Assistant Professor in Indigenous Land and Natural Resources Governance

The Department of Forest Resources Management at the Vancouver campus of the University of British Columbia (UBC) invites applications for a full-time tenure-stream position at the rank of Assistant Professor in the field of Indigenous Land and Natural Resources Governance. While this position will initially be located in the Department of Forest Resources Management at UBC’s Point Grey (Vancouver) campus, it is envisaged that this will be one of a number of positions that will comprise a new Department in Indigenous Land Stewardship, potentially to be located in Westbank, British Columbia on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Syilx/Okanagan Peoples. The successful candidate will be an essential part of a team that will be responsible for developing courses, building research programs, supervising graduate students, and fostering Indigenous community engagement.

The UBC Faculty of Forestry is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam) People. It is one of the world’s leading academic institutions in forestry, conducting both national and international research, and providing undergraduate education in seven undergraduate programs: Forest Resources Management, Forest Operations, Urban Forestry, Forest Science, Natural Resources Conservation, Bioeconomy Sciences and Technology, and Wood Products Processing.

Recognizing that stewardship of ecosystems needs to be holistic and adaptive to societal changes, the recently approved Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship program is anticipated to produce graduates with practical land stewardship skills, grounded in Indigenous and Western knowledge systems. For more information on the UBC Faculty of Forestry visit http://www.forestry.ubc.ca/

Required Qualifications: Candidates for this position must have a PhD in Indigenous law, Indigenous governance, Indigenous natural resources management, Indigenous policy, or a related field. The successful candidate will have a demonstrated track record in or capacity to develop teaching and research programs in areas including, but not limited to: institutions of self-governance; land rights; natural resources management; and/or economic development. The Faculty takes a broad view of teaching and research in this context to include community service, engagement, and knowledge-sharing activities, contributions to leadership, work that has led to meaningful social or policy impacts, and collaborations with Indigenous communities. To that end, the ideal candidate will show a strong commitment to establishing relationships with Indigenous communities and organizations, including those within the region and province. Candidates should have excellent oral and written communication skills, and a commitment to mentoring, diversity, and inclusion.

Preferred Qualifications: Candidates should demonstrate excellence in conducting and publishing high impact research related to Indigenous land stewardship and governance. Evidence of high quality post- secondary teaching, a demonstrated potential to supervise graduate students, and a strong track record of securing research grants are desirable. The ideal candidate should have interest and experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Indigenous policy, processes, and law;
• Indigenous land stewardship practices;
• Governance of Indigenous lands and enterprises;
• Indigenous governance models for natural resources;
• Indigenous knowledge and decolonizing research methodologies; and
• Community engagement, community capacity-building, and community-partnered research

Candidates should be comfortable working with interdisciplinary perspectives within an international research and teaching context, and applying their knowledge to the practice of Indigenous Land and Natural Resources Governance. Evidence of innovation in teaching or curriculum leadership is an asset, as is a track record of collaboration. The successful candidate will play a significant role in program development at both the graduate and undergraduate levels and is expected to contribute to the Department’s strategic goals and development.

Applicants should apply online on the UBC Faculty Careers page-JR135.

Applications should include a cover letter; curriculum vitae; statement of teaching interests and accomplishments (1-2 pages), statement describing current and proposed research program (up to 4 pages); statement summarizing contributions to, and plans for, advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion (1 page); up to three pdf’s of recent publications that highlight contributions to the field; and the names, addresses, and e-mail addresses of three referees.

The deadline for applications is January 15, 2021. The ideal starting date for this position is July 1, 2021 or as soon as possible thereafter. Questions should be directed to: Dr. Robert Kozak, Chair of the Search Committee (rob.kozak@ubc.ca ).

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 will be given priority.