"Ruth Wynn Woodward Junior Chair in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies"

The Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (GSWS) at Simon Fraser University (Burnaby Campus) is seeking outstanding candidates for the Ruth Wynn Woodward Junior Chair in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies, a two-year full-time position at the rank of Assistant Professor, with a start date of January 2, 2027.

The RWW Endowment funds a Junior Chair who is expected to perform significant outreach-based activities that bridge academic and non-academic communities. This position will be appointed for a non-renewable 24-month period.

Qualifications:

The successful applicant will be an exceptional emerging scholar with:

• no more than 4 years of experience after the PhD. Applicants should have a completed PhD by June 30, 2026
• interdisciplinary expertise and publication record in areas relevant to gender, sexuality, and women’s studies
• grounding in approaches that complement the department’s existing strengths
• evidence of excellent teaching experience or potential
• evidence of capacity to teach courses from the GSWS undergraduate curriculum
• experience of or potential to demonstrate leadership in public outreach and event organization

Responsibilities include:

• teaching a total of four undergraduate seminar courses each academic year, one of which may include a graduate education component. Two of the courses will be delivered in each of the 2027 and 2028 summer semesters (equivalent of a 2/2 teaching load). SFU has three campuses (Burnaby, Surrey and Vancouver) and candidates may be required to teach at any campus.
• teaching at least two of the following courses from the GSWS curriculum: GSWS 102, GSWS 306, and GSWS 398W.
• designing and delivering one major public event or a series of smaller community outreach events
• in person and/or virtual participation in the RWW Travelling Speakers program which sends GSWS teachers to address colleges and community groups across BC and/or the Yukon.

Faculty salaries at SFU are based on the salary scales defined by the collective agreement between the University and the SFU Faculty Association. A reasonable estimate of the salary range at the Assistant Professor rank is $104,700 - $116,636 per annum (plus benefits) based on qualifications. The Junior Chair will also receive additional funds to support professional development, event outreach, and course development.

The application should include a 2-page cover letter that includes:

• a description of the application’s interest in and qualifications for the position
• a 750-word research statement
• a description of a proposed public event or a series of community outreach events envisioned

Additionally, please provide:

• a current C.V. which indicates date of conferral of doctoral degree
• a one-page description for an undergraduate course in the applicant’s area of expertise
• a one-page description of your approach to one of the following courses from the GSWS curriculum: GSWS 102, 306, 398W

Please consult https://www.sfu.ca/gsws/undergraduate/courses/descriptions.html for a description of courses in the GSWS curriculum. Completed applications must be emailed to the Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies at rwwpost@sfu.ca. Preference will be given to complete applications received by April 17, 2026 however, we will continue to accept applications beyond that date until the position is filled. Candidates selected for Zoom interview will be asked to arrange for 3 letters of reference to be sent to the Department.