Indigenous Land Stewardship – Assistant Professor Teaching (Tenure–Track)

The University of British Columbia

The Department of Forest Resources Management, Faculty of Forestry, The University of British Columbia (Vancouver Campus) invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant Professor of Teaching rank. The UBC Faculty of Forestry is excited to prepare and offer a new Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship (BILS) program, commencing in September 2024, which is an interdisciplinary, four-year undergraduate program created to prepare students to build and operate comprehensive land stewardship systems that are grounded in Indigenous earth-based land ethics – systems that can operate in complex inter-governmental environments and foster our next generation of land stewards. The program includes innovative and diverse courses in areas such as Indigenous ways of knowing, building strong communities, natural resources, community engagement, holistic resource stewardship, ecology, law and governance, business management, research and data management methods, and community capacity building.

Required Qualifications: The candidate must have a PhD in Ecology, Natural Resource Management, Forestry, or a related area. Consideration will be given to promising applicants who are very near completion of a doctorate degree by the time of appointment. The successful candidate will provide evidence of excellence in, and commitment to, teaching and learning, and enthusiasm for developing and utilizing Indigenized and culturally appropriate teaching pedagogies in diverse multi-cultural settings. Candidates must demonstrate evidence of past Indigenous educational leadership and/or clearly articulated plans for future educational leadership and an ability to bridge world views to yield positive results for all. Experience in course design is required and candidates must also have a strong and demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Preferred Qualifications: Experience teaching at the undergraduate level considered an asset. Professional experience as an Indigenous educator, Indigenous lands and/or research manager or field technician with experience related to Indigenous land stewardship or other closely related fields is also highly desirable. The candidate will be responsible for a range of educational activities and course delivery and should demonstrate outstanding organizational and interpersonal skills and Indigenous cultural competencies through prior experience with similar teaching loads or management of complex projects. Experience in broader curriculum development or other educational initiatives that will advance the University’s ability to excel in its teaching and learning mandate is preferred.

Position Duties:

The successful candidate will design and teach undergraduate courses primarily within this new Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship program as well as undertaking educational leadership activities as an Assistant Professor of Teaching. The successful candidate will provide instruction starting in year 1, in some or all courses on: (i) Decolonization and Natural Resources, (ii) Holistic Resource Stewardship, and (iii) Community Engagement: Principles, Practices, and Protocols. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the candidate will participate in mentoring students and supporting the cohesion of the student cohort. The successful candidate will also be expected to actively contribute to program initiatives to both promote the program and enhance the student

Promotion and tenure in UBC’s Educational Leadership stream is based on teaching, service, and educational leadership. Educational Leadership is broadly defined as activity taken at UBC and elsewhere to advance innovation in teaching and learning and must have impacts that extend beyond one’s classroom (see greater detail regarding educational leadership in Section 3.4.1 of Senior Appointments Committee (SAC) Guide. The successful candidate will therefore be expected to engage in educational leadership activities in consultation with the Program Director.

Application Process:

Applications should include:

• cover letter
• curriculum vitae
• teaching dossier that includes a statement of decolonized and Indigenized teaching philosophy
• one-page statement on envisioned Indigenous educational leadership relevant to the position
• one-page equity, diversity, and inclusion statement emphasizing how the applicant would contribute to the University’s mission of creating a culturally inclusive learning environment and implementation of the UBC Indigenous Strategic Plan
• full contact information for three individuals who can provide reference

Applicants should also indicate in their application if they are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.

Applications should be submitted via Workday JR14671

Deadline for applications is: October 31, 2023. The appointment will start on January 1, 2024, although an alternate start date can be negotiated. Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. All appointments are subject to budgetary approval.