Senior Scholar, Northern Social Work

Senior Scholar, Northern Social Work

Yukon University

Situated in twelve communities on the traditional territories of Yukon First Nations, Yukon University is guided by the indomitable spirit of the Yukon wilderness and millennia of resilience and resourcefulness. Eleven of the fourteen First Nations in Yukon are self- governing, and all Yukon First Nations are shaping Yukon’s social, economic, and political landscape. Since its origins six decades ago, YukonU has been providing educational experiences rooted in visionary opportunities and unique challenges borne of the North.

YukonU delivers what the North needs through trades training, certificates, diplomas, and degrees, as well as adult basic education and continuing education. Our community campuses play a vital role in creating access to education for Yukoners and providing opportunities for students from across Canada and internationally to learn about Canada’s North. We also affirm our commitment to Yukon First Nations. We do this to support Indigenous self-governance and self-determination, now and for generations to come.

The Invitation

Are you looking to make a difference in the field of Social Work and Social Work Education in the North? Are you passionate about reconciliation through education, community- engaged curriculum development, transformative education, and leading ethical northern research? Yukon University is seeking a faculty member who is deeply committed to teaching, research, and scholarship. YukonU values equity, diversity, and inclusion—we invite all qualified persons to apply but will prioritize those who self-identify as Yukon First Nations, other First Nations, Métis, Inuit, or other Indigenous ancestry.

The Opportunity

Yukon University is at an exciting stage in its evolution. With a new Strategic Plan, Academic Plan, and Reconciliation Framework, YukonU is committed to providing Yukoners and Northerners with more postsecondary education options close to home. This will include the development of a made-in-Yukon Social Work degree. In addition to significant engagement with Yukon First Nations, community organizations, and current and past students, this new degree will be informed by three decades of experience from our degree partnership with University of Regina. The successful candidate will be at the heart of this project, playing a key role at all stages of degree development, in addition to providing high-quality learning experiences to students and engaging in research and scholarly activity relevant to the North.

YukonU’s Social Work program will offer theoretical knowledge, experiential opportunities, and clinical and land-based practices that reflect the diverse cultures, historical contexts, systemic influences, and specific implications relevant to the field and practice of Social Work in the North. The program will also identify and implement trauma-informed, reconciliation-focused practices that honor the important contributions, traditional knowledge, and lived experiences of Yukon First Nations and Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

The successful candidate will teach, engage in research and scholarly activity, develop curriculum, and work collegially with peers across YukonU’s academic community. Key responsibilities include:

• Teaching at the undergraduate level, including supervision of students;
• Engaging in degree development including program mapping, course and curriculum development, and ensuring on-going relevance to needs identified in collaboration with Yukon First Nations;
• Engaging in research and scholarly activity, including in research that is partnered, co-created and/or co-led with Indigenous Peoples and drawing on Indigenous Knowledges, and in the supervision of social work faculty and students engaged in research; and
• Cultivating an inclusive, equitable, and collegial work environment across all activities.

The Qualifications

• A doctoral degree in Social Work;
• Strong scholarly and/or creative activity in the field of Social Work, preferably in partnership with Indigenous, northern, or rural/remote communities;
• Significant Social Work experience in direct practice and/or clinical settings, preferably in a Yukon, northern, or rural/remote context;
• Previous postsecondary teaching experience; and
• Demonstrated commitment to institutional service, whether within a university context or through community engagement.
• Prior experience in any of the following areas will be considered assets:
• Mentoring emerging faculty;
• Developing curriculum and conducting program assessments; and/or
• Teaching through distance-education technologies.

How to Apply

If you’re interested in this opportunity, contact Mark Gillis, Partner at mgillis@kbrs.ca or Natalie Lagace, Recruitment Specialist at nlagace@kbrs.ca, or submit your application online at: http://www.kbrs.ca/Career/18248. Please include the following in your application:

• Letter of application
• Curriculum vitae
• Professional dossier, which may include narratives about:
  • Your teaching philosophy
  • Your research interests as they relate to this opportunity
  • Your record of service to the academy or your community.
• Any other documents you feel will help us get to know you better.
• Requests for secondment may be considered.

Yukon University is a place of learning that is accessible and open to all. We respect all cultures, and the expression of all ideas and opinions, because diversity enriches our learning environment. We honour the cultures and heritage of Yukon First Nations, and we value the contributions of traditional knowledge and Indigenous world views.

KBRS will provide support in the recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant’s accessibility needs. If you require accommodation in order to participate as a candidate in the recruitment process, please contact  accommodate@kbrs.ca.