Canada Research Chair (Tier 1 or Tier 2), Community-Engaged Plains Archaeology, Department of Archaeology and Anthropology

Date Posted: 
December 7, 2022
Closing Date: 
July 1, 2024

The Department of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Saskatchewan is inviting applications for a Tier 1 or Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Community-Engaged Plains Archaeology. This position is located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Canada Research Chairs (CRC) are part of the national strategy to make Canada one of the world's top countries in research and development (http://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca).

The incumbent would be an Indigenous scholar who is an expert on the cultural history of the North American Plains region as well as in Indigenous archaeology and community-based or community- engaged research. Candidates will be required to verify Indigenous membership/ citizenship as guided by the deybwewin | taapwaywin | tapwewin policy. Expertise in precontact and/or post-contact archaeological and cultural contexts is welcome. Ideally, this researcher would bring a mix of professional and academic experience to the post. Topically and methodologically, the incumbent will have expertise in one or more areas of archaeology such as the following: cultural resource management, archaeological science, landscape or environmental archaeology, material culture, identity, ethnoarchaeology, ethnohistory, cultural contact (e.g., fur trade), public archaeology/outreach, heritage studies, cultural tourism, anthropological archaeology.

The University of Saskatchewan is one of the leading centres for Indigenous research in Canada, with one of the highest levels of enrolment by Indigenous students at any major Canadian university. The Department of Archaeology and Anthropology is dedicated to the principles of Reconciliation, outreach, and community engagement. Our faculty members have active partnerships with Wanuskewin Heritage Park, the Saskatchewan Archaeological Society, the Saskatchewan Association of Professional Archaeologists, the Saskatchewan Government’s Heritage Conservation Branch, the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, Parks Canada, Saskatchewan Provincial Parks, the Canadian Museum of History, cultural resource management firms, and communities in Saskatchewan and beyond. In particular, the CRC in Community-Based Plains Archaeology may affiliate with the Wanuskewin Institute on archaeological research initiatives grounded in the local landscape and inspired by the peoples, cultures, and natural environment of the Northern Plains. The Wanuskewin Institute was created out of the long-standing and highly valued partnership between the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Saskatchewan, and Wanuskewin Heritage Park. The Park is currently on course to achieve UNESCO World Heritage Site designation by as early as 2025.

In addition to those within Archaeology and Anthropology, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to collaborate with researchers across campus within several complementary areas. Focal research areas of the college and university relevant to the Chair include Indigenous research, community-engaged research, environmental studies, human and animal health, and synchrotron sciences.

The incumbent will be expected to lead a high-quality research program in the Plains region and to apply for external funding. While the position carries with it a reduced teaching load, graduate and undergraduate teaching will be part of the assigned duties. The Chair will be expected to participate in the department’s graduate program. The incumbent will be required to contribute to administrative and service activities. The department recognizes the importance of public outreach and community- engaged research in our standards for salary review, tenure, and promotion.

The University of Saskatchewan is one of Canada’s top 15 research-intensive universities. Its main campus is situated on Treaty Six Territory and the Homeland of the Métis. The University of Saskatchewan is located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, with a diverse and thriving economic base, a vibrant arts community, and a full range of leisure opportunities. The university has a reputation for excellence in teaching, research, and scholarly activities and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs to a student population of over 25,000.

Qualifications

Candidates should exemplify excellence, creativity, and leadership in research through an internationally recognized research program.

The successful candidate will possess a PhD in Archaeology, Anthropology, or a related discipline with established expertise in Plains archaeology.

Candidates must have an established research program with a focus on the Plains region. This includes demonstrated research impact through quality publications in peer-reviewed venues or equivalent (including community-engaged research products), in a field relevant to the focus of the Chair. It will also include demonstrated capability as an instructor including the training of highly qualified personnel.

The successful applicant will be asked to prepare the CRC nomination with the assistance of USask and, if successful, will subsequently be appointed as a tenured or tenure-track faculty member. The CRC nomination is subject to review and final approval by the Canada Research Chairs Program. The faculty appointment is conditional on approval of the CRC.

Salary bands for this position for the 2022-2023 academic year are as follows: Assistant Professor: $99,945 - $120,099; Associate Professor: $120,099 - $140,253; Professor: $140,253 - $163,766 with the possibility of merit-based additions. A CRC stipend is also provided, with guaranteed funding for equipment, infrastructure, and students. This position features a comprehensive benefits package which includes dental, health, and extended vision care plans; pension plan, life insurance (compulsory and voluntary), academic long-term disability, sick leave, travel insurance, death benefits, an employee assistance program, a professional expense allowance, and a flexible health and wellness spending program.

About the Position

This call is for a Tier 1 or Tier 2 Canada Research Chair position.

For a Tier 1 Chair, the successful applicant will be appointed as a Full or Associate Professor. Tier 1 Chairs are outstanding and innovative world-class researchers whose accomplishments have had a major impact in their field and are recognized internationally as leaders in their field.

For a Tier 2 Chair, the successful applicant will be appointed as an Associate or Assistant Professor. Tier 2 Chairs are intended for exceptional emerging scholars (i.e., candidates must have less than 10 years of experience as an active researcher in their field at the time of nomination). 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 program’s Tier 2 justification process. Please consult the CRC website for eligibility details or contact the Research Acceleration and Strategic Initiatives (RASI) unit for more information (rasi.support@usask.ca).

How to Apply

Interested candidates must visit the posting at the following link to view instructions on how to apply: https://usask.csod.com/ui/internal-career-site/app/job-details/10225 . As part of the application process, applicants will be asked to complete a voluntary employment equity survey.

The application materials must clearly indicate how the minimum qualifications have been met and should highlight any special experience that connects the candidate to the ideal qualifications. Complete applications will include a curriculum vitae, a research statement noting the impact the candidate’s research has had on the field, a teaching statement, and the names and contact information of three references.

Review of applications will begin January 16, 2023; however, applications will be accepted and evaluated until the position is filled. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2024.

The impact of leaves (e.g., parental leave, extended leave due to illness, etc.) will be carefully considered when reviewing the candidate’s record of research achievement. Therefore, candidates are encouraged to explain in their application how career interruptions may have impacted them.

The University of Saskatchewan is committed to employment equity, diversity, and inclusion in its faculty complement and is proud to support career opportunities that address the under-representation of members of the Four Designated Groups (FDGs) defined under the Employment Equity Act among chair allocations. In consideration of the University’s strategic directions, and to achieve the EDI
targets and goals of USask’s action plan and as established by the CRC Secretariat, this position is restricted to Indigenous candidates. The University of Saskatchewan relies on section 56 of The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code to give this preference in employment. Recruitment will be guided by the Canada Research Chairs Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Practices and by the strong commitment to equity and diversity of the University of Saskatchewan.

For questions related to this position or the selection process, please contact Dr. Clint Westman, Department Head, Archaeology and Anthropology (1-306-966-4179; clint.westman@usask.ca).

Posted Date: 11/29/22