Canada Research Chair (Tier 2 ) in Indigenous Contemporary Arts (Assistant/Associate Professor)

Simon Fraser University

School for the Contemporary Arts
Simon Fraser University (Vancouver Campus)
Date posted: November 8, 2023
Application deadline: January 15, 2024

The School for the Contemporary Arts (SCA) at Simon Fraser University (SFU) invites applications for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Indigenous Contemporary Arts. This tenure-track position is intended for applicants with an exceptional research record at the Assistant or Associate Professor level (or those who possess the necessary qualifications to be appointed to these levels). The start date of this position is anticipated to be Spring 2025.

Occupying the ancestral territories of the Musqueam (xwməθkwəy̓əm), Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw), and Tsleil-Waututh (səlil̓ w̓ətaʔɬ), the SCA is guided by SFU’s framework for reconciliation, and aspires to create spaces and resources for decolonization through arts-based practice and research. With these aims in mind, we invite applicants whose research centres Indigenous perspectives, epistemologies, and/or practices. Appointment to a continuing faculty position in the SCA requires an MFA or PhD completed by the time of appointment in a field or discipline of demonstrated relevance.

At the core of the SCA’s mission is a commitment to collaboration and interdisciplinarity. With the recognition that contemporary Indigenous research and practices often transcend conventional categories in the arts, we are open to a diverse range of candidates in one or more areas, including theatre/performance and production/ design, music/ sound, film/video, dance, and visual art. The ideal candidate will build on the SCA’s commitment to interdisciplinarity and cultivate opportunities for collaboration both within the university and in the wider community.

To reaffirm our commitment to increasing diversity and confronting institutional underrepresentation, we are limiting this opportunity to applicants who identify as Indigenous, as permitted by Section 42 of the B.C. Human Rights Code. Applicants are requested to articulate lived experience as Indigenous people and/or relationships to Indigenous communities.

Please see the School for the Contemporary Arts website for details of the position and application instructions: https://www.sfu.ca/sca/contact---us/employment.html

This position is contingent upon the applicant receiving a Tier 2 CRC prior to being appointed to a tenure-track or tenured faculty position at SFU. The position is subject to the availability of funding and to final approval by the University Board of Governors and the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS). Tier 2 Chairs are intended for exceptional emerging scholars (i.e., candidate must have been an active researcher in their field for fewer than 10 years at the time of nomination). Applicants who are more than 10 years from their highest degree (and where career breaks exist, such as parental leave, extended sick leave, clinical training etc.) may have their eligibility for a Tier 2 CRC assessed through the program’s Tier 2 justification process; please see the CRC website for eligibility details: http://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/program-programme/nomination-mise_en_candidature-eng.aspx#s2.

The Canada Research Chair is tenable for five years and may be renewed once, subject to the Chairholder demonstrating that they have achieved their objectives from their first term. Interested applicants are invited to review the initial appointment and chair renewal details of the CRC Program https://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/program-programme/index-eng.aspx.

SFU recognizes that alternative career paths and/or career interruptions (e.g., parental leave, leave due to illness) can impact research achievements and commits to ensuring that leaves are taken into careful consideration. Candidates are encouraged to highlight how alternative paths and/or interruptions have impacted them in their application. SFU also recognizes the value of mentoring and research training, outreach, professional service, and non-traditional areas of research and/or research outputs.

SFU is an equity employer and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including women, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, Indigenous Peoples, people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of the University. SFU is committed to ensuring that no individual is denied access to employment opportunities for reasons unrelated to ability or qualifications. Consistent with this principle, SFU will advance the interests of underrepresented members of the work force, ensure that equal opportunity is afforded to all who seek employment at the University, and treat all employees equitably. Candidates who belong to equity-deserving groups are particularly encouraged to apply.

SFU offers several benefits and services aimed at creating a more inclusive and accessible campus community for faculty, please see the Faculty Relations, Benefits and Service page for details: https://www.sfu.ca/faculty-relations/benefits-services.html . SFU is also committed to ensuring that the application and interview process is accessible to all applicants; if you require accommodations or have questions about SFU benefits, services, accommodations policies, or equity considerations, please contact the Specialist, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Faculty Relations: https://www.sfu.ca/faculty-relations/contact.html .

Faculty salaries at SFU are based on the salary scales bargained between the University and the SFU Faculty Association. A reasonable estimate of the salary range for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor is $89,652.00 to $114,866.00. Candidates with experience commensurate with higher ranks may also be considered for appointment at the associate professor rank. A reasonable estimate of the salary range for a faculty position at the rank of Associate Professor is $112,065.00 to $134,478.00. Note, the expected salary range does not include the value of benefits. The University and the SFU Faculty Association have reached a tentative agreement. New salary scales will be effective pending ratification. The most current salary scales can be found here: http://www.sfu.ca/vpacademic/faculty_openings/cat.html

Applications received by January 15, 2024 will be given full consideration. Screening of applications will commence on January 15, 2024 and remain open until the position is filled. Any general inquiries regarding this posting may be directed to Elspeth Pratt, Chair of the Search Committee, epratt@sfu.ca.

Submit all applications by email to Elspeth Pratt, Director, c/o Suze Shore, scasec@sfu.ca.

Under the authority of the University Act, personal information that is required by the University for academic appointment competitions will be collected. For further details see the Collection Notice: http://www.sfu.ca/vpacademic/faculty_openings/collection_notice.html.