Canada Research Chair Tier 2: Indigenous Planning, Assistant or Associate Professor

Canada Research Chair Tier 2: Indigenous Planning 

Assistant or Associate Professor, Tenure/Tenure Track: 

School of Planning and Sustainability 

Faculty of Environment 

Full time, regular

In response to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, and in alignment with the strategic and academic plans of the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), we invite applications for a full-time, tenure/tenure-track faculty position and Canada Research Chair Tier 2 in Indigenous Planning. The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate excellence in community-based scholarship and has the potential to advance the foundations of Indigenous planning in Canada. 

The successful candidate would be appointed at the Assistant or Associate Professor level, Tenure Track, in the School of Planning and Sustainability, in the Faculty of Environment. The faculty position is expected to commence July 1, 2026, and will be accompanied by a UNBC-supported nomination to the CRC program for the position of a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Canada Research Chair Tier 2 in Indigenous Planning. The proposal and nomination for the Chair position will be submitted in late 2026 or early 2027, and the Chair is anticipated to start on July 1, 2027. The availability of the faculty position is not dependent on the success of the CRC nomination. Tier 2 Chairs, tenable for five years and with potential to be renewable once, are for exceptional emerging researchers, acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their field. See the Canada Research Chairs program information guide for full details of the CRC nomination process and award value https://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/program-programme/nomination-mise_en_candidature-eng.aspx#s1a. 

A successful candidate’s profile should demonstrate the potential for research excellence leading to national and international recognition. CRCs are expected to engage in innovative programs of research that help train the next generation of highly-qualified people through student supervision, mentoring and community outreach. Candidates for the CRC will be assessed based on demonstrated evidence of existing outstanding original research, clear recognition as an original researcher of world-class caliber, as a leader in their field, and as an outstanding teacher and mentor. 

About the Position
The School has identified a need for holistic scholarship focusing on Indigenous resurgence through the stewardship of land and water relationships, Indigenous regional and community governance and services, and with relevance to the northern territories that UNBC serves. 

Indigenous pedagogy grounds the candidate’s teaching commitments. The candidate will take a leadership role in the First Nations Planning major, and also contribute to teaching more broadly in the accredited program in Planning, in related areas, or in graduate education, and will be expected to supervise graduate students. 

For the duration of the Canada Research Chair, the position will have a greater focus on research than typical faculty positions, such that the workload will be 60% research, 20% teaching, 20% service. The faculty position workload will normally be 40% research, 40% teaching, 20% service after the conclusion of the Chair position.

In[MG1]  accordance with the University’s Intentional Diversity Hiring Policy to enhance representation and employment equity and pursuant to Section 42 of the Human Rights code of the Province of British Columbia, this position is a limited hire to address underrepresentation within the School; as such, candidates must be members of the following groups: Indigenous peoples. Candidates from this group who wish to qualify for preferential consideration must self-identify.

Applicants must be eligible to hold a Tier 2 CRC. Applicants who are more than 10 years from having earned their highest degree (and where career breaks exist, such as maternity, parental or extended sick leave, clinical training, etc.) may have their eligibility for a Tier 2 Chair assessed through the CRC program’s Tier 2 justification process. Please contact the UNBC Office of Research and Innovation for more information to ensure eligibility.  

Qualifications
The successful candidate must hold a PhD at the time of appointment, or provide evidence that all degree requirements will be completed by December 2026, to enable the Chair position to begin in July 2027. A completed PhD is required for successful application to the CRC program. For this position, the PhD must be in Planning or a related applied discipline such as geography, sociology, community development, interdisciplinary areas, or similar. Candidates for the position must have demonstrated scholarship that works toward Indigenous resurgence through a planning lens such as the stewardship of land/water relationships, and Indigenous regional and community governance and services. The preferred candidate will have a record of community-engaged scholarship. We also prefer demonstrated relevance of the candidate’s past scholarship to the Northern territories that UNBC serves, demonstrated experience in creating experiential learning environments, and full membership or eligibility for candidate membership in the Canadian Institute of Planners. 

UNBC recognizes that life circumstances related to health (and/or disability), administrative, family, cultural or community responsibilities, socio-economic context, COVID-19, the introduction of research security measures or other factors are often part of life and are likely to have an impact on an applicant’s record of research achievement. We invite all applicants to provide an optional career interruption statement. These impacts will be taken into careful consideration during the assessment process.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Employment Equity 
The University of Northern British Columbia is fully committed to creating and maintaining an equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment that is accessible to all. We are devoted to ensuring a welcoming, safe, and inclusive campus free from harassment, bullying, and discrimination. This commitment is woven into our motto and mission. In the Dakelh language, UNBC’s motto ‘En Cha Huná translates to “he/she/they also live” and means respect for all living things. Through respect for all living things, we are able to grow and learn better together, each bringing our own unique individual differences and contributions to inspire leaders for tomorrow by influencing the world today. 

