Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Production Horticulture Contract Instructor – Competition ID: 1545
POSITION TYPE: Non-Regular, Type 1 (contract) instructor and Qualified Faculty List
POSITION START: September 1, 2022
KPU proudly offers all learners opportunities to achieve success in a diverse range of programs that blend theory and practice, critical understanding, and social and ethical awareness necessary for good citizenship and rewarding careers.
FACULTY OVERVIEW:
As Canada’s only polytechnic university, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) is the fourth largest university in the province of British Columbia and serves communities in the South Fraser region and beyond. A leader in innovative education with a teaching-focused mandate, KPU offers all learners opportunities to achieve the highest standards of academic performance.
Within KPU, the Faculty of Science and Horticulture (FSH) has over 1,500 full-time students and over 200 faculty members and instructors from across the natural and applied sciences. FSH includes nine departments and over 30 programs at the undergraduate level, with offerings at four KPU campuses. The Faculty is also home to two Canada Research Chairs: Dr. Paul Adams as Sherman Jen Research Chair and Dr. Karen Davidson as Canada Research Chair in Nutrition Informatics.
FSH offers experiential learning through hands-on curriculum, co-ops and research collaboration opportunities with KPU’s Institute for Sustainable Horticulture (ISH), Institute for Sustainable Food Systems (ISFS), and Applied Genomics Centre (AGC). As well, our faculty is home to over a hectare of horticulture field lab, a working farm and a state-of-the art teaching brewery, which has been recognized internationally and locally, winning BC Brewery of the Year in 2019.
For more information about the Faculty of Science and Horticulture, please visit our website at: kpu.ca/science.
POSITION OVERVIEW:
Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s (KPU) School of Horticulture invites applications for full and part-time non-regular type 1 contract instructor(s) to teach one or more courses in our Production Diploma program. The Production Diploma program runs during our Fall and Spring semesters. Fall semester commences September 1, 2022 and runs until December 20, 2022. Spring semester commences January 1 and runs until April 26, 2023. All classes are offered at the Langley campus and contracts have possibility of extension.
The successful applicant must have excellent written and oral communication skills to teach effectively in English. Experience with online instructional delivery and use of Moodle will be an asset.
Qualified instructors are needed to teach Production Diploma program courses in the following specializations:
HORT 1110 – Introduction to Sustainable Horticulture. Students will consider horticulture within a context of social responsibility, exploring the interrelatedness between environment, society, and economy. They will differentiate between conventional and sustainable practices in different horticultural disciplines: greenhouse production, nursery, turf, and landscape. Students will examine the core issues of water use, soil management, energy consumption and waste, air quality/pollution, and land use. They will analyze the underlying topics of population pressure, pollution, urban land planning, crop diversity, genetic modification, and bioproducts/bioprocessing. Students will investigate sustainability within a frame work of the history of agriculture and horticulture, food and amenity systems, and the rise of ecological approaches to cultivation systems.
HORT 2375 - Production Facilities. Students will study the essential elements of greenhouse site selection and site layout. They will analyse the features and benefits of common types of greenhouse structures and covering materials. Students will investigate benching types and layouts, irrigation systems, and greenhouse components. Students will monitor and maintain greenhouse facilities and equipment. Students will also explore related greenhouse systems such as heating, cooling and motorized screens/blankets. Students will investigate mechanization and ergonomics in crop production and describe these aspects following visits to commercial greenhouse operations.
HORT 2477 – Production Management. Students will explore the decisions facing a production manager in a commercial greenhouse or nursery business, including crop selection, scheduling, space, time management, and costing. Students will develop a crop production plan as a major term project.
HORT 2490 – Organic Crop Production. Students will differentiate between various crop production systems against a background of traditional systems, sustainability, plant breeding and genetic modification (GM) of organisms. They will examine current organic accreditation standards and processes in Canada. Students will investigate crop rotations, describe characteristics of good quality growing media, and describe common organic crop nutrition inputs. Students will develop an integrated pest management (IPM) plan within organic constraints for a specific greenhouse or field crop and investigate the marketing claims of organic food. Students will examine safe food production practices within the context of organic systems. Students will apply studies in each of these areas to a review of a food system model as typified by a school community or municipality.
HORT 2493 – Crop Production Development. Students will manage selected greenhouse crops to commercial industry standards. They will research the impact of cultural practices on crop development or investigate potential for new production systems. Students will describe safe food hygiene legislation and practices as related to commercial food production. Students will attend field trips to local greenhouse operations.
The program curriculum and success of KPU’s graduates have established the Diploma in Production Horticulture as a highly valued credential in the workplace. The Diploma program uniquely combines theoretical and technical sciences with the practice of horticulture.
For more information about horticulture programs, visit KPU’s Calendar webpage at https://www.kpu.ca/hort
Visit KPU’s calendar to learn more about the Production Diploma program: https://www.kpu.ca/hort/greenhouse
More information concerning the working conditions for a faculty member are outlined in Article 12 of the Kwantlen Faculty Association (KFA) Collective Agreement
QUALIFICATIONS:
Qualifications for this position include 5 years of relevant horticulture experience. Preference will be given to individuals with a Bachelor’s degree or higher and experience teaching in a post-secondary horticulture program.
It is understood that instructors have specializations and that not all instructors will be qualified to teach all courses listed above.
The successful applicant must have excellent written and oral communication skills in order to teach effectively in English.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Candidates are asked to submit:
• Letter of application
• Current curriculum vitae that includes any teaching experience
• Contact information of two (2) professional references
For all application documents, please quote competition #1545
Does this role sound like it was made for you, yet you don’t check every box?
We at KPU understand that experiences and qualifications may look differently for everyone and, if this job description is of interest to you, we encourage you to apply.
Note to Applicants:
Kwantlen Polytechnic University welcomes and encourages applications from equity deserving groups and diverse experiences including, but not limited to, Indigenous people, racialized people, people with disabilities, and members of the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community.
If there are any barriers that you are experiencing or an accommodation that we can provide to support you through the application process, please reach out to us at [email protected].
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
We thank all applicants for their interest in employment with KPU. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University is committed to protecting the safety and welfare of employees, students, and the general public, and upholding the reputation and integrity of the University. For this reason, final applicants will be asked to undergo a background check.
