Assistant Professor - Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader in Environment, Climate Resilience, and the Arctic and the Law

Expected start date of appointment: June 1, 2027.

The University of Manitoba and Faculty of Law

Join us in advancing the fight against cancer, rare diseases, and infectious diseases, leading global public health efforts at scale in Asia and Africa, connecting to the Arctic, opening a new maritime trade route, working alongside Indigenous partners, enhancing defence and security in the North, developing materials for green energy and the digital economy, and making Canadian agriculture more globally competitive and sustainable.

UM’s Strategic Research Themes are:

• Foundations
• Social Justice and Human Rights
• Research by, with, and for Indigenous Peoples
• Water and Food Security
• Health and Well-being
• Climate Action and Sustainability
• Manitoba, Hudson Bay, Arctic, and the World

Please consult the Change Through Research University of Manitoba Strategic Research Plan 2024-2029 for further information about these Research Themes.

Founded in 1914, the University of Manitoba's Faculty of Law, known as Robson Hall, is the oldest law school in Western Canada and a cornerstone of legal education in Manitoba. The Faculty offers Juris Doctor, Master of Laws, and Master of Human Rights programs and has 27 full-time tenured, tenure-track, and continuing faculty members. It has recognized strengths in human rights law, Indigenous legal traditions, criminal law, advocacy, technology and law, environmental and private law, and social justice. The Faculty maintains close connections with Indigenous communities, non-governmental organizations, governments, the judiciary, law societies, and the legal profession. Further information is available at https://umanitoba.ca/law.

Researchers have access to core resources within the Faculty, including the Property and Climate Transitions Law Lab (opening 2027), Legal Research Institute, International Human Rights Law Clinic, Desautels Centre for Private Enterprise and the Law, Asper Initiative in International Business and Trade Law, Mauro Chair in Human Rights and Social Justice, and the Faculty's clinical and knowledge-mobilization platforms. University-wide opportunities include collaboration with the Centre for Human Rights Research, Natural Resources Institute, and other research platforms supporting interdisciplinary environmental, Indigenous, Arctic, and community-engaged research.

Live and Work where the Red and Assiniboine Rivers Meet

The City of Winnipeg (www.tourismwinnipeg.com), located where the Red and Assiniboine Rivers meet, is recognized for its vibrant, multicultural community and diverse culture. The city, with a growing population of more than 766,000, is home to internationally renowned festivals, galleries and museums, the historic Exchange District and The Forks, and ever-expanding research, education, and business sectors. From the Hudson Bay waters, across the farmland fields, to the pulse of the cities and towns, The Province of Manitoba’s (www.travelmanitoba.com) people and places – its 100,000 lakes, 92 provincial parks, winding river valleys and storied prairie skies – inspire.

The Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders Program

The Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders program is a $120 million investment by the Government of Canada, affiliated with the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada, designed to attract internationally based early-career researchers to Canada whose work addresses critical national and global challenges. The Emerging Leaders are awarded $100,000 per year for six years with renewal potential for an additional six years, contingent on career progression and the demonstration of transformational, translational research that has successfully garnered partnerships.

About the Position

The Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba invites applications from exceptional internationally based emerging scholars for the position of Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader in Environment, Climate Resilience, and the Arctic and the Law. The successful candidate will establish an independent and internationally competitive research program that complements and expands the work of the proposed Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair. The Faculty particularly welcomes scholarship examining environmental governance and climate resilience through one or more complementary perspectives, including Indigenous legal orders and economic reconciliation; environmental justice and human rights; responsible business conduct and sustainable development; international environmental law; environmental dimensions of trade and investment; community-based conservation; Arctic and northern governance; and transnational approaches to environmental stewardship and resilience. Particular value will be placed on the ability to develop national and international partnerships at the intersection of environmental sustainability, human rights, Indigenous rights, and community-environment resilience.

While this is a research-intensive position, the successful candidate will also teach and mentor Juris Doctor and graduate students. The candidate will teach in their area of research expertise and contribute to the Faculty's core undergraduate and graduate curricula; an ability to teach in the private law curriculum will be a significant asset. The candidate will pursue research funding, publish and mobilize research, develop interdisciplinary and external partnerships, recruit and train highly qualified personnel, contribute to Faculty governance and institutional service appropriate to rank, and engage in community, professional, and scholarly service.

The successful candidate will be appointed to a full-time tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience and governed by the University of Manitoba-University of Manitoba Faculty Association collective agreement. The position includes a competitive start-up package that includes and the opportunity to compete for additional research infrastructure funding locally and via the Canada Foundation for Innovation.

