Published on March 1, 2021

The Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering (FASE) and the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) invite applications for a three-year Contractually Limited Term Appointment (CLTA) in Graduate Communication in Engineering, specializing in the teaching of writing/speaking to graduate students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. The position will be cross appointed, with a primary appointment in the Institute for Studies in Engineering Education and Practice (ISTEP) (67%) in FASE and a secondary appointment in the Graduate Centre for Academic Communication (GCAC) (33%) in SGS. The appointment will be at the rank of Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, with an expected start date of July 1, 2021, or shortly thereafter, and an end date of June 30, 2024.

The ideal candidate will have experience in the following: (1) teaching graduate communication in STEM fields, (2) designing curriculum for advanced writing instruction, and (3) supporting multilingual students (English for Specialized Purposes (ESP) or English for Academic Purposes (EAP)). Applicants must have a PhD in English, Applied Linguistics, Technical Communication, Engineering or a related field at the time of appointment or shortly thereafter, with a demonstrated record of excellence in teaching, combined with at least 2 years of teaching experience at the university level, evidence of pedagogical excellence and innovation, and a demonstrated interest in teaching-related scholarly activities. Previous experience working with faculty to support student writers will be an asset. We seek candidates whose teaching interests complement and strengthen our existing departmental strengths.  

Evidence of excellence in teaching and pedagogical inquiry can be demonstrated through teaching accomplishments, awards and accolades, presentations at significant conferences, the teaching dossier submitted as part of the application, including a strong teaching statement, sample syllabi and course materials, and teaching evaluations, as well as letters of reference from referees familiar with relevant aspects of the applicant’s work.

The University of Toronto is Canada’s largest research university. It has a large and dynamic population of graduate students and an ongoing commitment to supporting their professional development. This advertised position is part of a three-year pilot project designed to build on the already substantial communication support available to U of T’s graduate students, with a goal of establishing a permanent, integrated program including more embedded, discipline-specific communication training for graduate students in FASE. The successful applicant will join well established communities of practice supporting graduate writers at U of T and undergraduate engineering students in FASE, teach a limited number of courses within GCAC’s established curriculum, conduct a needs assessment to determine unmet demands for communication training internal to FASE, and ultimately design and deliver creative, innovative and scalable programming to best meet those identified demands. In addition to supporting graduate students, the successful applicant will also collaborate with faculty who work with graduate students both within FASE and through the SGS’s newly established Graduate Centre for Mentorship and Supervision (GCMS) and the Centre for Graduate Professional Development (CGPD).  With these goals in mind, we seek a curricular pioneer whose ability to discover through experimentation matches that of our extraordinary graduate students.

Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering offers opportunities for collaborative and interdisciplinary research and teaching, and the excitement of working with a diverse student population. Established in 1873, the Faculty of Engineering has earned an international reputation for excellence in education and knowledge creation and is known as a forward-thinking resource to address global concerns. As the economic and intellectual hub of Canada, Toronto provides access to leading policy and decision makers at all levels, and is a vibrant, cosmopolitan and safe city. For more information about the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, please visit: engineering.utoronto.ca.

The Institute for Studies in Transdisciplinary Engineering Education and Practice (ISTEP) is U of T Engineering’s newest extra-departmental unit and the first institute of its kind in Canada. Bringing together the strengths of several U of T Engineering programs in leadership, technical communication and entrepreneurship, ISTEP is an innovator and leader in pedagogical innovation and transdisciplinary engineering education: https://istep.utoronto.ca/

The Graduate Centre for Academic Communication (GCAC) is also the first and largest of its kind in Canada. Established in 2000, GCAC provides professional development in both writing and speaking to graduate students in all programs at U of T. Part of the School of Graduate Studies’ newly formed Academy, which also includes the new Graduate Centre for Mentorship and Supervision (GCMS), the GCAC offers a range of programming related to academic writing and speaking that brings together more than 6,000 graduate students from more than 80 of U of T’s graduate programs annually. For more information on GCAC, please visit https://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/resources-supports/gcac/. 

All qualified candidates are invited to apply online via the link below. Application materials must include the following components: a cover letter outlining suitability to teach at the graduate level; a detailed curriculum vitae; a teaching dossier including a teaching statement, sample syllabi and course materials, and teaching evaluations. Applicants must also provide the name and contact information of three references, and must arrange to have three confidential letters of reference sent directly by the referee to the hiring unit via email at istep@utoronto.ca by the closing date (on letterhead, dated, and signed). At least one reference must primarily address the candidate’s teaching. PLEASE NOTE: This search is not using the University’s automatic solicitation and collection functionality for reference letters.

Submission guidelines can be found at http://uoft.me/how-to-apply. We recommend combining attached documents into one or two files in PDF/MS Word format. If you have any questions about this position, please contact istep@utoronto.ca. 

All application materials, including reference letters, must be received by the closing date of April 9, 2021. 

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

Diversity Statement
The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from racialized persons / persons of colour, women, Indigenous / Aboriginal People of North America, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S+ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

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.