Tenure Track Faculty Position in Indigenous Design

Tenure Track Faculty Position in Indigenous Design

The McEwen School of Architecture (MSoA) at Laurentian University, fully accredited by the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB), invites applications for a full-time, tenure- track position at the rank of Assistant Professor in Indigenous Design with a preferred start date of July 1, 2023. Exceptional candidates at the Associate Professor level will be considered. We are currently seeking candidates with demonstrable expertise in teaching and a strong research portfolio to complement our existing faculty (see details below):

The incumbent will be an expert in Indigenous Design, the process of thinking/making, through indigenous perspectives and worldviews. The focus is on architectural design that takes into account nature and various traditions of building artifacts and buildings that build upon First Nations and/or Indigenous Peoples tectonics and cosmologies. Experience working with Indigenous communities is considered an asset.

About the MSoA and the Position 

Established in 2013, the MSoA offers a four-year pre-professional Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS) degree, followed by a two-year professional Master of Architecture degree (MArch). Situated in northern Ontario, the MSoA focuses on design with wood, design-build, and community design projects. Our integrated co-operative program enables students to obtain practical experience through work-term placements in industry and in design or architecture offices. Francophone, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit student experience is central to the unique tri-cultural mandate of the program. The architecture program is delivered in English, with French language options for design studios, elective courses, and co-operative placements. Through Elders-in-residence, Indigenous faculty members, and French design studio instruction, students are exposed to a unique array of methods, knowledge and direct experience that informs community-design and design-build exercises.

The MSoA seeks innovative individuals with established records of design, practice, and a passion for teaching. Individuals should be ready to teach in the classroom, the design studio, and in the field with local community groups and partnerships. The successful candidate will teach in both the undergraduate and graduate architecture programs, conduct research in his/her/their area of architectural expertise through engaging in scholarly activities, and participate in the administration and governance of the University, and the MSoA including service to MSoA committees and institution building. All faculty members are expected to teach architectural design in addition to developing expertise in a particular stream of the curriculum: Design, Culture, Technology, or Professional Practice. Laurentian is a bilingual university with a tricultural mandate, as such, fluency in both French and English will be considered an asset; Indigenous candidates must be fluent in one official language.

Essential Qualifications

All candidates must have a professional degree in architecture. Academic post-graduate specialized degrees, including a doctorate, are preferred. Practicing architects should demonstrate that they are registered interns or licensed members of a professional association, along with a proven design record. Candidates should demonstrate research ability (scholarly publication record) or research intent, and/or design ability (built work, competition & design awards) plus teaching competency (if applicable) in Indigenous Design.

Application Requirements

Applications should include the following items:

• Cover letter (including one of the two statements about citizenship/resident status specified below)
• Complete, up-to-date curriculum vitae;
• Letter of intent, clearly indicating area(s) of expertise;
• Summary of previous teaching and/or practice experience;
• Research statement (including future research at Laurentian), and sample publications (if applicable);
• Portfolio of design work (if applicable);
• Names and full contact information for three referees (reference letters will be requested later in the process).

The application package, inclusive of all documents, should be submitted electronically as single PDF file to: Office of Provost and Vice-President Academic at pvpa@laurentian.ca with the following subject line: application for faculty position in Indigenous Architecture. Review of applications will begin on March 30, 2023; applications will be accepted May 31st or until the position is filled.

Laurentian University, located on Atikameksheng Anishnawbek territory in Sudbury, Ontario, serves over 8000 students and is one of two bilingual universities in the province of Ontario. Committed to its bilingual, tri cultural mandate, Laurentian University offers an outstanding university experience in English and French with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education. Laurentian’s beautiful, forested campus is surrounded by fresh-water lakes, conservation lands and hundreds of kilometres of cross-country and hiking trails while situated in the geographic centre of Greater Sudbury, northern Ontario’s major urban centre (population 160,000). Laurentian University has close and productive ties to Science North, SNOLAB, Health Sciences North and multiple post-secondary institutions.

Laurentian University is an inclusive and welcoming community committed to employment equity. Applications are encouraged from members of equity-seeking communities including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities/expressions. Laurentian University’s bilingualism policy (Section 7.3.b) provides a provision regarding the language requirement for persons self-identifying as First Nations, Métis or Inuit. (www.laurentian.ca/biligualism) The successful candidate will be part of the Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA). Candidates are encouraged to consult the Collective Agreement at www.lufappul.ca.

Laurentian University is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier free experience to applicants with accessibility needs. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage during the recruitment process. Please contact the Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic for more information (pvpa@laurentian.ca).

All qualified persons are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.

To comply with federal laws, the University is obliged to gather statistical information as to how many applicants for each job vacancy are Canadian citizens / permanent residents of Canada. Applicants need not identify their country of origin or citizenship; however, all applicants must include one of the following statements: “I am a Canadian citizen / permanent resident of Canada”; OR, “I am not a Canadian citizen / permanent resident of Canada” in their cover letter. Applications that do not include this information will be deemed incomplete.