The Birkbeck Centre for Nineteenth-Century Studies
seeks a
Postgraduate Intern
to act as Events Officer for the
Birkbeck Forum for Nineteenth-Century Studies
and to support the work of the Centre for Nineteenth-Century
Studies
The Centre for Nineteenth-Century Studies
The Centre was first established in 1997 under the directorship of Professor Isobel
Armstrong to bring together researchers in English, History of Art and History. It has
since developed a reputation for its diverse events, including running the innovative,
intellectually imaginative London Seminar for Nineteenth-Century Studies, which has
led the way in defining this important interdisciplinary field, and the Birkbeck Forum
for Nineteenth-Century Studies. Over the past few years it has, in collaboration with
the Institute of English Studies, convened conferences and symposia on a variety of
themes, ranging from ‘Material Culture’ to ‘Nineteenth-Century Interdisciplinarities’,
‘Domestic Interiors’, ‘The Long Nineteenth Century’, ‘Victorian Sentimentality’,
‘The Verbal and the Visual in Nineteenth-Century Culture’, ‘Minds, Bodies,
Machines’, ‘The Idea of America in the British Long Nineteenth Century’,
‘Psychology/Aesthetics in the Nineteenth Century’, and the successful annual Dickens
Day. Postgraduate students have also run conferences under the auspices of the
Centre, including symposia on ‘Reading Periodicals’ and ‘Dickens and Sex’.
Birkbeck Forum for Nineteenth-Century Studies
The Birkbeck Forum for Nineteenth-Century Studies seeks to bring leading
researchers in the field of Nineteenth-Century Studies to speak at public events at
Birkbeck. Since its launch in January 2012, it has hosted some of the leading scholars
in the field, and has a distinctive and exciting programme of events planned for the
future.
The Position
The Centre wishes to appoint an intern to help organise these events, and to support
the work of the Centre. The postholder will work under the supervision of Dr Luisa
Cale and Dr Ana Vadillo and with the guidance of the Centre for Nineteenth Century
Studies. The one-year appointment is for 5 hours a week over 48 weeks, beginning on
1 May 2015. Responsibilities include liaising with visiting speakers and with Centre
staff to organise each term’s programme of events; setting up the venue and seeing it
is restored to its original state following events; administering speaker expenses;
overseeing and updating the Forum’s website; participating in developing the Forum’s
publicity strategy; disseminating information about events on social media and
through scholarly discussion lists; helping to establish and maintain the Centre’s
website and a Centre/Forum blog; acting as Archivist for the Centre; attending and
minuting Centre meetings.
Eligibility
We invite applications from any postgraduate within the College who has an interest
in Nineteenth-Century Studies. Applicants should expect to be enrolled as students at
Birkbeck until August 2016.
Selection Criteria
Essential
 Research interests in Nineteenth-Century Studies
 Organizational and clerical skills
 Ability to work independently and upon own initiative
 Excellent communication skills
Desirable but NOT essential
 Involvement in the activities of the Centre for Nineteenth-Century Studies
or in the organization of research activities such as Reading Groups,
Seminars or Conferences
 Web authoring and design skills
Remuneration
Grade 6; spinal point 26: £16.95 per hour.
Application
Please email a letter of application and CV together with the name of your supervisor,
from whom we will require a reference, to Dr Carolyn Burdett (c.burdett @bbk.ac.uk)
and Dr Luisa Cale (l.cale@bbk.ac.uk) in the School of Arts by 5.00pm on Monday 4
May 2015. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed shortly thereafter (date tbc).
Please direct any enquiries to Dr Luisa Cale (l.cale@bbk.ac.uk)