Assistant Professor-Department of Geography & Environmental Studies (Indigenous Scholar)

WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Wilfrid Laurier University and its campuses are located on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishnaabe, and Haudenosaunee Peoples. The Waterloo, Brantford and Milton campuses are close to 18 First Nations communities and 12 Métis councils. The Six Nations of the Grand River and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nations are a 60-minute drive from our Waterloo campus.

The Department of Geography & Environmental Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University (Laurier) invites applications from qualified Indigenous scholars from Turtle Island/North America (including First Nations, Métis and Inuit) for a tenure-track appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor in the area of human-environmental relations, to begin July 1, 2026, subject to budgetary approval. The Waterloo campus will be the primary location for this position; however, teaching responsibilities may include instruction at the Milton and Brantford campuses via in-person or virtual delivery.

Anticipated Salary Range: $90,000 to $140,000. Actual salary to be commensurate with experience.

Qualifications
Applicants are expected to possess a PhD or be close to completing one, in geography, environmental studies, resource management, or other relevant fields or disciplines, at the time of appointment. The successful applicant will be expected to complete Laurier’s Indigenous identity verification process.

The successful candidate will demonstrate expertise in Indigenous Geographies of human-environmental relations, or a related field, with demonstrated commitment to Indigenous scholarship, community engaged research, and participatory scholarship. The ideal candidate will be expected to contribute to undergraduate and graduate teaching and supervision and will be experienced in teaching courses focused on the human-environment interface, environment and society, natural resource management, environmental impact assessment, Indigenous Environmental Knowledges, and/or critical resource geographies. The candidate will bring to their teaching their lived experience, a combination of Indigenous and Western approaches, and will develop new courses to refresh the department’s course offering. Candidates able to use Indigenous ways of knowing and Indigenous pedagogies in their teaching and learning approaches are encouraged to apply.

We seek a colleague with demonstrated and/or clear potential to develop an independent, internationally recognized and robust research program, which could include (but is not limited to) fields such as environment and development, environmental management, ecological conservation, policy, planning and/or governance, and community engaged scholarship or Indigenous methodologies, and will create research opportunities for graduate students with strong links to Indigenous communities. The candidate’s research would ideally align with Laurier’s 2025-2030 Strategic Research Plan, which includes a focus on decolonizing practices, fostering equitable relationships between non-Indigenous and Indigenous communities, and promoting Indigenous knowledge, methodologies and perspectives that contribute to the broader goal of reconciliation and mutual understanding.

In collaboration with departmental colleagues, the successful candidate will play an important role in shaping the future direction of the department. Candidates must demonstrate a commitment to working across sub-disciplinary boundaries, creating a culture of inclusion, and engaging in community service and professional development. The successful candidate is also expected to contribute service to the University and academic community, and to scholarly and/or professional activities.

How to Apply
To apply, applicants should submit:
• cover letter summarizing their qualifications for the position
• Detailed curriculum vitae
• teaching dossier outlining teaching philosophy, experience, interests, and example syllabi
• 2-page statement of current and prospective research objectives
• copies of up to three scholarly publications and a short statement (max. 350 words) describing the impact of these contributions
• Contact details (name, address, phone, email) of three academic referees willing to provide letters of recommendation (referees will be contacted only for applicants who may potentially be interviewed)

Application packages should be combined into a single PDF document addressed to:
Dr. Robert McLeman,
Chair, Department of Geography & Environmental Studies,
Wilfrid Laurier University,
email to GESAdmin@wlu.ca.

Applicants should clearly identify that they are applying for the Indigenous Scholar position in the subject line of their email.

Deadline for submission is April 6, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST.

About Wilfrid Laurier University
Laurier is a leading Canadian university renowned for its learning environment and student-focused educational experience. As a comprehensive university with more than 19,000 students, Laurier has grown rapidly in research intensity while at the same time preserving its well-earned reputation for undergraduate and graduate teaching and learning excellence. With a multi-campus and multi-community culture, Laurier offers students an exceptional range and depth of more than 100 academic programs taught by award-winning lecturers across nine faculties. For more information about working at Laurier applicants are encouraged to visit the institution’s web page.

Diversity and creating a culture of inclusion is a key component of The Laurier Strategy and Laurier’s Strategic Academic Plan, and it is one of Laurier’s core values. Laurier is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive academic community. We encourage applications from individuals from historically underrepresented groups, including but not limited to women, members of racialized communities, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and individuals of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions. Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives at indigenous@wlu.ca. Candidates from other equity deserving groups who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programming at Laurier are welcome to contact Employment Equity and Accessibility at equity@wlu.ca.

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

I am a current citizen or permanent resident of Canada;

I am not a current citizen or permanent resident of Canada

Members of equity-deserving groups must self-identify to be considered for employment equity. Candidates may self-identify, in confidence, to Ruth MacNeil, Sr Administrative Officer (rmacneil@wlu.ca). Further information on the equity policy can be found here.

Laurier strives to make our application process accessible and provides accommodations for both applicants and employees as outlined in Policy 8.7. If you require assistance applying for this position, would like this job posting in an alternative format, or would like to discuss accessibility and accommodations during the recruitment process please contact Human Resources (HR@wlu.ca).

The Faculty of Science wishes to thank all applicants for their interest. All applications shall be reviewed and considered under the criteria established by the Search Committee, and a short list of candidates shall be interviewed. Only those applicants selected for the short list will be contacted.

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