Lecturer/Senior Lecturer - Bioethics
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THE DEPARTMENT OF BIOETHICS
DIVISION OF HEALTH SCIENCES | TE TAUTARINUI
About our team | Mo te tima
The Department of Bioethics at the University of Otago is dedicated to advancing, applying, and sharing bioethics knowledge and building capacity in bioethics expertise nationally and internationally. The Department was established in 1988 and is located in the Faculty of Medicine, bringing together staff and students from a range of academic disciplines and professional backgrounds.
Academic staff in the Department conduct research, offer research-informed teaching, and fulfil valuable service roles at the University of Otago as well as nationally and internationally. Alongside its own undergraduate and postgraduate bioethics papers, the Department leads ethics and professional practice teaching across the University's health professional programmes, giving staff sustained contact with students in medicine and the other health professions. The Department has well-developed connections with other bioethics units and researchers in Australasia and beyond, and attracts overseas scholars and postgraduate students. It is the only academic department in Aotearoa New Zealand devoted to bioethics.
The role | Te mahi
This Lecturer/Senior Lecturer role represents an exciting opportunity to work within a strong and forward-looking team that is dedicated to excellent research, teaching, and service.
Key tasks for this role include:
Conducting research in bioethics, including seeking external funding.
Convening and teaching into bioethics papers at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Supervising postgraduate research students, including at masters and doctoral level.
Providing lectures and tutorials addressing core issues in ethics and professional development for medical and other health professional students.
Providing bioethics-related advice, support, and service to the Department, Division, and University as well as to professional and community organisations in New Zealand and internationally.
Your skills and experience | Ka pukeka me ka wheako
The successful candidate will have:
A PhD or equivalent in Bioethics or a related field.
An established or emerging record of research in one or more areas of bioethics, with a preference for candidates whose research addresses contemporary issues in medical and/or clinical ethics.
A demonstrated ability or clear potential to teach bioethics and/or medical ethics at the undergraduate and/or postgraduate levels, including to medical and other health professional students.
Experience in, or readiness to take on, supervision of postgraduate research students.
A demonstrated ability to work independently and in teams.
A commitment to rigour, ethics, and cultural safety in research and teaching, and to collegial and respectful engagement with students and colleagues.
A willingness to learn about and act in accordance with the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the University of Otago's Maori and Pacific strategic frameworks.
Further details | Puroko
The University of Otago is New Zealand's oldest university and is well-known for its collegiality and excellent work-life balance. The Dunedin campus has been ranked as one of the most beautiful in the world. The vibrant city of Dunedin provides opportunities for relatively affordable living, excellent schools, and a great array of activities, ranging from art to outdoor activities.
This is a permanent, full-time (1.0 FTE) position based in Otepoti, Dunedin available from Jan 2027.
The appointment ranges for this role are:
Lecturer - $97,377 to $ 114,943 per annum.
Senior Lecturer - $ 120,494 to $137,444 per annum.
Appointment level will be determined by the candidate's academic achievements, skills, and experience.
Specific enquiries may be directed to the Head of the Department of Bioethics, Associate Professor Josephine Johnston, via the contact details below.
Application | Tono
Candidates are required to provide:
A CV.
A cover letter.
A statement of research interests and plans (maximum one page), including intended directions and approach to external funding.
A statement of teaching experience and approach (maximum one page), including any experience teaching medical or other health professional students, or how the candidate would approach doing so.
Names and email addresses of at least three referees.
To submit your application please click the apply button. Applications quoting reference number 2600911 will close 11:59pm (NZST) on Sunday, 23 August 2026.
Additional Information
Contact: Associate Professor Josephine Johnston
Position details: Information Statement
Guidelines for Academic Positions: Guidelines
Further Information: Department Website
Create an email with a link to this vacancy: Create email
Location: About Dunedin
