Roles and requirements - Engineering schools

All appointments for Engineering residential schools are advertised on the OU Human Resources Job Opportunities site. The schools will be held in July and August. Accommodation is provided, usually in standard undergraduate rooms, and you will need to be fully resident at the site throughout your appointment.

Schools are held at the University of Bath.

Requirements

Applications from candidates who have appropriate qualifications and experience are welcome to apply for these posts.

Some Open University academic staff have an obligation to tutor at a residential school and will be appointed first.  Preference will then be given to module tutors with relevant experience and knowledge and then external applicants will be considered.

School directors are appointed for each residential school venue. The roles are open to OU salaried staff only; Applicants for the school director role must be grade 8 or above. The Residential Schools Team will recruit an assistant school administrator for summer schools.

Monitoring and assessment of tutors

It is customary for the University to take note of an individual tutor's performance in relation to the aims of the residential school. This helps both in the task of selection for the following year's appointments, and allows us to gather information about teaching methods and styles at the schools.

During the school your performance will be monitored by a senior member of the residential school staff. At the end of the school a monitoring form will be completed and given or sent to you. If the senior staff member is making any adverse comment that might be seen as prejudicial to future appointments, he or she will talk to you about it and show you the form before you leave the school. The monitoring grade recorded on the form will be kept on the OU's computer record for your staff appointment.

Job descriptions

Module Director

Module directors are responsible for all academic aspects of a residential school and are responsible to the school director for the efficient running and overall success of the module in line with other modules running at the venue, general residential school administrative arrangements, and any particular local arrangements.

Please view the Module Director Job description/person specification

Academic Assistant

Provides administratvie, clerical, and some technical support to module directors to help ensure the smooth running of the residential school.  They have particular responsibility for school set-up and pack-up operations.  Academic assistants are responsible, as part of the residential schools team, to the module director.

Please view the Academic Assistant Job description/person specification

Module Director's Assistant (T885 only)

Has the same role requirements as an academic assistant at residential school, but the person specification is different.  Normally the work of a module director's assistant demands more specific academic qualifications than that of an academic assistant.  Module directors' assistants are responsible, as part of the residential schools team, to the module director.

Please view the Module director's assistant Job description/person specification

Tutor

Your main duty as a residential school tutor is to provide academic guidance and support to Open University students at residential school, within the framework provided by the module material and the academic programme. You are responsible, as part of the residential school team, to the school's module director. Your tasks will vary according to the aims of the school. Please note that all tutoring is face to face only.

Please view the Tutor Job description/person specification

Careers Adviser

We have a team of careers advisers working at UK residential schools. Posts will be filled initially from staff working in this role.

OU Students Association (OUSA)

OUSA residential school reps play an important role at residential schools at all main UK sites throughout the summer school period. The reps are fellow students who volunteer their time and experience to benefit other students at the school.

The reps organise the social events, sell OU merchandise through their stalls, provide local information and are generally there to help students. Their aim is to help make the student experience of residential schools enjoyable, informative and stress free. The reps will be there to meet students when they arrive at the school and will always be easy to find. They are always approachable when the student needs advice or just a friendly chat.

For further information about becoming a resi rep visit https://www.open.ac.uk/ousa/get-involved/volunteer