Assistant Professor of Urban Forest Design

The Department of Forest Resources Management at the Vancouver campus of the University of British Columbia (UBC) invites applications for a full-time tenure-stream position at the rank of Assistant Professor in urban forest design. The successful applicant is expected to play a key role in undergraduate and graduate teaching in design- and planning-related aspects of urban forestry, as well as supervising graduate students and conducting research.

The UBC Faculty of Forestry (www.forestry.ubc.ca ) is one of the world's leading academic institutions in forestry, conducting both national and international research, and providing undergraduate education in six degree programs: Urban Forestry, Forestry, Natural Resources Conservation, Forest Science, Wood Science, and Forest Bioeconomy. The Bachelor of Urban Forestry (BUF) program, which was launched in 2015, embraces an interdisciplinary approach across ecological, socio-cultural, and economic domains in both urban and peri-urban settings. The Faculty has also recently launched a new Master in Urban Forestry Leadership professional program. Urban forestry education and research provides opportunities for collaboration with other faculties and departments at UBC, including the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, the Faculty of Land and Food Systems, and the School of Community and Regional Planning. The urban forestry program at UBC benefits from its location in Vancouver, a city recognized for its international leadership in sustainability.

The successful candidate will significantly contribute to the Faculty by playing a key role in anchoring the design aspects of urban forestry through teaching and research at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. They will provide leadership for the Minor in Landscape and Recreation Planning, and in maintaining a close relationship with the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA) and others in the design community.  The successful candidate will be involved in teaching and coordinating courses on topics such as urban forest design, landscape planning and management, plant materials and planting design, aesthetics, and public participation. They are expected to contribute to the teaching and research supervision of graduate students in urban forestry and may also contribute to teaching in the Urban Forestry Field School, the Integrated Urban Forestry Capstone Studio or summer courses, as required in the Bachelor of Urban Forestry program. The successful candidate will also support the Program Director in the continued development of the Bachelor of Urban Forestry program as well as contribute to the Faculty's and UBC’s strategic goals on sustainability and biodiversity.

Candidates for this position must have a PhD or equivalent experience in urban forestry, landscape architecture, planning, urban design, or a related field, with a focus on urban forest and green space design or planning. Candidates must have demonstrated familiarity with collaborative design processes across scales, graphic communication, and landscape visualization. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate a strong track record of scholarly publication and securing competitive research grants, or potential for such. Excellent oral, written and visual communication skills are essential, as is a commitment to mentoring, diversity, and inclusion. Candidates must have a demonstrated commitment to effective and innovative teaching in a collaborative environment with the ability to teach students from diverse backgrounds in a variety of learning environments, including online.

Preference will be given to candidates who are registered or eligible to become registered professionals in a design or closely related discipline. Preferred candidates will be comfortable working with interdisciplinary perspectives, in particular around climate change, urban sustainability, and community engagement within an international research and teaching context, and applying their knowledge to urban forestry and related planning, policy, design and management domains.

Applicants should apply via email:  [email protected].    Applications should include 1) a cover letter; 2) a curriculum vitae; 3) a one-page statement of scholarship and teaching interests relevant to the position; 4) a one-page statement summarizing past and planned contributions to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion; 5) up to three pdf’s of recent publications that highlight your contributions to the field; 6) and the names, addresses, and e-mail addresses of three references.

The deadline for applications is December 15, 2020.  The ideal starting date for this position is July 1 2021 or as soon as possible thereafter. Questions should be directed to: Dr. Susan D. Day, Chair of the Search Committee [email protected] .

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. 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. 

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