Lecturer / Senior Lecturer in Computer Games /

Computer Programming
Reference number:
BUS1009 - 277
Closing Date:
14/10/2010
Salary:
AC2/3, £29,972 - £44,015 pa with opportunity to progress to £48,096 pa
Department:
Worcester Business School
Hours
Full time
Start
October 2010 or as soon as possible thereafter
Duration:
Permanent
Responsible to:
Head of Worcester Business School
Responsible for:
N/A
Interview date:
27th October 2010

Overview
For an informal discussion regarding the post, please contact Mark Richardson, Head of
Worcester Business School, on 01905 855576 or Warren Wright, Director of Planning
and Resources on 01905 855438.

Selection methods include:

 Interview, including a 5-minute presentation on ‘Developing a curriculum to inspire

Games Programmers to begin a career in independent games development’

 A 30-minute teaching session with a small group of 4 or 5 Masters level students

(further information will be provided to shortlisted candidates)

WORCESTER BUSINESS SCHOOL

Worcester Business School is one of six Institutes within the University of Worcester.
The School incorporates a range of Business and Computing courses at undergraduate
and postgraduate level.
The focus of our activity is professionally credible education delivered within a highly
supportive learning environment. We aspire to create an inspirational learning experience
and academics are encouraged to maintain research, scholarship and knowledge transfer
activity to underpin their teaching.

The appointee will be based within the Computing subject group, one of four subject
groups within the School. The School does however remain committed to
interdisciplinary working, both within the School and beyond.

Mission:
Worcester Business School’s mission is to develop highly informed, innovative and
entrepreneurial Business and Computing graduates and to play an increasingly valuable
role in the development of the regional economy.

Focus:
Our focus is inspirational learning, teaching & assessment, which is professionally
credible, informed by research & advanced scholarship, and delivered within a supportive
learning environment.

Approach:
 Develop and maintain a relevant and attractive course portfolio.
 Deliver an educational experience that is inspirational, is underpinned by research &
scholarship, and supports the personal and professional development of participants.
 Add value to the course proposition, through mechanisms such as active employer
engagement in curriculum development and course delivery, optional work placements,
work-based learning, international exchange, professional body accreditation and an
innovative approach to learning, teaching & assessment.
 Enhance student achievement and the employability of our graduates.
 Invest significant resource in the development of academic staff, especially in:
 Curriculum development and course leadership
 Learning, teaching & assessment
 Research, scholarship and knowledge transfer
 Continually enhance relationships with key stakeholder groups through integrated
marketing communications and focussed business development activity.
 Create powerful relationships with key organisational leaders to support the
development of the School within its regional context.
 Ensure our portfolio of activities reflects our local market context – dominated by
SMEs and Public Sector organisations – and an increasingly international perspective.

Background
The Business School has developed an attractive portfolio of undergraduate, postgraduate
and professional development courses. The portfolio and proposition continue to evolve
as mechanisms such as the optional one-year business placement, the IoD Mentor
Scheme, Professional Body accreditation and new collaborative partnerships are
established.
The Business School is delivering rapid growth in student numbers. Total projected
numbers for the Business School will rise from c. 530 in 2006/07 to c. 1300 in 2010/11.
Substantial work has been invested in enhancing student satisfaction, retention and
performance. NSS results for 2008/09 ranked Computing 32nd out of 88 nationally
(source: UoW, 2009).

Applications for 2009 entry to the BSc (Hons) Computing course portfolio are up 63.4%.

Main duties
1. To take responsibility for the development and delivery of learning, teaching and
assessment of a range of Games Design, Games Development and Programming
modules. This can include substantial responsibility for the design and delivery of
teaching and learning, for curriculum development and for the student experience more
broadly, through Module / Course Leadership.

2. To demonstrate innovative approaches to teaching and support for students through the
use of a wide range of learning resources and appropriate pedagogic practice.

3. To ensure that the teaching for which you are responsible is informed by contemporary
research, scholarship and knowledge transfer in the relevant field and develops the ability
of students to engage in debate, critical discourse and rational thinking.

4. To provide applicants and students with high quality academic advice and guidance.

5. To reflect critically on teaching for which you are responsible; implementing

improvements, disseminating good practice and contributing to quality monitoring &
enhancement.

6. To undertake applied research through:

 contributing to applied research groups
 making a substantial contribution to securing and delivering external projects
 developing networks nationally / internationally
 supervising research students
 disseminating research outputs

7. To undertake work with a range of external partners and professional bodies.

8. To contribute to enhancing the external profile of the University.

9. To work effectively as a team member and where appropriate leading, coaching and
mentoring members of staff.

10. To undertake professional development in support of learning & teaching, scholarship

& applied research, and curriculum management.
*Maintain personal and professional development to meet the changing demands of the
job; participate in appropriate training activities and encourage and support staff in their
development and training.

*Take steps to ensure and enhance personal health, safety and well being and that of
other staff and students.

*Carry out these duties in a manner that promotes equality of opportunity and supports
diversity and inclusion, and takes into account the University's commitment to
environmentally sustainable ways of working.

Person Specification
Please provide evidence of how you meet each of the essential criteria.

Essential

1. Masters degree in related subject.

2. Capacity to delivery credible Games Design, Games Development and Programming

teaching.

3. Expertise in a range of Object Oriented programming languages e.g. C++/C#.

4. Expertise with appropriate software development tools, such as Microsoft Visual

Studio Integrated Development Environment.

5. Expertise with game engines such as Microsoft XNA , Torque, Unity, Unreal
Tournament, XBox programming.

6. Teaching experience at higher education level with evidence of successful student

learning outcomes and good pedagogic practice OR high quality presentation skills, and
experience of mentoring or developing senior professionals.

7. Experience of working on applied research projects OR experience of professional

practice / consultancy within the game industry / the field of independent game
development / in the field of real-time interactive simulations.

8. Commitment to delivering high quality outputs

9. Effective organisational skills and, at Senior Lecturer level, effective management

skills
10. Ability to work as an effective team member and, at Senior Lecturer level, experience
in leading an effective team.

11. Suitable level of proficiency in ICT and understanding of its application to teaching,
learning and applied research.

12. Effective oral and written communication skills.

13. Ability to relate to students with diverse backgrounds, ages and experience

Desirable

1. PhD in a related subject.

2. Evidence of positive contribution to the wider student experience.

3. Evidence of securing and/or delivering externally funded projects.

4. Experience in a range of games programming methodologies, techniques and

approaches e.g. Shader programming.

5. Experience of teaching Research Methods to Computing undergraduates.

*Unless a candidate can offer at least 3 years full time experience of teaching within
higher education, and an accredited teaching qualification for the higher education
environment or registered practitioner status with the HE Academy, then completion of
the probationary period will be dependent on the successful completion of the
Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education which is
delivered within University of Worcester.

Disclosure
This employment is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Candidates
will be required to declare any criminal convictions, cautions or bind-overs, including
any that would be regarded as spent under the Act in other circumstances. If you are
selected for appointment you will be required to apply to the Criminal Records Bureau
for an Enhanced Disclosure.

Applications from Non EEA Workers:

Prospective applicants are advised to ensure that they are eligible to work in the UK
without restriction. Further details can be found at the Home Office UK Border agency
website at http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/ and the points based
calculator can be found at www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/pointscalculator