Position Description

The Opportunity

The Faculty of Science at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver seeks a candidate who self-identifies as Black for a tenure-stream Assistant Professor of Teaching with an expected start date of 1 July 2026 and a salary within the range of $110,000 - $145,000 CAD. This opportunity forms part of the University-wide Black Faculty Cohort Hiring Initiative. The hired faculty will be a member of the FoS Black Faculty Cluster in Quantitative and Environmental Science, joining eight current UBC faculty members.  We are looking for a candidate with expertise in one or more of the following fields: data science, statistics, computational science, computer science, or environmental science.  Some preference will be given to candidates whose work can bridge these areas, integrating computational and quantitative approaches to address environmental challenges.

The position requires a minimum of a PhD or equivalent in mathematics, computer science, statistics, ecology, botany, forestry, zoology, oceanography, fisheries, biodiversity conservation, environmental sciences, atmospheric sciences, chemistry or related disciplines, though applicants with other advanced degrees and/or relevant experience will be considered. Consideration may be given to promising applicants who are very near completion of a doctorate by the time of the appointment. The successful candidate should have (i) demonstrated commitment to undergraduate teaching with evidence of excellence if available, (ii) the ability to work collaboratively as well as independently, (iii) promise of educational leadership, and (iv) potential for creating innovative instructional environments and resources. Experience with evidence-based teaching methods, curriculum development, course design, and other initiatives that advance the university’s ability to excel in its teaching and learning mandate is also an asset. In addition, candidates will have a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, to create a welcoming community for all, particularly those who are historically, persistently or systemically marginalized.

The position provides an opportunity, with strong institutional support, to pursue a career based on excellence in teaching and educational leadership, while participating in the intellectually exciting atmosphere of UBC. A successful candidate will have an opportunity to make an impact on education both within and beyond the classroom, as well as both within and beyond UBC. Assistant Professor of Teaching is the first rank in UBC’s Educational Leadership Stream, followed by Associate Professor of Teaching (with tenure), and then Professor of Teaching. This path is analogous to the Research stream faculty progression of tenure-track Assistant Professor, tenured Associate Professor, and Full Professor. Faculty members in the Educational Leadership stream are eligible to apply for Study Leave (sabbatical) under similar terms to faculty members in the Research stream. Educational leadership faculty also engage in self-directed scholarly activity, service, and other initiatives at the department, faculty, university, national, or international level.

The Black Faculty Cluster in Quantitative and Environmental Science will provide unique structures that support the continued success of scholars once they arrive at UBC, including: creating a peer-mentorship group program to facilitate connections among new hires as well as between incoming and current Black scholars; providing research support in the form of co-supervised Black postdoctoral fellows; and making available resources on transitioning to and navigating life at UBC and in Vancouver as Black people. The successful candidate will join one of the following departments.

Computer Science: UBC Computer Science ranks among the top departments in North America, with over 60 tenure-track faculty (including twelve Educational Leadership faculty), approximately 250 graduate students, and over 2,700 undergraduate students. Teaching and educational leadership activities are well supported by the department. Internal funding opportunities support curriculum development, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and other activities.

Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences (EOAS): In the 2025 QS university rankings, UBC is ranked 12th in the world for environmental sciences, and our Environmental Sciences BSc (ENSC) is internationally respected for its ability to train practitioners and prepare students for graduate and professional programs. EOAS administers the ENSC program with support from the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, and the program is now expanding to run jointly between these academic units.

Statistics: UBC Statistics leads in innovative, evidence-based teaching in statistics and data science. The department’s undergraduate and graduate programs continue to grow, supported by educational initiatives such as textbook development, the use of tools like Jupyter Notebooks and nbgrader, and open educational resources like StatSpace. Educational Leadership faculty play a key role in curriculum development and in advancing teaching practices within the department and beyond.

UBC’s campuses are located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Syilx (Okanagan) Peoples and of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the x^wməθk^wəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Stó:lō and Səlílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil Waututh) Nations.

