Assistant Professor post – School of Celtic Studies

General Particulars

Information on the School and DIAS

The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) was established by statute in 1940 to promote pure research and to train advanced students in research methods. Currently, there are three Schools in DIAS: The School of Celtic Studies, the School of Cosmic Physics and the School of Theoretical Physics. DIAS is funded by and reports directly to the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

The mission of DIAS is:

• To push the boundaries of current understanding in our specialist disciplines and to conduct fundamental research to the highest international standards.
• To enable researchers at all career stages to flourish and fulfil their research potential, and to train talented scholars in advanced research.
• To provide a neutral dedicated research space and a conducive intellectual environment for local and international researchers to conduct advanced studies, explore ideas, and engage in unconstrained thought.

The Council of the DIAS, its body corporate, is responsible for the general governance of the organisation, its financial and administrative affairs. The Council consists of a Chairman appointed by the President, on the advice of Government, three ex-officio members – the Provost of Trinity College Dublin, the President of University College Dublin and the President of the Royal Irish Academy – and six members appointed by the Governing Boards of the three Schools.

The Schools operate under the control and management of an independent Governing Board. The Boards are responsible for the research programme and academic staffing of the School. The President, on the advice of Government, appoints the Chairman and a number of external members. The Senior Professors of the School are ex-officio members of the Board. The Board appoints one of the senior professors as Director of the School for a term of three years. Each school is required to deliver an annual report on its activities and to offer one public lecture per year but is otherwise free to pursue its research and training mandate under the direction of the Board.

DIAS is financed by an annual grant from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.  Additional income is generated, principally, but not exclusively, from the sale of publications in the case of the School of Celtic Studies. In the other Schools additional external funds are primarily obtained from individual awards and project funding.

Assistant Professor Role

The main areas of the field of Celtic Studies currently covered by the School, include Early and Modern Irish linguistics, Early and Early Modern textual studies and palaeography, medieval Irish society and institutions, Welsh and Indo-European philology.

The position of Assistant Professor is full-time.   Assistant Professors must devote their time and ability to the furtherance of the work assigned to the School by the Institute for Advanced Studies Act 1940 and the School Establishment Order and perform any duties assigned to them by the Governing Board of the School or the Director of the School as appropriate to their office. The primary responsibility attaching to the post is to publish the results of the research work. Except in so far as may be otherwise permitted by the Council of DIAS, with the consent of the Governing Board of the School, contributions to learning which result from study or research carried on by the Assistant Professor shall be the property of the School. Professional work outside the School may only be undertaken with the prior consent of the Governing Board of the School given after consultation with the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.     Participation in external professional work, where approved by the Board, is subject to Council’s Policy on Outside Interests of Academic Staff.

General Terms and Conditions

Salary

The Assistant Professor salary scale for new recruits to the public sector (and existing public servants on PPC scale)  is currently €59,487 – €94,020.   A lower scale applies for existing public servants on Non-PPC scale (€56,513 – €89,319).  Starting salary will be in line with public sector rules.

Location:

The School of Celtic Studies is based at 10 Burlington Road.   The appointee must reside within 80 kilometres of Dublin City Centre.

Sick Leave

Sick leave is granted in line with public sector sick leave regulations (SI 124 of 2014 and SI 384 of 2015).   In summary, staff are entitled to:

Up to seven days paid self certified leave in a rolling period of two years.

Up to a maximum of 92 days (includes weekends etc.) medically certified sick leave  on full pay in a one year period, followed by a maximum of 91 days (includes weekends etc.) on half pay, subject to a maximum of 183 days (includes weekends etc.) in a rolling 4 year period.

In the case of a critical illness, the sick leave entitlement is doubled, subject to scheme rules.

Annual Leave

The annual leave allowance for the appointee will be 30 working days exclusive of bank and public holidays but inclusive of Christmas closure days.   Leave is granted in accordance with the Organisation and Working time Act 1997.  The statutory leave allowance (20 days) must be taken in the leave year in which it accrues or within six months of the start of the next leave year.

Pension

Pension terms and retirement age conditions will depend on the status of the successful appointee.  In general: 

(a) An individual who has no prior pensionable Public Service history in the 26 weeks prior to appointment will be a member of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme (Single Scheme) which commenced from 1 January 2013 (Section 10 of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 refers).   The current minimum retirement age for Single Scheme members is 66.   Retirement is compulsory upon reaching 70 years of age.

 (b) An individual who was a member of a “pre-existing public service pension scheme” as construed by the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 and who does not qualify for membership of the Single Scheme will have appropriate pension terms under the DIAS Staff Superannuation Scheme (details available from the Registrar’s Office). The retirement age conditions will depend on whether the individual is a 2004 new entrant or non-new entrant for the purposes of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004.  In the case of an individual who is deemed to be a 2004 new entrant, there is currently no specified retirement age.  The minimum age at which pension is payable is 65.   In the case of an individual who is deemed to be a non-new entrant, retirement is compulsory on reaching 70 years of age.  The minimum age at which pension is payable is 60.

The minimum service to achieve pensionability is two years. Deductions in accordance with the scheme rules will be made from commencement date.

At the time of being offered an appointment, DIAS will, in light of the appointee’s previous  Public Service (and/or) other employment history, determine the appropriate pension terms and conditions to apply for the duration of the appointment. Appointees will be required to disclose their full public service history. Details of the appropriate pension provisions will be provided upon determination of appointee’s status.

It should be noted there is a 40-year limit on the total service that an individual can accrue for pension purposes from multiple public sector scheme and an attaching benefit cap on combined public sector pension benefits.   This 40-year limit, which is provided for in the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and other Provisions) Act 2012 came into effect on 28 July 2012.

Re-entering the public service

Persons who were previously employed under the public sector and who left/retired under the terms of certain incentivised schemes/severance agreements, with restrictions on re-employment in the public sector may not be eligible to apply. Applicants who have previously worked in the public sector will be required to declare whether they have previously availed of a Public Service scheme of incentivised early retirement/redundancy.

Removal Expenses

The full cost of transferring ordinary household effects will be paid, within reasonable limits, on the basis that the appointee will arrange for three quotations to be sent directly by the removal companies to the Finance section. The decision with regard to which quotation is accepted rests with the Finance Office.

Medical Examination

The successful candidate will be required to undergo a pre-employment medical examination.

Application Procedure

A letter of Application, together with CV, including a detailed list of publications together with the names of three referees should be uploaded as one pdf file on the DIAS online e-recruitment system here before 31/10/2023.  Applicants should furnish the contact details for their nominated referees in the uploaded document and should ensure that referees will be available to provide a reference.