What Does "Positions" Mean in Job Listings and How Does It Differ From Jobs, Vacancies, and Appointments?

Updated

"Positions" is the broadest of the four terms: it means the roles or posts an employer has, whether or not they are currently open. "Jobs" and "vacancies" usually refer to openings an employer is actively trying to fill, while "appointments" often refers to the act or result of filling a post — or to a specific type of fixed-term academic role. On a board like jobs.ac.uk, you will see all four words used loosely, so the practical rule is to read the listing details rather than rely on the label.

The four terms side by side

Term Typical meaning in a job ad Implies an opening right now?
Positions Roles or posts at an organisation; can include filled and unfilled ones Not necessarily
Jobs Work roles, often used as a catch-all for paid employment Usually yes when listed
Vacancies Specific openings the employer wants to fill Yes
Appointments The filling of a post, or a named role/term (e.g. a fixed-term appointment) Sometimes

The overlap is real: an employer may advertise "two positions" that are also described as "vacancies," and the person hired "takes up the appointment."

How the same opening gets described differently

A single academic opening might appear as:

  • "Lecturer in Computer Sciences – 1 position available" — position used as a countable post.
  • "Vacancy: Lecturer in Computer Sciences" — vacancy emphasises that it is unfilled.
  • "Job: Lecturer in Computer Sciences" — job used as the generic category.
  • "Fixed-term appointment for 3 years" — appointment emphasises the nature and duration of the post.

None of these labels changes what the role is. What changes is the emphasis: availability (vacancy), category (job), count or post (position), or the terms of holding it (appointment).

Positions are not only permanent roles

A "position" can be any of the following, and the listing — not the word — tells you which:

  • Permanent or open-ended
  • Fixed-term or contract
  • Part-time or full-time
  • Professional, managerial, or support roles
  • Studentships and PhDs, which jobs.ac.uk lists separately from staff jobs

On jobs.ac.uk, the main navigation splits Find a Job from Find PhDs, and the browse categories include "Studentships / PhDs" alongside academic disciplines and professional services. So a studentship is a funded position in the everyday sense, but it sits in a different section of the site.

Using these terms when you search

Because employers use the words interchangeably, searching only one term will miss listings. Practical approach:

  1. Search by discipline or function, not by the word "position." jobs.ac.uk organises listings under headings such as Biological Sciences, Computer Sciences, Health & Medical, Administrative, IT Services, and Student Services.
  2. Use the location filter to narrow results. The site offers distance options from "Within 0 miles" up to "Within 250 miles," so you can search by how far you are willing to commute or relocate.
  3. Check the section. Staff roles and PhDs/studentships are separated, so decide which you want before browsing.
  4. Read the listing for the terms that matter — contract type, duration, hours, and whether the post is described as an appointment, vacancy, or position. The label alone will not tell you.

What to take away

  • Positions = roles or posts, open or not; the widest term.
  • Jobs = paid work roles; often a general category.
  • Vacancies = openings the employer is actively filling.
  • Appointments = the filling of a post, or a role described by its terms and duration.

When you read or search job ads, treat these as overlapping labels rather than strict categories, and rely on the listing details — contract type, hours, and section of the site — to judge whether a role fits what you are looking for.