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Campus Location: Melbourne, Australia

  • Conduct high-level research for the Australian Research Council funded project 'The Vandal Renaissance: Latin Literature in Post-Roman Africa'
  • Access mentoring and specialist philological training in the Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry
  • Full time, fixed term role (22 months), based at our Melbourne campus

About ACU:

Australian Catholic University (ACU) is an inclusive community which welcomes students and staff of all beliefs. ACU has over 2,500 staff supporting more than 34,000 students across eight campuses - Ballarat, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, North Sydney, Strathfield, Blacktown and Rome.

As valued members of our community, all staff members are expected to have an understanding of ACU's mission and values and to demonstrate an active contribution to them.

About the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy:

The Faculty of Theology and Philosophy is the largest Faculty of its kind in Australia, comprised of two national schools, the School of Theology and the School of Philosophy and the Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry and the Dianoia Institute of Philosophy. ACU has prioritised research intensification and has developed a strategy designed to achieve excellence in a selected number of areas of strategic priority, including theology and philosophy. The outcome has been a remarkable transformation in the research standing of the University. In the 2019 THE World University Rankings, ACU rose to the 401-500 band for research and specifically to the 201-300 band in the Arts and Humanities subject rankings, which includes Philosophy. The investment in theology and philosophy is further evidenced through the results of the recent assessment of research quality conducted by the Australian Research Council, known as ERA (Excellence in Research for Australia). The 2018 ERA results rank ACU first in religion and religious studies in Australia, with our research in both philosophy and religion and religious studies rated 'above world standard'.

About the Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry:

The Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry (IRCI) collaborates with researchers from around the globe to examine ideas, beliefs and history in order to advance understanding of our world and imagine ways to improve it. To this end the IRCI promotes collaborative research on religion and critical thought from multiple disciplinary perspectives, including philosophy, theology, history, and literature. It explores the inter-relationships between philosophy, religion, and their cultural contexts, and contributes to contemporary philosophical, theological, social, and political debates. Founded in 2014, the Institute is still in a growth phase but has three established research programs: Biblical and Early Christian Studies, Medieval and Early Modern Studies, and Religion and Theology. Each program includes full-time researchers and research students. The IRCI has established research partnerships with leading institutions in Europe, the UK and North America, and presents a series of research seminars each year at ACU's Rome Campus. It sits within the Faculty for Theology and Philosophy, the largest such Faculty in Australia, which offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses and higher research degrees across six campuses. In the recent ERA 2015 assessment, the University was ranked at above world standard (ERA score of 4) in Religion and Religious Studies and in Philosophy, placing it among the best universities in Australia in these fields. Research activities encompass projects, seminars, workshops, public engagement and conferences that enhance intellectual discourse and debate.

About the Vandal Renaissance Project:

The Vandal Renaissance Project investigates the Latin literature of the Vandal kingdom of North Africa. It expects to identify a vibrant literary culture that celebrated multicultural diversity, embraced the Classical tradition and contributed to Christian theology, while helping form a distinct Vandal identity. Expected outcomes include a more detailed understanding of the intellectual influences on Vandal African authors, the mechanics of Vandal court patronage and the breadth of these authors' contribution to the history of Latin literature. https://www.acu.edu.au/research-and-enterprise/our-research-institutes/…

About the role:

As the Research Associate, you'll conduct high-level research for the Australian Research Council funded project 'The Vandal Renaissance: Latin Literature in Post-Roman Africa (435-534CE) DP220100395. You'll provide the first detailed assessment of which poems in the Anthologia Latina fit the context of Vandal Africa, which will require wide reading of the Latin poetry in Late Antiquity, including the poetry of Vandal Africa that was not preserved in the Anthologia Latina, so that a comparative framework may be developed which identifies the defining characteristics of Vandal Latin poetry.

This postdoctoral project will be critical to ensuring that the project's outputs make a holistic assessment of the literature of Vandal Africa. This position will work under the supervision of Dr Michael Hanaghan and will have access to mentoring and specialist philological training, including from Dr. Stephen Carlson, an expert in cladistics and computational philological methods and Professor Chris Ocker, an expert in medieval Latin philology. The Research Associate will work within each part of the project, as a valued and fully integrated colleague, who will attend its workshops and conferences in Sydney, Melbourne and Rome and present and publish important findings. ACU is also committed to supporting the Research Associate in applying for competitive grants at both a domestic and international level. The Research Associate will be expected to contribute to enhancing the profile of the Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry at ACU and in addition, they will contribute to the research life of the Institute through participation in and presentation of seminars to disseminate the outcomes of research, through collaboration with designated partner institutions.

You will need to have:

  • A PhD in Latin literature.
  • Ability to work effectively both individually and collegially as part of a collaborative research team.
  • A track record of publication in Latin literature and/or Late Antiquity.
  • Ability to engage in interdisciplinary research in the general fields of literature, history and theology, especially in the areas represented by the Institute.
  • Ability to undertake public engagement activities and in communicating research to a wide public audience.

The University pursues an excellence agenda and offers an environment where staff are welcomed and safe, and valued through development, participation and involvement.

How to Apply:

Obtain the Position Description from the website. Applicants are expected to address all selection criteria listed in the position description and outline how they would support the mission of the university. To apply for this role click the 'View Position Description and Apply' buttons above or below. Visit Hints and Tips on how to apply.

Total remuneration valued to $83,381 - $113,156 total rem (pro rata) pa, including salary component $70,458 - $95,618 (pro rata) pa (Academic Level A), employer contribution to superannuation and annual leave loading.

General enquiries can be sent to Dr Michael Hanaghan, Research Fellow, Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry at: michael.hanaghan@acu.edu.au

For applicants currently based overseas, ACU will provide support for relocation expenses and visa sponsorship.

Equal Opportunity and Privacy of personal information is University policy. For more details visit: www.acu.edu.au/careers

Find out more information on the benefits of working at ACU at: www.acu.edu.au/about-acu/careers-at-acu/why-work-at-acu

ACU is committed to diversity and social inclusion in its employment practices. Applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disabilities and people from culturally diverse groups are encouraged.

Advertised: 26-JUL-2022

Applications close: 31-AUG-2022 at 11:59pm AUS Eastern Standard Time