Part-Time Assistant (EXPIRED)

The British Society of Aesthetics seeks to appoint a paid part-time assistant to support the Society’s Officers in matters requiring subject-specific knowledge of the current state of philosophical aesthetics. Though there are likely to be some administrative duties associated with the role, the post is not primarily administrative; the BSA already has an administrator.  The post is home-based although some travel to meetings may be required.

Duties of Post

Duties of the post are widely defined to include, by delegation, carrying out research and implementation requiring expertise in philosophical aesthetics on the Officers’ behalf. An indicative list would include locating and approaching external readers for the BSA’s various script committees, acting in an advisory and/or chairing capacity to such committees and competitions, liaising with speakers, overseeing review processes, vetting applications and submissions, drafting or revising the terms of various competitions, or doing preliminary research on such new initiatives as the Society may be considering.

Terms of appointment

The post reports to the Society’s Vice President and/or President. The post will be paid at £15 per hour for up to 200 hours per annum as required. As a non-elected position, the post-holder will not be eligible to vote on the BSA executive committee in their capacity as part-time assistant (though the post could in principle be held by a current member of the BSA executive committee who otherwise has a vote in their capacity as an elected trustee). The appointment is for one year in the first instance, renewable subject to satisfactory review. After a year the hours required will also be reviewed.  

Person specification

Applicants would normally be expected to be UK-based members of the Society at the time of application. A PhD in philosophy and demonstrable research expertise in aesthetics are required. Preference may be given to applicants who do not yet hold a full-time permanent academic position, in order to support an early career researcher in aesthetics at a transitional moment in their early career.  

Application procedure and interviews

Applications should consist of a full CV, including the names of two referees (plus one back up) who can speak to the candidate’s suitability for this post, plus a covering letter setting out the candidate’s own view of their suitability and qualifications for the role. Short-listed candidates will be interviewed by members of the BSA’s executive committee. Deadline for applications: Friday 16 March. Interviews are likely to take place in London in April. Please send your application by email to the Society’s Administrator, Caroline Auty (email address below).