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Faculty Positions

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

Date posted: November 8, 2023                                                                                                                   

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.

About the School for the Contemporary Arts

The School for the Contemporary Arts (SCA) at SFU is situated in one of downtown Vancouver’s most dynamic and diverse neighbourhoods. Our school offers a unique curriculum in which studio classes in dance, film, music/sound, theatre/performance, production/design, and visual art are integrated with the historical and theoretical study of the arts. This meeting of creative practice with academic enquiry is a core value of the school and is enhanced by our attention to critical contemporary issues as well as our commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration both within the classroom and beyond. The SCA offers BFAs in Dance, Film, Music & Sound, Theatre & Performance, Production & Design, and Visual Art, as well as a BA in Art, Performance & Cinema Studies. At the graduate level, we offer an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts and an MA in Contemporary Arts. Our newest program is the PhD in Contemporary Arts, which offers a unique opportunity to pursue high-level scholarly and/or practice-based research.

Home to a diverse group of award-winning and internationally-recognized makers, composers, performers, and scholars, the SCA values innovative and collaborative approaches to teaching, research-creation, and knowledge production. These values are reflected in our course offerings, which regularly include opportunities to teach and learn across the arts, and in our many extra-curricular offerings – including the popular Berlin Field School, ongoing collaborations with SFU Galleries, and our annual School-wide "Re-Orientation" day, during which we reflect on the place and role of artists in responding to the myriad challenges that beset and define our contemporary world.

The Opportunity

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.

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.

The Canada Research Chairs Program (CRC) stands at the centre of a national strategy to foster research excellence in Canada. CRC appointments use a two-step application process where candidates must first apply to the university to an open job posting, and then submit an application for external peer review. This tenure- track CRC appointment opportunity is intended for emerging scholars at the rank of assistant or associate professor (or those who possess the necessary qualifications to be appointed to these levels). The applicant’s research area should primarily align with the mandate of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), as outlined in the Guidelines for Selecting the Appropriate Federal Granting Agency.

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.

Candidate Requirements

The successful applicant is expected to contribute meaningfully to the SCA’s research strengths and to help sustain the collegial atmosphere within the School. The research program will support SFU’s Strategic Research Plan, the goals of which include: advancing community-centred climate innovation; supporting health and wellness of individuals, populations and communities; expanding the foundations of knowledge and understanding our origins; strengthening democracy, justice, equity and education; and transforming industry and economies through technology, management, and policy. The Chairholder will be expected to maintain an outstanding program of research and a strong record of grants funding. Knowledge mobilization to the scholarly community, professional groups, the general public, and other stakeholders, as appropriate, is expected. Demonstrated experience in increasing diversity in the candidate’s current institutional environment, and in curriculum, is also an asset.

Experience mentoring equity-seeking students is expected, and experience mentoring equity-seeking faculty is an asset. Although 50 % teaching relief relative to regular faculty members will be provided to the Chairholder, the successful candidate will be expected to make significant contributions to the teaching mission of the SCA, including supervising and helping to secure financial support for graduate students.

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.

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.

The successful candidate will be asked to:

  • Mobilize, lead, and sustain an impactful practice and/or research program that contributes nationally and internationally;
  • Obtain successful and significant research and/or production funding to support collaborative research and graduate students;
  • Support and foster innovative approaches to learning and curriculum development, including the integration of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) within the curriculum; and
  • Join colleagues in service to the school, faculty, university, and wider community.

How To Apply

To apply, applicants should provide the following:

  • Cover letter explaining how you meet the position requirements regarding experience, interpersonal skills, research and collaborative values, including how you would contribute to SFU’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion;
  • Up-to-date, full curriculum vitae (include details of research, teaching, and service, scholarly record, funding, and list of collaborations/partnerships);
  • Portfolio of creative work (if applicable);
  • Proposed program of research practice (2-5 pages, single spaced) that:
    • clarifies its alignment with the CRC position and proposed CRC research;
    • includes an explanation of how the research aligns with and advances SFU’s Strategic Research Plan; and
    • a discussion of how this Chair will strengthen graduate training at SFU;
  • Teaching portfolio including a two-page statement of teaching philosophy and experience, including experience with and understanding of inclusive teaching and diverse student needs, as well as other evidence of teaching strengths; and
  • Names and email addresses of 4-5 referees, ranked in order of preference (long-listed candidates will be informed before referees are contacted).

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 in their application how alternative paths and/or interruptions have had an impact on their career. SFU also recognizes the value of mentoring and research training, outreach, professional service, and nontraditional areas of research and/or research outputs; demonstrated experience in increasing diversity in the previous institutional environment, and in curriculum, is also an asset.

All applications should be submitted to:

Elspeth Pratt, Director
School for the Contemporary Arts
Simon Fraser University
Goldcorp Centre for the Arts
149 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC, V6B 1H4

Email: epratt@sfu.ca
CC: scasec@sfu.ca

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.