Application Process

Complete applications must be submitted through the Academic Jobs Online (AJO) portal and include the following:

• Cover letter (1 - 2 pages): Should clearly state the department(s) they are interested in joining, and, when possible, candidates are encouraged to include hyperlinks to one or two examples of their teaching materials.
• Curriculum vitae: Should include relevant work experience, educational leadership activities, and service.
• Teaching statement (1 - 2 pages): Describe your teaching philosophy, including your approach to teaching, how you support student learning, and how you create an inclusive learning environment.
• Evidence of teaching effectiveness: Begin with a cover page summarizing the evidence of teaching effectiveness you are providing, including brief explanations of context where needed. Attach all supporting documents (teaching evaluations, peer observations, teaching awards, student testimonials, examples of student work/outcomes, or other measures of teaching success). Candidates are encouraged to include full student evaluations for any courses taught in the last two years. If you are at a point in your career where you do not yet have these types of supporting documents, please provide a cover page describing your teaching-related experience and thoughts on your effectiveness.
• Educational Leadership Vision Statement (1 - 2 pages): Describe your past educational leadership contributions and vision for advancing teaching and learning at UBC, demonstrating how you would contribute beyond individual classroom teaching. At UBC, educational leadership is understood as contributions that will have an impact beyond your own classroom. As defined in the Faculty Collective Agreement, educational leadership contributions may include, but are not limited to: application of or engagement in the scholarship of teaching and learning; development of innovative teaching, learning, or assessment practices; organization of teaching and learning related conferences or symposia; curriculum development; capacity building for excellence in education, including mentoring of colleagues; and securing funding for teaching and learning initiatives and leading the funded projects.
• Three Letters of Reference:Upload names and contact emails of three references to the AJO portal. Your referees will receive automatic emails with instructions to submit their letters. References must submit their letters (on letterhead) directly to the AJO platform.
• Diversity statement (1 page): Describe your lived background experience (if comfortable), and your experience and future plans regarding working with a diverse student body and contributing to a culture of equity and inclusion.
• Equity Survey: Pursuant to Section 42 of the BC Human Rights Code, this search will be restricted to qualified Black scholars. We welcome applications from Black scholars who may also identify as Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) Peoples, multi-racial persons, persons with disabilities, women, and/or members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Because this search is limited to candidates who self-identify as Black, applicants must complete this equity survey (https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_71emR2cibNmk8EC) as part of their application. All questions are voluntary, with an option to decline to answer. Applicants who wish to be considered for this position must self-identify as ‘Black’ to be considered eligible. All information collected by the Equity & Inclusion Office (EIO) will remain confidential and any reported data will be in aggregate form shared with the Search Committee co-chairs for to track intersectional diversity and support and equitable and meritorious search process.

The closing date for applications is October 15, 2025. All materials, including reference letters, must be uploaded to the AJO portal by this date. 

Information sessions for those who want to learn more about the positions will be held online on the following dates:

• Friday, September 5, 10:00 am-11:00 am Pacific time. Register for the Zoom meeting.
• Wednesday, October 1, 10:00 am-11:00 am Pacific time. Register for the Zoom meeting.

If you have questions about the application process, please contact the Chair of the Black Faculty in Science Educational Leadership Recruiting Committee by email:

Oluwakemi Ola, PhD

Chair, Black Faculty in Science Educational Leadership Recruiting Committee

Associate Professor of Teaching, Computer Science

kemiola@cs.ubc.ca 

(Do not email applications; applications must be submitted through Academic Jobs Online.)

UBC hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. Inclusion is built by individual and institutional responsibility through continuous engagement with diversity to inspire people, ideas, and actions for a better world. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Métis, Inuk, or Indigenous person. UBC acknowledges that certain circumstances may cause career interruptions that legitimately affect an applicant’s record of research or educational leadership achievement. We encourage applicants to note in their applications whether they would like consideration given to the impact of any circumstances, such as those due to health or family reasons, in order to allow for a fair assessment of their research productivity.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority, and members of historically marginalized groups will be given special consideration.

If you have any needs or questions regarding accommodations or accessibility during the job application, recruitment and hiring process or for more information and support, please visit UBC’s Center For Workplace Accessibility website at  https://hr.ubc.ca/health-and-wellbeing/working-injury-illness-or-disability/centre-workplace-accessibility or contact the Centre at workplace.accessibility@ubc.ca.

The University is committed to creating and maintaining an accessible work environment for all members of its workforce. Within this hiring process we will make efforts to create an accessible process for all candidates (including but not limited to disabled people). Confidential accommodations are available on request by contacting Svetlana Minchenko at  minchenko@science.ubc.ca