Teaching Associate for Foundations

About the Blavatnik School of Government

Our vision is of a world better led, a world better served and a world better governed. We are a global school committed to improving the quality of government and public policymaking worldwide, through three routes: teaching current and future leaders; generating research with impact; and engaging with governments and practitioners.

What we offer

The School is a collaborative, friendly, and dynamic department based in an award-winning building in Oxford. We host regular events and talks with well-known guest speakers – all of which are open to staff. On the social side, we have regular coffee/cake mornings for staff, a family-friendly Halloween event, and Christmas and summer parties.

As an employer, we genuinely care about our employees’ wellbeing and this is reflected in the range of benefits that we offer including:

• An excellent contributory pension scheme
• 38 days’ annual leave
• Family leave schemes and a comprehensive range of childcare services
• Cycle loan scheme and discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans
• Membership to a variety of social and sports clubs
• Opportunities for hybrid working

About the role

The Blavatnik School of Government is seeking to recruit a Teaching Associate to join the teaching team for the compulsory Foundations module within the Master in Public Policy (MPP). Foundations runs in Michaelmas term (October - December).

The aim of Foundations is to prepare students to reflectively and critically evaluate the moral commitments that do, and should, inform public policy. The course addresses some key questions that every government must resolve. It focuses on the following five framework questions: What is the aim of government? What are the limits on its action? What do governments owe future generations? Who gets what? and Who decides? The course also develops students’ philosophical and ethical understanding through practical reflection on some policy areas that engage these questions and are of contemporary concern. These include gender, religion, migration, historical injustice,  and protest and revolution. In closing, we explore some of the moral dilemmas that arise for individuals who deliver public policy. Case studies ensure that moral and political principles are applied practically.

As a Teaching Associate, you would be expected to: serve as a Seminar Leader; take a lead role with respect to organisation of seminars; contribute to assessment; assist the module convenors with administration. There may also be opportunities to undertake a small amount of lecturing and case study teaching. While primary teaching on the Foundations module occurs in Michaelmas term, other Teaching Associate duties may be spread out over the full academic year.

This post if fixed-term for one year and on a variable hours basis.

About you

You should hold a relevant Master’s degree in political philosophy/political theory and sufficient depth and breadth of knowledge in political philosophy to develop module materials. Experience and excellence in teaching and leading seminars, and the ability to teach to non-specialists are also essential.

Application Process

Please upload a supporting statement that outlines how you meet the selection criteria in your own words, along with your CV and the details of two referees as part of your online application.

The closing date for applications is at 12 noon (UK time) on Thursday 15 May 2025.

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