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 successful candidate will work with the Dean and support staff in the Faculty of Communication, Arts and Technology to prepare a nomination package for a Canada Research Chair. After review and approval by SFU’s Office of the Vice President, Research and International, the nomination will be submitted to the CRC program, ideally in October 2024. The nomination package will then be evaluated by the CRC program’s external reviewers. Should the applicant be successful at this step, we estimate the earliest start date possible to be April 2025.

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). 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.

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

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 more details. 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.

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.

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TSSU Positions

Sessional Instructors Job Posting #1 / Summer 2024

Applications Deadline: Monday, March 11, 2024 (11:59 PM PST)

Appointment duration: May 6 to August 30, 2024

CA 104 OLC Music Fundamentals 1 contact hr
  • MFA in Music Composition

  • Active professional in music, specifically in the course topic area

  • Minimum of 5 years recent post-secondary teaching experience in contemporary music composition and the course topic area

n/a

Asynchronous online course

REMOTE instruction

CA 216/316 Asian Cinemas - Post WWII 3 contact hrs (1x3 hr lecture)
  • PhD in cinema studies or related field that provides advanced academic training in cinema studies

  • Experience teaching at the post-secondary level in the course topic

Vancouver

Mo/We 9:30- 12:20*

IN-PERSON instruction

*course schedules are subject to change; CA 216/316 are intersessions (the schedule can be found HERE).

DOWNLOAD CALL #1 HERE

Sessional Instructors Job Posting #2 / Summer 2024

Applications Deadline: Monday, March 11, 2024 at 11:59 PM (PST)

Appointment duration: May 6 to August 30, 2024

421 Contemp.Dance VIII: Choreographic Lab 4 contact hrs (2x3 hr studio) A lab for choreographic research with professional dance artists from Vancouver. Applicants should be an interdisciplinary dance artist with experience in self-producing and documentation with a minimum of 15 professional live dance presentations, training in translating text to movement, in gaga technique and improvisation and experience building highly physical large ensemble works for performance. Vancouver Mo/Tu/Th/Fri 14:30-17:20* IN-PERSON instruction

*course schedules are subject to change

CA 421 is an intersession course. Its schedule can be found HERE.

For course descriptions please visit HERE.
For pay scales please visit HERE.

DOWNLOAD CALL #2 HERE

Application Instructions

  • Email your cover letter and CV to sca_manager@sfu.ca
  • Name your documents with your last name first (eg. Smith_CV, Smith_CoverLetter)
  • Clearly indicate the course(s) to which you are applying in your cover letter
  • For selected/special topics please indicate what you plan to teach
  • A course syllabus or other related documents are optional unless otherwise stated above

Policies

Equity

The University is committed to the principle of equity in employment. (See Policy GP 19.)

Privacy

The information submitted with your application is collected under the authority of the University Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c.468, s. 27(4)(a)), applicable federal and provincial employment regulations and requirements, the University's non-academic employment policies and applicable collective agreements.

The information is related directly to and needed by the University to initiate the employment application process. The information will be used to contact references supplied by you, evaluate your qualifications and complete the employment process by making a hiring decision. Applicant information may also be disclosed to the Teaching Support Staff Union in accordance with Article XIII F.3.1.b of the Collective Agreement.

If you have any questions about the collection, use and disclosure of this information please contact the Associate VP, Human Resources, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6. Telephone 778-782-3237.

For course descriptions please visit: HERE. For previous course outlines please visit: HERE. For pay scales please visit: HERE.

TEACHING ASSISTANT JOB POSTINGS

Summer 2024 SEMESTER

The School for the Contemporary Arts is now accepting applications for Summer 2024 Teaching Assistant and positions. (Summer 2024 TSSU contract duration: May 6, 2024-August 30, 2024)

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Monday, March 11, 2024

Please apply online: HERE.

DOWNLOAD THE COURSE LIST HERE

The qualifications necessary to conduct the work and upon which the posting will be awarded are as per the TSSU Collective Agreement and a background and experience in the course area. (Check the course calendar for further information for each course: HERE). Detailed qualifications for each course are available on the online application system listed above.

Salary ranges: HERE. TSSU Teaching Assistants Wage Schedule: HERE

To be added to the Teaching Assistant & Tutor Marker job posting email list, please email ca@sfu.ca with your request.

Hiring Policies

Equity

The University is committed to the principle of equity in employment. (See Policy GP 19.)

Privacy

The information submitted with your application is collected under the authority of the University Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c.468, s. 27(4)(a)), applicable federal and provincial employment regulations and requirements, the University's non-academic employment policies and applicable collective agreements.

The information is related directly to and needed by the University to initiate the employment application process. The information will be used to contact references supplied by you, evaluate your qualifications and complete the employment process by making a hiring decision. Applicant information may also be disclosed to the Teaching Support Staff Union in accordance with Article XIII F.3.1.b of the Collective Agreement.

If you have any questions about the collection, use and disclosure of this information please contact the Associate VP, Human Resources, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6. Telephone 778-782-3237.

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