Qualifications:

Candidates for the Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders program must:

• Be based internationally, both working and residing outside Canada, at the time the Impact+ Emerging Leader accepts the award. (The candidate may be a Canadian citizen living and working abroad, a Canadian permanent resident living and working abroad, or a foreign national);
• Be within five-years from the date of their first research-related appointment, minus eligible delays at the time of acceptance of the award;
• Have demonstrated a creative approach to research with the potential to achieve international recognition in their field within the next five to ten years;
• Be proposing a high quality, original, and innovative independent program of research with potential for impact through collaborations with, but not limited to, the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs;
• Be willing and able to begin the position on a full-time basis by June 1, 2027;

Although not strictly required by the Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders program, the University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law requires candidates to hold a J.D., LL.B., or equivalent law degree (including a civil law degree or other equivalent credentials) and a Ph.D. or equivalent advanced research degree in Law or a related field, completed or near completion by the anticipated appointment date. The successful candidate must demonstrate the potential to lead an original, innovative, high-impact research program; attract, develop, and mentor excellent trainees; and contribute effectively to the Faculty's teaching mission. Teaching experience or potential to teach in the private law curriculum will be a significant asset.

All funded Impact+ Emerging Research Emerging Leaders must adhere to the Tri-Agency guidance on research security, in accordance with the Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC), and National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships Policy (NSGRP). STRAC or NSGRP attestations may be requested during the recruitment process.

The Application Process

Applicants must apply to this University of Manitoba advertisement through the UM Careers portal and clearly state the application position number in the cover letter. Applicants should upload their cover letter separately, upload their curriculum vitae separately, and combine their research plan, teaching statement, personal statement, and list of three referees into a single PDF file under 'Additional Documentation.' If you experience any difficulty accessing UM Careers, please contact Jodi Petch at Jodi.Petch@umanitoba.ca for assistance.

Application materials include the following:

• a concise cover letter describing the applicant's suitability for the position and explaining how the proposed research program complements the focus areas above
• a curriculum vitae (including examples of significant research contributions)
• a research plan (3 pages maximum) outlining an independent and innovative research program, its alignment with the focus areas above, its potential to attract funding, its partnership and knowledge-mobilization dimensions, and its contribution to student training
• a teaching statement (1/2 page maximum) documenting the applicant's teaching experience and/or potential, teaching philosophy, and approach to training and mentoring diverse students
• a personal statement (1 page maximum) reflecting on the applicant's positionality, demonstrated commitment, and approach to anti-racism and social justice, including equity, access, participation, and accessibility in teaching, research, and service
• the names and contact information of three referees

The Canada Impact + Emerging Leaders program requires institutions to collect self-identification data from all applicants. This attestation is completed online as part of the UM application process.

A review of applications will begin on October 18, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.

If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact Jodi Petch at Jodi.Petch@umanitoba.ca

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Considerations

Equity, diversity and inclusion are embedded as foundational principles in Impact+ objectives, expected outcomes and reporting requirements of the competition. The three agencies expect that institutions and Emerging Leaders will demonstrate and implement the highest EDI standards for the duration of their award.

The Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader nomination selection committee will receive equity training that includes instruction on how to recognize and combat unconscious, implicit, overt, prejudicial and other kinds of bias.

The University acknowledges the potential impact that Career Interruptions and Personal Circumstances can have on an applicant's record of research achievement. We encourage applicants to explain the impact of any such interruption(s) in their submission as described under "Career Interruptions" in the CRC program's Guidelines. Measures will be taken to ensure that these leaves will be taken into careful consideration during the evaluation process. Please refer to the program’s FAQ page for the definition of Early Career Researchers (ECRs).

Additional information:

The University of Manitoba is a driving force of innovation, discovery and advancement. Our momentum is propelled by our campus community – UM faculty, staff and students whose determination and curiosity shape our world for the better. Our teaching, learning and work environment is uniquely strengthened and enriched by Indigenous perspectives. With two main campuses in Winnipeg, satellite campuses throughout Manitoba, and world-wide research, UM’s impact is global.

Discover outstanding employee benefits, experience world-class facilities and join a dynamic community that values reconciliation, sustainability, diversity, and inclusion. We are one of Manitoba’s Top Employers and one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers. At the University of Manitoba, what inspires you can change everything.

The University of Manitoba is committed to the principles of equity, diversity & inclusion and to promoting opportunities in hiring, promotion and tenure (where applicable) for systemically marginalized groups who have been excluded from full participation at the University and the larger community including Indigenous Peoples, women, racialized persons, persons with disabilities and those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, questioning, intersex, asexual and other diverse sexual identities).

If you require accommodation supports during the recruitment process, please contact UM.Accommodation@umanitoba.ca or 204-474-7195. Please note this contact information is for accommodation reasons only.

Application materials, including letters of reference, will be handled in accordance with the protection of privacy provisions of "The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act" (Manitoba). Please note that curriculum vitae will be provided to participating members of the search process.