Applications for Senior Resident positions have now closed.  This page exists to provide information about the standard application procedure only.

Senior Residents will work closely with staff in the Dean of Students’ Office to deliver high quality advice, guidance and support to students living in residences and to facilitate the development of a well-integrated residential community.

In return for rent-free self-contained accommodation (either a single-person flat, or a two-bedroom flat or family house shared with another Senior Resident) comprising living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom, Senior Residents will:

• promote the well-being and good order of students in residences and strive to create a positive living environment;
• play a key role in the welcome and induction of new students and support students’ transition from home to university life;
• provide a duty system which guarantees students can access help and support out-of-hours and at weekends.

It is expected that successful candidates will have demonstrable life/work experience, good communication and organisational skills, the ability to work well within a team, a calm approach to difficult situations and the motivation to contribute pro-actively towards the work of the Dean of Students’ Office.

The role of Senior Resident will be rewarding and represents an excellent personal and professional development opportunity for those able to respond to the challenges.  Comprehensive induction and in-service training will be provided to the successful applicants.

Please note:

• Successful applicants must be available to attend a group task assessment and face-to-face interview which will take place at the University between Monday 21 January 2013 and Friday 8 February.
• Interviewed applicants will be informed of the outcome of their interview in the week beginning Monday 11 February 2013.
• Senior Resident accommodation is unsuitable for couples or families.
• The appointment is subject to a criminal records check from the Criminal Records Bureau.

Making an Application

Please read carefully through the Senior Resident Further Particulars before making your application.

Further Particulars : Senior Resident Further Particulars 2013
Application Form (MS Word) :
Application Form (PDF) :
 
The application form can be completed electronically by filling in the forms.  Alternatively you can print the form and complete the sections by hand.

Please ensure you include an up-to-date Curriculum Vitae as part of your application.

Applications can be sent in the post to:

Dr David Thurkettle
Dean of Students' Office
University of East Anglia
Norwich
NR4 7TJ

If you are submitting your application electronically, you should email the documents to amanda.hilton@uea.ac.uk.

The deadline for all applications to be received is Monday 7 January 2013 at 12:00 mid-day.

Group Task Assessments and Interviews will be held between Monday 21 January and Friday 8 February 2013.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you are thinking about applying to be a Senior Resident, please ensure you have read the Further Particulars. You might also take some time to read the Frequently Asked Questions below.

Am I eligible?

Applicants must in September 2013 be registered at UEA either as full-time students or if part-time be registered on a degree programme (Undergraduate, Master's, or Research) for at least 50% of full-time. Registration-only students and Executive Officers of the Students' Union are not eligible.

I am an International Student on a Tier 4 visa, can I apply?

Yes you can, but remember that you are restricted to working no more than 20 hours a week.  If you undertake any other work - paid or unpaid - in addition to the SR role, there is a possibility that you may unlawfully go over your work time limit.  You will discuss your working time with the SRT if you are appointed.

I have applied before but have been unsuccessful, can I re-apply?

Yes you can, however, consider carefully what the weaknesses of your previous application may have been and attempt to address them.  If your weakness was lack of life/work experience and neither of these have increased since your previous application, you are unlikely to be succesful in your re-application.

I am studying abroad next year - when can I apply?

You should apply the year before you go on Study Abroad, and indicate on the application form the year for which you are applying.  For example, if you wish to apply to be a Senior Resident in the 2014-15 academic year, you should apply now.

Do you keep a reserve list?

Yes.  In January we will have in mind the number of vacancies we are certain we will need to fill for September 2013 and we will make offers accordingly.  However, we know from experience that the number of vacancies is likely to rise over the remainder of the academic year because of changes in people's circumstances.  Therefore we will offer to keep in reserve those candidates to whom we would have made an offer if we had space at the time.

I am a Medical Student, do any conditions apply?

No special conditions apply, but it is expected that MBBS students will have discussed their application with the MBBS Course Director Prof. Richard Holland prior to making an application. SR training week clashes with the beginning of the MBBS teaching year therefore it will be necessary for DOS and MED to negotiate authorised absences from both/either course. Prof. Holland must therefore be given advanced warning.  The total number of absences which can be authorised each year for MBBS students is closely controlled and so students whose records show they have missed more than four sessions may find that the School is not able to support their application.

SR training week clashes with my teaching timetable, what can I do?

The SR training week is compulsory, so it is important that you discuss your application/appointment with your course director in order to re-arrange your teaching or negotiate authorised absences.  In some cases it may be possible to miss some portions of the SR training subject to you being able to provide evidence of previous training (e.g. Physical First Aid or Mental Health First Aid certificate).

I don't want my adviser/supervisor/head of year to be one of my referees, what do I do?

You should have a good reason not to put your Advisor/Supervisor/Head of Year as your second referee as we expect SRs to be in good standing with their school (being in 'good standing' with your School is not the same as having good marks; it means that your School doesn't have any concerns regarding your engagement with the course or your conduct towards fellow students and University staff).  It is not unheard of that some students do not know their Advisor or Head of Year very well, in which case you should put down the name of the member of Academic staff who knows you best.

I'm not a current student - who shall I put as my second referee?

If you are not a current student at UEA and have been accepted onto a postgraduate course in September 2013, you should give the name of an equivalent person from your old institution and indicate on your form in which School you will be studying.

I am a registration-only student.  Why am I not eligible?

Registration-only students are ineligible to be appointed for a number of reasons. First, feedback from Academic Staff is that a registration-only student should be concentrating all of their efforts towards completing and submitting their thesis; the Senior Resident role, which whilst manageable in the ordinary course of a PhD (or any degree for that matter), requires a time committment that is not suited to the 'final straight' that is the registration-only year.  Secondly, registration-only students are ordinarily also spending time writing articles, applying for post-docs and jobs, which, coupled with the pressure to submit, all serve to make the overall workload quite unmanageable, especially if one is new to the post.  Thirdly, from experience, we have found that those registration-only students who have successfully applied for post-docs/jobs are unwilling - for good reason - to continue the SR contract for the remainder of the academic year and leave the contract early.  This is perfectly understandable; there are no hard feelings and we are happy that they are progressing in their careers, but it does mean that we are short of a full complement of Senior Residents, putting pressure on the rest of the SR team members.  We have had registration-only applicants who have given sworn promises that they will complete their SR contract and will not leave before the end of the academic year, but who have then been offered a post-doc or research position mid-year; I think we all know what choice they, and you, would make!

I have a question that isn't covered here

You may find it helpful to read some of the profiles of current Senior Residents.  You are welcome to raise your question with the Senior Resident Tutor, either by email (d.thurkettle@uea.ac.uk) or you can book an appointment by calling the Dean of Students' Office reception on 01603 592761.