Requisition: req3824
The Department of English and the College of Arts and Science at the University of Saskatchewan are pleased to invite applications for a tenured or tenure-track, Tier 2 Canada Research Chair appointment in Indigenous Storytelling. The Canada Research Chair (CRC) Program is the flagship of a national strategy to make Canada one of the world’s top countries in research and development (www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca).
We seek an exceptional emerging scholar who will lead an innovative program of research in Indigenous Storytelling and its roles within Indigenous and other communities. The chair may study how and why storytelling has been adapted for delivery in new genres and media, and may tell stories as part of a practice of artistic expression. The CRC may also foster an awareness of traditional storytelling and its ongoing purposes and developments. The chairholder will forge connections within the University and beyond, with individuals and communities who are vitally concerned about the knowledges inherent in Indigenous storytelling and who are committed to decolonizing practices.
The CRC will contribute to the development of a unique research cluster exploring Indigenous storytelling practices, knowledges, and methodologies through the College’s new centre to support collaboration in Indigenous knowledges and creativity. The chairholder will be based in the Department of English, which has a concentrated specialization in Indigenous Literatures and Storytelling and two faculty members in the area, but may be cross-appointed with another department and will collaborate with scholars in such programs as Indigenous Studies, Art and Art History, History, and Drama who incorporate Indigenous storytelling and methodologies into their research and teaching.
The successful candidate will initiate, lead and participate in research activities; compete successfully for external funding to support this research program; supervise student research projects; teach courses in the field of study; and undertake relevant administrative activities, including meetings and committee work. The candidate may also participate in the College’s Aboriginal Student Achievement Program for first-year students and the interdisciplinary Certificate in the Study of Indigenous Storytelling.
The Department of English at the University of Saskatchewan (artsandscience.usask.ca/english/) is strongly committed to research activity and to teaching excellence at both graduate and undergraduate levels. The Department’s 23 permanent faculty members provide education in literatures from a variety of historical periods and geographical locations; areas of concentration include Indigenous Literatures, Digital Studies, Modernist Studies, Canadian Literatures, and Cultural Studies.
The College of Arts and Science, of which the Department is a part, is the University’s largest college. It is home to more than 60 academic programs in the humanities, fine arts, social sciences, and natural sciences, and it has 295 faculty members, including ten Canada Research Chairs. Enrolled through the College are 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students, with more than 1,000 who identify as Indigenous. The College has had a department of Indigenous Studies since 1982 and has strong Indigenous programs and high-achieving Indigenous scholars in many of our departments.
The University of Saskatchewan, situated in Treaty 6 territory and the Métis homeland, is committed to becoming an “outstanding institution of research, learning, knowledge-keeping, reconciliation, and inclusion with and by Indigenous peoples and communities.” It is located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, a city on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River known for its quality of life, diverse and thriving economic base, vibrant arts community, and full range of leisure opportunities. The University is one of Canada’s top 15 research-intensive universities. It has a reputation for excellence in teaching, research, and scholarly and artistic work and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs to a student population of more than 24,000.
Saskatchewan is the province with second-highest proportion of Indigenous people in Canada and offers many opportunities for scholars to engage with a diversity of Indigenous communities. There are seven Indigenous nations whose territories make up the province of Saskatchewan: Cree, Anishnaabeg, Lakota, Dakota, Nakoda, Dene and Métis. Saskatchewan is also home to many other Indigenous peoples from across Canada and beyond. Collectively, Indigenous peoples make up 15.6% of the provincial population and almost 10% of the population of the city of Saskatoon. With more than 25,000 Indigenous residents, the city is a centre of Indigenous cultural, social, artistic, and intellectual activity.
Qualifications
Candidates must hold a PhD with a specialization in Indigenous Literatures and/or Storytelling, or the equivalent (e.g., a terminal Masters degree in a discipline such as Creative Writing, and distinction in writing, research, publication, performance, and teaching in the area), and be eligible for appointment at the Assistant or Associate Professor level. We are seeking candidates who demonstrate excellence, creativity, and leadership in research as shown through activities such as a research project on the significance of literary works by Indigenous authors or on storytelling in Indigenous communities; an established creative practice (written or oral); funding success in the research area; attracting and mentoring future researchers; and/or working with community partners. The candidate must be qualified to teach and supervise within the discipline of literary studies.
Tier 2 Chairs are intended for exceptional emerging scholars (i.e., candidates must have less than 10 years of experience as an active researcher in their field at the time of nomination). Applicants who are more than 10 years from having earned their highest degree (and where career breaks exist, such as maternity, parental or extended sick leave, clinical training, etc.) may have their eligibility for a Tier 2 Chair assessed through the program’s Tier 2 justification process. Please consult the CRC website for eligibility details or contact the Strategic Research Initiatives (SRI) unit for more information (sri.support@usask.ca).
The successful applicant will be appointed as a tenured or tenure-track faculty member at the Assistant or Associate Professor level in the Department of English and will be nominated for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair.
Salary bands for this position are as follows: Assistant Professor: $93,293 to $112,109; and Associate Professor: $112,109 to $130,925, with the possibility of merit-based additions.
This position includes a comprehensive benefits package which includes a dental, health and extended vision care plan; pension plan, life insurance (compulsory and voluntary), academic long term disability, sick leave, travel insurance, death benefits, an employee assistance program, a professional expense allowance, and a flexible health and wellness spending program.
How to Apply
Interested candidates must submit their application using the University’s online application portal. Click on the “Apply Now” button (top left side of the page) to submit an application. Visit the “Tips for Applying” page (https://careers.usask.ca/tips-for-applying.php) for instructions on how to apply. Complete applications will include a detailed curriculum vitae, a research statement, a teaching statement and supporting documentation, a sample of written or published work, and three signed letters of reference sent directly to:
Dr. Wendy Roy
Head, Department of English
University of Saskatchewan
9 Campus Drive
Saskatoon, SK
or by email to english.department@usask.ca
As part of the application process, applicants will be asked to complete a voluntary employment equity survey.
Review of applications will begin March 22; however, applications will be accepted and evaluated until the position is filled. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2019.
The impact of leaves (e.g., parental leave, extended leave due to illness, etc.) will be carefully considered when reviewing the candidate’s record of research achievement. Therefore, candidates are encouraged to explain in their application how career interruptions may have impacted them.
The University of Saskatchewan is committed to supporting employees in need of accommodation in an employment context. For more information on the University of Saskatchewan’s accommodation policy, please contact Carine.Paley@usask.ca (306-966-8560).
All qualified candidates, Canadian and other nationalities are encouraged to apply. The University of Saskatchewan is committed to diversity, inclusion, and equity in the workplace and encourages applications from members of the four designated equity groups (women, members of a visible minority, Indigenous persons, and persons with disabilities). For this position, priority will be given to Indigenous scholars. The University of Saskatchewan relies on section 48 of The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code to give preference in employment for this position. Recruitment will be guided by the Canada Research Chairs Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Practices (www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/program-programme/equity-equite/index-eng.aspx) and by the strong commitment of the University of Saskatchewan, the College of Arts and Science, and the Department of English to diversity, inclusion, and equity.
For questions related to this position or the selection process, please contact Dr. Wendy Roy at wendy.roy@usask.ca or (306) 966-2132.
Date Posted: Feb. 4, 2019
The University of Saskatchewan is strongly committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace that empowers all employees to reach their full potential. All members of the university community share a responsibility for developing and maintaining an environment in which differences are valued and inclusiveness is practiced. The university welcomes applications from those who will contribute to the diversity of our community.