Let’s Roast.
Ever wonder what it’s like to land a tenure-track job in the UK? Spoiler: It’s not all ivy-covered walls and intellectual freedom. This week, Dr. Sam Illingworth of SlowAI joins Jen and Paul to dissect a “Lecturer in Law” job ad that demands “excellence” but offers little support in return—no career roadmap, no training for pastoral care, and a salary that sort of keeps up with the cost of living. For job seekers, this is a cautionary tale. For universities, it’s a wake-up call.
Follow along with the full job ad here :
The Bigger Picture
How can universities design roles that actually support the people who keep them running? This episode isn’t just a roast, it’s a blueprint for rethinking academic labour. What if we measured success by student retention and teaching quality, not just research grants? What if pastoral care wasn’t an afterthought, but a priority? The answers could reshape higher education and a broad swath of society.
At a Glance: The Job Profile
Job Title: Lecturer in Law (Teaching and Scholarship)
Report-to Title: Unknown
Company Size: 5,001 - 10,000
Industry: Higher Education
What do they do?: Undergraduate and Graduate level programs, basic research, and other things worthy of taxpayer funding.
Head Office Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK
Job Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK
Geographical Operating Area: United Kingdom
Job Type: Full-Time (35h/wk), Open-Ended (On-Site)
For the Job Seekers
Did you come across a job ad like this? These questions might help you shed some light on what working there is really like:
What does “excellence” mean here, and how will I be supported to achieve it?
How does this role align with my long-term career goals, and what’s the advancement path at this institution?
What training or resources are available for pastoral care, given its importance and central role to the fabric of the society at the university?
What’s the real teaching load, and how much time is left for scholarship?
How is excellent in teaching evaluated, and how does that relate to opportunities for advancement at the university?
For the Job-Seeker Seekers
Are you writing a job ad for a similar role? Consider these hidden issues that might impact the success of your recruitment campaign:
Issues:
Unclear Metrics: “Excellence” is demanded but undefined, leading to subjective evaluations and potential bias.
Pastoral Care Gap: The role requires emotional labour but offers no training or support, risking burnout and high turnover.
Incentive Misalignment: Teaching and research are lumped together, diluting focus and undermining both.
Lack of Transparency: No clear career progression or professional development plan is provided, which may deter top candidates.
Outcomes & Fixes:
Outcome: High attrition, disillusioned hires, and a reputation for poor work-life balance.
Fix: Define “excellence” with concrete metrics and provide structured career pathways.
Outcome: Pastoral care becomes a liability rather than a strength, harming student well-being.
Fix: Invest in training and resources for faculty mental health support.
Outcome: Teaching is undervalued, leading to lower student satisfaction and retention.
Fix: Separate teaching and research tracks, with equal incentives for both.
The Verdict
Jennifer Houle:
7 / 10 (Job Ad)
I would have liked to see more about supports. If they want you to be excellent in this role… how will they empower and support you to do that? It was a bit thin on details on that front.
Paul Austin-Menear:
8 / 10 (Job Ad)
6 / 10 (Role Design)
The job ad itself was well-structured, though overly verbose in places. The role design was a bit more troubling for me… some of the most important responsibilities seem to be cases of “go figure it out yourself”, whereas the societal stakes are quite high.
Dr. Sam Illingworth:
7.5 / 10 (Job Ad)
7.5 / 10 (Role Design)
For a job ad of this nature in academia, it was about average. They separated out teaching and research as distinct practice areas, which was good, but there were scant details and metrics that communicated what excellence is and how this lecturer will be evaluated.
Roast the Post is a passion project of Jen Houle and Paul Austin-Menear. The show helps job-seekers and employers get dud job ads out of their lives. We use contributions made on Buy Me a Coffee to help pay for our production costs, and donate anything raised beyond our costs to charity.
