Date Posted: 09/15/2023
Closing Date: 11/23/2023, 11:59PM ET
Req ID: 32670
Job Category: Faculty - Tenure Stream (continuing)
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Information
Department: Faculty of Information
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Description:

The Faculty of Information at the University of Toronto invites applications for a full-time, tenure stream position in User Experience Design (UXD) or Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). The appointment will be at the rank of Assistant Professor, with anticipated start date of July 1, 2024.

This search aligns with the University’s commitment to strategically and proactively promote diversity among our community members (Statement on Equity, Diversity & Excellence). Recognizing that Black, Indigenous, and other Racialized communities have experienced inequities that have developed historically and are ongoing, we strongly welcome and encourage candidates from those communities to apply.

We seek applicants whose research interests are in areas such as user interface design and evaluation methods, information visualization, sustainability, information and communication technology for development (ICTD), accessibility, theoretical foundations of HCI, design of systems and practices to access, share, and manage knowledge, conversational interface design, human-in-the-loop computing, information retrieval and universal design. Industrial experience in a related area will be a strong asset. We are especially interested in exceptional candidates who transcend traditional research topics.

Candidates must have earned a PhD degree in Information, Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), User Experience Design (UXD), or a related field by the time of appointment or shortly thereafter, with a demonstrated record of excellence in research and teaching. We seek candidates whose research and teaching interests complement and enhance our existing Faculty’s strengths. The successful candidate will be expected to pursue innovative and independent research, and to establish an outstanding, competitive, and externally funded research program.

Candidates must provide evidence of research excellence which can be demonstrated by a record of publications in top-ranked and field relevant journals or forthcoming publications meeting high international standards, the submitted research statement, presentations at significant conferences, awards and accolades, and strong endorsements from referees. 

We welcome non-traditional demonstrations of research impact, including, for example, community engagement and creative professional activities. Research excellence will be evaluated commensurate with the career stage of the candidate, taking into consideration the life trajectory and any special circumstances (e.g., career interruptions) as outlined in the submitted materials.

The successful candidate must also provide demonstrated evidence of readiness as a research supervisor in the application materials, as they will be expected to undertake undergraduate and graduate research supervision and teaching, and to perform standard professional and administrative activities typical of a research-intensive university-level department.

Demonstrated interdisciplinarity across various industries and academic disciplines is considered an asset. The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate excellence in teaching, and the demonstrated ability and ambition to advance our Faculty’s rigorous, highly-ranked Bachelor of Information, Master of Information, and PhD programs.

Evidence of excellence in teaching will be demonstrated by teaching accomplishments, and the teaching dossier, including a teaching statement, sample course materials, and teaching evaluations or other evidence of superior performance in teaching related activities submitted as part of the application, as well as strong letters of reference. Other teaching-related activities can include performance as a teaching assistant or course instructor, experience leading successful workshops or seminars, student mentorship, or excellent conference presentations or posters.

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The Faculty of Information is a research-led Faculty committed to educating the next generation of professional and academic leaders in information, who join us in transforming society through collaboration, innovation, and knowledge creation.  We are guided by core values that include engagement with cultural, social, political, and ethical issues in information to benefit society; and transparency, accountability, and public responsibility. With an outstanding and award-winning faculty, our key strengths are the quality of our interdisciplinary research, the abilities of our graduate students, close ties across the university, and committed alumni. Our strategic priorities are excellence through interdisciplinarity, impact through partnerships, and equity through fostering inclusive environments. We are especially proud of the calibre, excellence, academic engagement, and diversity of our students.

As part of the University of Toronto, the Faculty of Information offers the opportunity to teach, research, and live in one of the most diverse cities in the world. We seek candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and working environment through their application materials. Candidates therefore must submit a statement of contributions to equity and diversity, which might cover topics such as (but not limited to): teaching or research that incorporates a focus on underrepresented communities, the development of inclusive pedagogies, or the mentoring of students from underrepresented groups.

All qualified candidates are invited to apply online by clicking the link below. Applicants must submit:

• a cover letter;
• a current curriculum vitae (CV);
• a research statement outlining current and future research interests;
• a recent writing sample;
• a statement of contributions to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (as outlined above); and,
• a teaching dossier including a teaching statement, sample course materials, and teaching evaluations or evidence of superior performance in other teaching-related activities as listed above.

Applicants must provide the name and contact information of three references. The University of Toronto's recruiting tool will automatically solicit and collect letters of reference from each referee the day after an application is submitted. Applicants remain responsible for ensuring that referees submit recent letters (on letterhead, dated and signed) by the closing date. More details on the automatic reference letter collection, including timelines, are available in the candidate FAQ.

Submission guidelines can be found at http://uoft.me/how-to-apply. Your CV and cover letter should be uploaded into the dedicated fields. Please combine additional application materials into one or two files in PDF/MS Word format. If you have any questions about this position, please contact dean.ischool@utoronto.ca.

All application materials, including recent reference letters, must be received by November 23, 2023.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Diversity Statement
The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP.

Accessibility Statement
The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.

The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.

If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact uoft.careers@utoronto.ca.