Employment equity requires that we proactively focus on removing barriers and overcome both direct and indirect discrimination to create a University workforce that is meaningfully represented. 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, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. 

About the University and its Community 
UNBC’s School of Planning and Sustainability offers an accredited Bachelor of Planning with majors in community, environmental, and First Nations Planning, and a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies, with several areas of concentration including Justice, Equity, Diversity and Indigeneity. Faculty also supervise graduate students (Masters and Doctoral) within the Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (NRES) Graduate Program.

Since its founding in 1990, the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) has emerged as one of Canada’s best small research-intensive universities, with a passion for teaching, discovery, people, and the North. UNBC’s excellence is derived from community-inspired research, hands-on learning, and alumni who are leading change around the world. 

Since time immemorial, Indigenous peoples have walked gently on the diverse traditional territories where the University of Northern British Columbia community is grateful to live, work, learn, and play. We are committed to building and nurturing relationships with Indigenous peoples, we acknowledge their traditional lands, and we thank them for their hospitality. UNBC’s largest campus in Prince George is located on the traditional unceded territory of the Lheidli T’enneh, in the spectacular landscape near the geographic centre of beautiful British Columbia. 

UNBC’s three regional campuses are located in Quesnel, Fort St. John, and Terrace. The South-Central campus in Quesnel is situated on the traditional territory of the Lhtako Dené (Red Bluff Band), Nazko, Lhoosk’uz Dené Nation (Kluskus Band), and Esdilagh First Nations (formerly Alexandria Band). Lhtako, Nazko, and Lhoosk’uz are Dakelh First Nations, and Esdilagh is a member of the Tsilhqot’in Nation. The Peace River-Liard campus in Fort St. John is situated on the traditional territory of the Doig River, Blueberry River and Halfway River First Nations. They are the Dunne-Za people. The Northwest campus in Terrace is situated on traditional Ts’msyen (Tsimshian) territory of the Kitsumkalum and Kitselas First Nations. It includes a satellite campus in the coastal community of Prince Rupert. Ranked second among Canada’s primarily undergraduate universities in the 2025 Maclean’s University Rankings, UNBC is nationally recognized for research performance, especially in key areas of importance to the wellbeing of northern and rural communities. UNBC values and encourages research and scholarly activity that is locally motivated and relevant, yet has global impact and recognition.

With a diverse student population, the University is friendly, inclusive, and supportive. Prince George is a city of ~86,000 people with impressive cultural, educational, and recreational amenities. For more information about living and working in Prince George, please refer to http://www.unbc.ca/experience and https://moveupprincegeorge.ca. Make your mark with this leading postsecondary institution. 

Salary 
The salary for this position will be determined with consideration of the successful candidate’s relevant qualifications and experience as per the UNBC Faculty Association Collective Agreement. Consideration for appointment at Assistant or Associate Professor will be determined in conformance with the UNBC Faculty Association Collective Agreement. Pending a new Collective Agreement, the starting salary would be between $85,473 and $151,930. 

The Chair position comes with an additional Canada Research Chair stipend of $20,000 for the duration that the Chair is held. 

Please refer to the link below to the Faculty Association Collective Agreement for more compensation information: 

https://www.unbc.ca/human-resources/employee-agreements-and-handbooks

How to Apply
Applicants should create an applicant profile and apply to this position by uploading and submitting the following documents  

      Cover letter indicating potential contributions to the Program and UNBC, including a brief statement of teaching approaches; 

      Comprehensive curriculum vitae; 

      2-page research proposal outlining the focus and approach of the Chair position;

      Names and addresses of three individuals who will provide letters of recommendation (including telephone and email information). 

o   For Tier 2 nominees at the rank of Assistant Professor who are within three years of their PhD, one referee must be the PhD supervisor;       

At the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), we are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible environment for all members of our community as accessibility is a key aspect of our commitment to equity and inclusion. Contact Aneta Douglass, Access Specialist, at [email protected] for information or assistance regarding accessibility or adaptive measures. Any personal information provided will be maintained in confidence. 

Inquiries: 

Dr. Tara Lynne Clapp, 
Chair of the School of Planning and Sustainability 
[email protected]  
236-792-4460

Applications received on or before March 1, 2026, will receive full consideration. However, applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

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