Tier II Canada Research Chair in Social Justice in Child Studies and Education

Job title: Canada Research Chair Tier II in Social Justice in Child Studies and Education
Position code:  21_C_EDUC_O 
Date posted: October 4, 2022
Application deadline: November 30, 2022
Advertised until: Position is filled

Position Description 

The Department of Education in the Faculty of Arts and Science at Concordia University seeks to appoint a Tier II Canada Research Chair (CRC), a research-intensive tenure-track faculty position, in Social Justice in Child Studies and Education. The CRC Program, funded by the federal government, aims to promote world-class research in Canadian universities (for details, see chairs-chaires.gc.ca). 

The successful candidate will conduct research in areas that could include (but are not limited to): 

• the role of educational and/or social policies in maintaining or challenging inequities based on language, ethnicity, religion, race, migratory status, (dis)ability, social class, or gender; 

• the perspectives, lived experiences, and access to resources of young children and families from marginalized groups; 

• pre- or in-service practitioners’ knowledge about and/or perspectives on social justice issues; 

• innovative pedagogical approaches to support learning by children from marginalized groups and/or 

• the impact of community-based initiatives to foster social justice in childhood. 

Concordia University is strongly committed to achieving equity, diversity and inclusion throughout the institution and recognizes the value of achieving inclusive excellence in both teaching and research contexts. Concordia University is an English-language institution of higher learning at which the primary language of instruction and research is English. Since this position supports academic functions of the university, proficiency in English is required. Working knowledge of French is an asset. 

Qualifications and assets 

The successful candidate will have a PhD in Education or a related field. They are expected to have a strong research program in Social Justice in Child Studies and Education; excellent research productivity, including having leveraged funds from external research agencies; and the potential to develop successful partnerships in the community. The candidate should also show evidence of effectiveness in teaching, experience in mentoring student research, and a demonstrated commitment to supporting equitable and inclusive learning environments. Evidence of innovation and leadership in cross-disciplinary collaborations between researchers will be an asset. 

Candidates eligible for Tier II chair positions must be excellent emerging scholars within 10 years of their highest degree at the time of nomination. Potential Tier II candidates who are more than 10 years from their highest degree but who have experienced career interruptions may still be eligible for nomination as a CRC, and are encouraged to submit a description of such interruptions by means of the Tier II Justification Assessment Form (to be sent either to the CRC or to Concordia University, along with the other application materials). Please consult the Canada Research Chairs website for the form, as well as further details on eligibility criteria, acceptable justifications for the extension of the eligibility term, and other information on the CRC program. Irrespective of submission of the formal justification form, candidates are encouraged to share any career interruptions or personal circumstances that may have had an impact on their career goals (such as the decision to have a family, eldercare, illness, and so forth) in their letter of application. These will be carefully considered in the assessment process.

How to apply 

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and Permanent Residents will be given priority. To comply with the Government of Canada’s reporting requirements, the University is obliged to gather information about applicants’ status as either Permanent Residents of Canada or Canadian citizens. While applicants need not identify their country of origin or current citizenship, all applicants must include one of the following statements: 

Yes, I am a citizen or permanent resident of Canada 

or 

No, I am not a citizen or permanent resident of Canada

Applications should be addressed to Dr. Saul Carliner (education.apply@concordia.ca) and must include:

1. a cover letter clearly identifying the position title and code (21_C_EDUC_O) and including an equity, diversity, and inclusion statement (see details below in this section)
2. a detailed curriculum vitae
3. a teaching statement
4. a research statement, including current work and plans in the area of Social Justice in Child Studies and Education
5. a one-page description of the three most important research contributions to date
6. three representative publications
7. three letters of reference to be sent directly to education.apply@concordia.ca
8. evidence of teaching expertise and effectiveness (e.g., teaching evaluations) 

Applications should be submitted to education.apply@concordia.ca by November 30, 2022 but will continue to be reviewed until the position is filled. Only short-listed candidates will be notified. The appointment is expected to commence in August 2023.

Concordia University is strongly committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community, and recognizes the importance of inclusion in achieving excellence in teaching and research. As part of this commitment to providing our students with the dynamic, innovative, and inclusive educational environment of a Next‐Generation University, we require all applicants to articulate in their cover letter how their background, as well as lived and professional experiences and expertise have prepared them to teach in ways that are relevant for a diverse, multicultural contemporary Canadian society. 

Possible examples to demonstrate a diverse experience may include but are not limited to: 

• teaching about underrepresented populations 
• mentoring students from underrepresented backgrounds 
• committee work 
• offering or organizing educational programming 
• participation in training and workshops 

All applicants will receive an email invitation to complete a short equity survey. Participation in the survey is voluntary and no identifying information about candidates will be shared with hiring committees. Candidates who wish to self-identify as a member of an underrepresented group to the hiring committee may do so in their cover letter or by writing directly to the contact person indicated in this posting.

Adaptive Measures 

Applicants who anticipate requiring adaptive measures throughout any stage of the recruitment process may contact, in confidence, Anna Barrafato, Accessibility Change Lead: anna.barrafato@concordia.ca or by phone at 514.848.2424 extension 3511.