spanish in secondary schools.
  3. Discussion of the candidate's professional curriculum vitae and expectations for the position. The interview may be conducted in person or via video conference.

Suitable candidates will be invited to a personal interview, which may also take the form of a videoconference. Selection procedures rules at the Faculty of Arts of MU can be found on our careers page here.

Thank you for your interest and we look forward to hearing from you!

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY, THE FACULTY, AND THE DEPARTMENT

Masaryk University is the second largest university in the Czech Republic, with 10 faculties and a number of other specialized units, more than 6,000 employees and 32,000 students. We are a university with a wide range of research areas in the humanities and natural sciences and a strong international position. Our mission is to provide education and research of the highest quality.

The Faculty of Arts of Masaryk University is one of the four founding faculties of Masaryk University and since its foundation in 1919 it has been not only an important center of humanities and social science education, science, research and development, but also an institution that actively participates in shaping the cultural life of the city and the region.

Traditionally, it has been profiled as a research-oriented faculty generating approximately one-fifth of MU's research volume. The faculty has more than 600 employees and by the student population of over 6,000 is the largest faculty at the university.

Since 2021, the faculty has been the proud holder of the HR Excellence in Research Award from the European Commission.

You can find out more information about the faculty on the website https://www.phil.muni.cz/en/ or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FacultyofArtsMasarykUniversity.

For information on HR work set according to European standards, visit the HR Award faculty website:

https://www.phil.muni.cz/en/about-us/hrs4r-hr-award/.

Department

Information about the Department of Romance Languages and iteratures at the Faculty of Arts of MU  
can be found at: Ústav románských jazyků a literatur (muni.cz) 

First name and surname: Ivo Buzek
e-mail: ibuzek@phil.muni.cz