Associate Professor/Professor - Planning

Closing Date: 11/04/2024, 11:59PM ET

Job Category: Faculty - Tenure Stream (continuing)

Faculty/Division: Faculty of Arts & Science

Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Description:

The Department of Geography & Planning at the University of Toronto (St. George Campus) invites applications for a full-time tenure stream appointment in Planning. The appointment will be at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor, with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2025. The selected candidate will be expected to take on the role of Director of the Planning Program, for a three-year term. 

Candidates must have earned a Ph.D. degree in Planning or a closely related field by the time of appointment, with a clearly demonstrated record of excellence in research and teaching. We seek candidates whose research and teaching interests complement and enhance our existing departmental strengths and contribute to the aims of our Planning Program’s Mission. Candidates will have an established international reputation and will be expected to sustain and lead innovative and independent research, and to maintain an outstanding, competitive, and externally funded research program. While all areas of expertise will be considered, a focus on planning for climate change and urban resilience; reparative, abolitionist and/or Indigenous planning; or urban data science is preferred. 

Candidates must provide evidence of excellence in research, which can be demonstrated through: high quality scholarly publications in peer-reviewed academic journals; engagement in international scholarly  networks relevant to planners; presentations at significant, discipline-relevant conferences; documentation of research collaborations, including with community, public sector, or private sector partners; evidence of independent scholarship; awards and accolades; a demonstrated ability to attract external funding for an evolving research program; and strong endorsements from referees of high standing. 

Candidates must provide evidence of excellence in teaching, which can be demonstrated through a statement that outlines the candidate’s teaching philosophy and teaching accomplishments; the teaching dossier submitted as part of the application; sample course syllabi related to the candidate’s area of focus; student mentorship; teaching evaluations; as well as strong letters of reference. 

The successful candidate will be expected to teach core and elective courses in the accredited graduate Planning Program (including joint Geography-Planning courses), as well as an undergraduate course in the Department of Geography and Planning; supervise graduate students; maintain an active research program that attracts international recognition in the selected candidate’s area of expertise; and provide service within the University and to broader academic and professional communities. Attention to the issues of anti-BIPOC racism and social justice are imperative in all courses in the department, and all core courses in the graduate MScPl program must link planning practice to social justice. 

Additionally, candidates must show experience in academic leadership in Planning. The Director is responsible for providing leadership in academic planning, organizing day-to-day operations of the Planning Program, directly communicating with students in the MScPl and PhD Planning Programs and alumni, and representing the Planning Program to professional organizations. Beyond this, the Director will collaborate with the Department Chair to work on internal initiatives relevant to the Planning Program. 

Candidates must provide evidence of past leadership, which can be demonstrated through: a statement that outlines the candidate’s leadership experience and philosophy; previous experience in a departmental or university administrative role; past or current leadership positions in national or international academic organizations (e.g., ACSP); leadership roles at well-regarded academic publications; positions of leadership in community-based organizations, non-profits, government, or the private sector. 

Professional or practice-oriented experience in the applicant’s area of expertise will be considered an asset. 

Membership in the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) with the requisite Registered Professional Planner designation, or in any other comparable national/regional planning body, will be considered an asset, and must be acquired subsequent to the hire. 

Salary and rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. 

The Planning Program at the University of Toronto is an internationally recognized, dynamic unit within the Department of Geography and Planning at the University of Toronto. As a community of scholars, practitioners, activists and students, the Program is engaged in research and teaching across the sub-fields of planning, and committed to fostering city-regions that are sustainable, accessible, beautiful and just. The Program offers a Ph.D. in Planning and a professionally accredited Masters of Science in Planning. The Department of Geography and Planning seeks new faculty members who wish to contribute to the achievements and ethos of the Planning Program. For further details please see the Planning Program Mission and Anti-Black Racism Framework. 

A distinctive feature of the Planning Program is its location within a wider Department of Geography and Planning, which allows for fertile collaborations at the interface of social and physical sciences and planning action. Faculty can work with exceptional students across these terrains and across the economic, social, urban, environmental, infrastructural and design dimensions of planning. The appointment is at the University of Toronto, which is a tri-campus, research-intensive institution. The St. George Campus is in the heart of Toronto and offers the opportunity to conduct research, teach and live in one of the most diverse cities in the world. The University also offers opportunities to work in a wide range of collaborative programs and centres of research, such as the School of Cities, the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, and the School of the Environment. 

All qualified candidates are invited to apply online by clicking on the link below. Applicants must submit a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, a research statement outlining current and future research interests, a leadership statement outlining their leadership experience and philosophy, a representative publication, and a teaching dossier which includes a teaching statement, sample course materials, and teaching evaluations. 

Equity, diversity and inclusion are essential to academic excellence as articulated in University of Toronto’s Statement on Equity, Diversity and Excellence.  We seek candidates who share these values and who demonstrate throughout the application materials their commitment and efforts to advance equity, diversity, inclusion, and the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and working environment. 

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 references submit 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 the Department Chair, Professor Michael Widener, at jobs@geog.utoronto.ca. 

All application materials, including reference letters, must be received by November 4th, 2024. 

The University of Toronto has adopted the AAU Principles on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Academia, including the requirement that applicants release personnel information from prior employers regarding sexual misconduct. Full details and requirements can be found here.