Assistant Professor position in Physical Geography, Department of Geography, Memorial University

We acknowledge that the lands on which Memorial University’s campuses are situated are in the traditional territories of diverse Indigenous groups, and we acknowledge with respect the diverse histories and cultures of the Beothuk, Mi’kmaq, Innu, and Inuit of this province.

Department of Geography
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Tenure-Track Assistant Professor
Position Number: F01393-2024-194

The Department of Geography at Memorial University invites applications for a permanent, tenure-track, Assistant Professor position in Physical Geography, subject to budgetary approval. The position will commence on July 1, 2025 on the St. John’s campus. Candidates must be fluent in the theory and practice of physical geography and should hold a PhD in geography or a relevant discipline. Our ideal candidate will be engaged in environmental change and/or coupled human-environment systems research. The areas of specialization may include but are not limited to topics such as water (hydrology) and water resources, climatology and meteorology, carbon cycling, wildfire dynamics, pedology, oceanography, glaciology, and landscape evolution. Candidates engaged in critical physical geography studies aligned with areas such as feminist GIS, Indigenous data sovereignty, Black geographies, queer ecology, or similar justice-based and community-serving research and teaching should outline them in their application.

This hire is specific to applicants who are Black or a Person of Colour as per approval granted by the Human Rights Commission pursuant to Section 8 of the Human Rights Act. Applicants must complete an employment equity survey in order to be considered a member of a target group(s), and thus be considered for this position. If you do not receive a survey or have any questions about it, please contact equity@mun.ca.

Candidates must have a demonstrated record of excellence in research and teaching, which the Department of Geography holds in equal esteem. They should be able to communicate effectively as an undergraduate and graduate teacher and mentor. The successful candidate will be expected to teach our core courses in Physical Geography. The Department of Geography highly values collaboration in research and mentorship. We encourage applicants who will build on our existing departmental areas of expertise in climate change, biogeography, biodiversity conservation, anticolonial research methods, urban planning, fisheries geographies, waste and discard studies, GIS and remote sensing, Arctic communities and ecosystems, and marine science. The Department offers B.Sc., B.A., M.Sc., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees, and is developing a Certificate in Geomatics and Environment. Applicants can learn more about the Department of Geography at www.mun.ca/geography.

Faculty in Geography collaborate with the newly established School of Arctic and Subarctic Studies (SASS), which has a constitution that enables co-governance of the School with Indigenous Nations and offers a Diploma in Northern Peoples, Lands, and Resources. Memorial has an all-Indigenous Committee for Ethics Impacting Indigenous Groups to ensure research, including classroom research, meets high standards of ethics and responsibility.

Memorial University is the largest university in Atlantic Canada and has a special obligation to the people of this province. As the province’s only university, Memorial plays an integral role in the education and cultural life of Newfoundland and Labrador. Offering diverse undergraduate and graduate programs to 19,000 students, Memorial’s St. John’s campus provides a distinctive and stimulating environment for learning in the capital city, which has a vibrant cultural life and access to a wide range of outdoor activities. With 15 academic departments and a variety of interdisciplinary major, minor, and diploma programs, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences offers breadth, depth, and diversity. The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences houses, among other units and resources, the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER), the Maritime History Archive, the Folklore and Language Archive, and the Aboriginal Languages Archives. Memorial geographers work closely with the Marine Institute and Faculty of Science, particularly in Biology, Earth Sciences, and Ocean Sciences. We offer Joint Honours degrees with Computer Science and Earth Sciences.

Memorial University is committed to employment equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism, and encourages applications from all qualified candidates within the target groups including: women; people of any sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression; Indigenous Peoples; visible minorities, and racialized people; and people with disabilities. All applicants are invited to identify themselves as a member of an equity-deserving group(s) as appropriate. Applicants cannot be considered as a member of an equity-deserving group(s) unless they complete an employment equity survey. Memorial is committed to providing an inclusive learning and work environment. If there is anything we can do to ensure your full participation during the application process please contact equity@mun.ca directly and we will work with you to make appropriate arrangements.

In assessing applications, Memorial recognizes the legitimate impact that leaves (e.g., parental leaves, leave due to illness) can have on a candidate’s record of research achievement. These leaves will be carefully considered during the assessment process.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian Citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. Candidates must therefore indicate in their application if they are a permanent resident or citizen of Canada.

Salary is commensurate with experience as determined by the Memorial University of Newfoundland Faculty Association (MUNFA) collective agreement. For more information about MUNFA, see https://munfa.ca/.

Application procedure:

Submit a letter of application, current curriculum vitae, research plan (2 pages maximum), teaching statement (2 pages maximum), and the names and addresses of three references (no letters required at this stage) at the following link: https://careers.mun.ca/hss/apply/advertisements/5736

Questions regarding the position can be directed to Dr. Joel Finnis Head, Department of Geography, jfinnis@mun.ca, +1 (709) 864-7417.

The deadline for applications is January 10, 2025.