Assistant Professor in Indigenous Politics

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Department of Political Science in the Faculty of Arts & Science at the University of Toronto invites applications for a full-time tenure stream position in Indigenous Politics. The appointment will be at the rank of Assistant Professor, with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2027.

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates must have earned a PhD degree in Political Science or a related social sciences or humanities discipline, with a focus on Indigenous politics, by the time of appointment, or shortly thereafter, with a demonstrated record of excellence in teaching, research, and Indigenous community engagement. We seek candidates whose research and teaching interests complement and enhance our existing departmental strengths.

Candidates must provide evidence of research excellence which can be demonstrated by a record of publications in top-ranked and field relevant journals or forthcoming publications meeting high international standards, the submitted research statement, presentations at significant conferences, awards and accolades, and strong endorsements from referees.

Evidence of excellence in teaching will be provided through teaching accomplishments, the teaching dossier (with required materials outlined below) submitted as part of the application, as well as strong letters of reference.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The successful candidate will be expected to pursue innovative and independent research, and to establish an outstanding, competitive, and externally funded research program.

In addition, the successful candidate will be assigned a teaching and service load.

HIRING SALARY RANGE

The expected salary range is $120,000 - $160,000 CAD per annum, depending on experience. Negotiations beyond this salary range will be considered for exceptionally qualified candidates.

ABOUT US

The Department of Political Science is a leading research-intensive department with large undergraduate and graduate programs. Responsibilities of the position include teaching undergraduate and graduate courses (specific assignments to be negotiated), regular participation in departmental and university activities, maintaining a productive research agenda, supervising students at the undergraduate, MA and PhD levels, and student mentoring. The successful candidate will play an important role in growing and shaping the Political Science department’s commitment to Indigenous Politics in the next few years. Learn more about us by visiting our home page (Department of Political Science https://politics.utoronto.ca)

Established in 1827, the University of Toronto is Canada’s largest and most research-intensive university and the only Canadian university to be named in the top 25 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Located in and around Toronto, one of the world’s most diverse cities, the University of Toronto’s vibrant academic life is enhanced by the cultural diversity in its community. In response to the Final Report of the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission, U of T established a TRC Steering Committee to guide the University’s response to the 94 Calls to Action. The University recently established an office of Indigenous Initiatives that works in close collaboration with the Centre for Indigenous Studies, First Nations House and other Indigenous facets of the University of Toronto (such as Indigenous Medical Education, Waakebiness-Bryce, and the Indigenous Education Network) to motivate initiatives designed to recruit and retain Indigenous students. This office supports the intellectual and communal life of Indigenous students and scholars on campus, including Indigenous Staff and Faculty Gatherings, an Elders Symposium, organizing and hosting Indigenous Education Week, and various conference initiatives (such as sending individuals to the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education (WIPCE) and hosting the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association (NAISA) meetings in 2023). The office includes a large staff and Faculty advisory and collaboration committee. The University has also earmarked funding to host Indigenous scholars and Distinguished Visiting Faculty Fellows. This work complements a major recruitment drive to hire Indigenous faculty across the University.

APPLICATION PROCESS

All application materials, including four recent reference letters, must be received by November 5, 2026.

All qualified candidates are invited to apply online by clicking the link below. Your CV and cover letter should be uploaded into the dedicated fields. Please combine additional application materials into one or two files in PDF/MS Word format. Applicants must submit the following materials:

• a cover letter;
• a current curriculum vitae;
• a research statement outlining current and future research interests;
• a recent writing sample;
• a teaching dossier, including
  • a teaching statement,
  • sample course materials, and
  • teaching evaluation; and
• the name and contact information of three references. In addition, a fourth reference letter must primarily address the candidate’s engagement with Indigenous communities

Equity, diversity and inclusion are essential to academic excellence as articulated in University of Toronto’s Statement on Equity, Diversity and Excellence. We seek candidates who share these values and who demonstrate throughout the application materials their commitment and efforts to advance equity, diversity, inclusion, and the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and working environment.

The University of Toronto’s recruiting tool will automatically solicit and collect letters of reference from each referee within 48 hours of an application being submitted. Applicants remain responsible for ensuring that referees submit recent letters (on letterhead, dated and signed) by the closing date. Submission guidelines and details on the automatic reference letter collection, including timelines, are available in the candidate FAQ.

If you have any questions about this position, please contact Sari Sherman at chair.polisci@utoronto.ca.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Diversity Statement

The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP.

Accessibility Statement

The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.

The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.

If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact uoft.careers@utoronto.ca.

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