Civil Engineering – Assistant Professor (Equitable Civil Engineering Systems) – The University of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia (UBC) and the Department of Civil Engineering acknowledges the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓-speaking xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam people) on whose traditional, ancestral and unceded territory the University resides.

The Department of Civil Engineering at the UBC Vancouver campus invites applications for a full-time tenure track position at the rank of Assistant Professor, specializing in equitable civil engineering systems. This position is part of the UBC’s President’s Academic Excellence Initiative (PAEI) within the Faculty of Applied Science. The successful applicant should demonstrate a commitment to excellence in research, teaching, and service.

PAEI background:
The President’s Academic Excellence Initiative makes a substantial investment in new faculty positions and associated infrastructure across the academic units of the University of British Columbia. In the Faculty of Applied Science, the leadership of the constituent Schools and Departments has come together around a shared vision to build a like-minded community of scholars ready to challenge and create afresh prevailing ways of generating and applying impactful knowledge in areas related to Healthy, Equitable and Adaptable Cities & Communities.

Inequality and the climate emergency have long been pressing concerns, and their pertinence and implications have been amplified in the context of the global Covid-19 pandemic. As societies look towards creating new pathways to the future, it is more important than ever that the scholarly community seeks innovative approaches in the ways we study, learn and research. This includes how the questions we address are identified, how we do research and with whom, how we learn together across disciplinary boundaries and cultural traditions, and how we share and develop ideas and knowledge. If scholarly knowledge is to have impact, new methodological approaches are needed, creating new intellectual traditions which better contribute to the realisation of healthy, safe, inclusive and thriving communities.

The Faculty of Applied Science at UBC is uniquely positioned to advance this creative and impactful vision through a distinctive constellation of units, with expertise and academic programs in health, technology, design and communities guided by a Strategic Plan Transforming Tomorrow that prioritises transforming ourselves, our scholarship and our learning to address the urgent challenges facing communities and cities, near and far. The Faculty consists of three Schools: Nursing; Architecture and Landscape Architecture; and Community and Regional Planning; and six engineering departments: Chemical and Biological Engineering; Civil Engineering; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Materials Engineering; Mining Engineering; and the School of Biomedical Engineering.

This position
In the context of this wider initiative, the Department of Civil Engineering seeks to hire a tenure-track Assistant Professor to develop a research program related to Civil Engineering design with explicit consideration of equity, ethics, and/or impacts on marginalized people and communities. Civil systems are central to the functioning of society, and the work of civil engineers, even highly technical analysis, often has enormous and unequal impacts on people and communities. Civil engineers must play a leading role in not just mitigating and adapting to climate change, but also addressing the disproportionate impacts of the climate emergency on vulnerable populations. In the Canadian context, it is also particularly important that the profession of civil engineering contributes to reconciliation with Indigenous communities.

The successful candidate will be expected to develop an independent and internationally recognized research program that advances civil engineering design by incorporating the complexities of people’s interactions with the built and natural environments. This socio-technical framing can apply to nearly any area of civil engineering, and so this position can sit within any (or multiple) of the sub-disciplines in the Department (structural, geotechnical, environmental, transportation, hydrotechnical, etc.). The position will involve teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels, the supervision of graduate students at the Masters and Doctoral levels and the provision of service to the University and the broader community. The successful candidate must embrace productive relationships across cultural differences and develop an equitable, diverse and inclusive learning and research approach that promotes a respectful environment for all students, staff and faculty. As part of this PAEI cluster, the successful candidate will be expected to participate in and lead collaborative and multi-disciplinary initiatives through engagement with academic and non-academic partners.

If you are unsure whether your expertise falls within the terms of this position, you are welcome to contact the Chair of the Search Committee directly, providing details of your field of expertise (see ‘For further information’ section below).

Applicant qualifications
All applicants should have a record of research excellence and a commitment to the highest standards of teaching and service. In addition, applicants must be able to demonstrate how their research seeks to address contemporary societal challenges through innovative knowledge mobilization.

The successful candidate for the position will have:

• A Ph.D. in civil engineering or a closely related field,
• Eligibility to register (within five years) as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) with Engineers and Geoscientists, British Columbia (see egbc.ca/Become-a-Member),
• Evidence of a promising research trajectory,
• A commitment to excellence in teaching the next generation of civil engineers,
• A commitment to excellence in service to the University, profession, and society,
• A commitment to equity and inclusion inside and outside of the academy, and advancing reconciliation with Indigenous communities,
• An eagerness to work in an interdisciplinary and diverse environment, and to contribute to the wider work of the Department, Faculty, and University, and
• Research and teaching interests that complement or deepen the Department’s existing capacities, and advance the Department’s strategic plan, available here: https://civil.ubc.ca/department/strategic-plan/.

The University is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and equitable work environment for all members of its workforce. An inclusive work environment presumes an environment where differences are accepted, recognized and integrated into current structures, planning and decision-making modes. Within this hiring process, we will make efforts to create an inclusive and equitable process for all candidates (including but not limited to people with disabilities). Accommodations are available on request for all candidates taking part in the selection process. To confidentially request accommodations, please contact the Chair of the Search Committee (see ‘For further information’ section below).

To learn more about UBC’s Centre for Workplace Accessibility, please visit their website https://hr.ubc.ca/health-and-wellbeing/working-injury-illness-or-disability/centre-workplace-accessibility.

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.

Application
All applications must be submitted online through the University of British Columbia’s Human Resources online careers page: https://ubc.wd10.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/ubcfacultyjobs/details/Assistant-Professor-in-Civil-Engineering-for-thriving-and-equitable-communities_JR14100, and should include:

• A brief cover letter describing their suitability for the position,
• A statement of research interests and goals,
• A statement of teaching interests and goals,
• A statement describing planned and past efforts to advance equity, diversity, inclusivity, and/or reconciliation with Indigenous peoples,
• A curriculum vitae,
• Names and contact information (including email addresses) of four referees, and
• Two examples of research products (which may include articles, reports or other formats).

The first stage of selection will be based on the submitted applications. At the second stage, referees will be contacted for short-listed candidates only.

The search committee will begin reviewing applications on October 1, 2023. The anticipated start date for this position is July 1, 2024, or upon a date to be mutually agreed. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. The position is subject to final budgetary approval.

For further information
Informal inquiries about the position should be addressed to the Chair of the Search Committee, Alex Bigazzi (abigazzi@civil.ubc.ca).