King's College London

About us

We are a thriving Centre for Arts & the Sacred at King’s (ASK), one of the world’s leading centres of expertise in Christian Theology and the Arts. ASK is situated in one of the UK’s oldest, largest, and most vibrant Departments of Theology & Religious Studies, and in the heart of London, with a large network of links to the city’s cultural institutions and creative industries.

About the role

This is a 0.8 FTE post offered as a fixed term contract for 36 months ending 31-Dec-2027. It is designed for scholars who have been awarded a PhD on a topic related to Theology and the Visual Arts and who have strong potential for developing their scholarship and establishing themselves in an academic career.

The appointee will be expected to contribute to the development of ASK as a centre of excellence.  ASK currently hosts the Theology and the Visual Arts project and, while not formally part of this project the Research Associate in Theology and the Visual Arts will support its aims and endeavours as it seeks to strengthen the foundations of the discipline and expand its horizons.

The Research Associate in Theology and the Visual Arts will be expected to publish their doctoral research as a monograph, and lay the foundations for a subsequent research project while in post. They  should seek opportunities to present their scholarly research at events within King’s, as well as at other conferences/seminars nationally and internationally, and collaborate with academic colleagues on areas of shared research interest.

They should build relationships for future collaboration, and identify potential future sources of funds.

They will be expected to develop new collaborative work with a London art gallery/museum, and contribute to raising the profile of ASK through, for example, schools liaison, public lecturing, and broadcasting, acting as a flagbearer for and promoter of the ground-breaking work we do at King’s.

If required, offer some undergraduate and MA teaching and supervision in the area of Theology, Bible, and the Arts at King’s.

The postholder will be responsible to Professor Ben Quash, the Director of ASK.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1. PhD qualified in relevant subject area.
2. Knowledge of Christian Theology, and interest/expertise in visual art.
3. Clear proposal for a subsequent research project.
4. Proven skills in online, library, and archive-based research.
5. Excellent organizational, IT and communication skills.
6. Ability to work independently.
7. Ideas for the development of new collaborative work with a London art gallery/museum.

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the next page after you click “Apply Now”. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Further information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.

We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘How we Recruit’ pages.

We are able to offer sponsorship for candidates who do not currently possess the right to work in the UK.