December 21, 2020
The Faculty of Arts at the UBC – Vancouver campus invites applications from existing faculty members within UBC at the rank of Assistant Professor or Associate Professor for a SSHRC Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Computational Linguistics and Information Science. Tier 2 Chairs are tenable for five years and renewable once.
The Faculty of Arts is a Faculty of distinction and excellence in both teaching and research and home to over twenty Canada Research Chairs across a wide range of humanities and social science units. The Chair in Computational Linguistics and Information Science will be a joint appointment in the Department of Linguistics and the School of Information, and will be expected to contribute to collaborative research in in both units. The Chair may also connect with a number of other UBC curricular and research initiatives across campus including the UBC Language Sciences Research Cluster and the Data Science Institute.
The Department of Linguistics is known for its extensive theoretical and empirical work, including an emphasis on fieldwork in First Nations and Indigenous languages of North American and Africa and experimental work in the production, perception, and acquisition of spoken and signed language. UBC Linguistics faculty conduct research in areas that cover the structure of language at all levels, with substantial coverage of syntax, semantics, phonetics, and phonology. The School of Information is ranked first in the world in the field of information management by the QS2019 and QS2020 rankings. An academic unit within the Faculty of Arts, the School of Information offers a Ph.D. program, Masters programs in Library and Information Studies (MLIS) and Archival Studies (MAS) and a First Nations specialization. The School of Information also offers an interdisciplinary MA in Children’s Literature (MACL) and participates in the multidisciplinary Bachelor of Media Studies program. For more information: https://linguistics.ubc.ca, https://ischool.ubc.ca, and www.arts.ubc.ca.
Applicants must have a PhD with a strong background in computation, information science and language, provide evidence of active and excellent research, and demonstrate a record of successful teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Chair will pursue a program of teaching and research in the area of computation and language, broadly defined, with focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) research in the context of social good, ensuring equity and diversity, and downstream applications across a range of fields.
The successful candidate will be an emerging scholar who has achieved public and academic recognition for their intellectually provocative and creative research at the intersection of the fields of Computational Linguistics and Information Science, and whose scholarly profile and research proposal meet the criteria of the CRC program and demonstrate an excellent fit with institutional strategic goals and the aims of the position. In addition, the successful candidate is expected to propose an original, innovative, high quality research program; demonstrate the potential to attract, develop, and retain excellent trainees, students, and future researchers; and demonstrate the potential to achieve international recognition in their fields in the next five to ten years. The Chair will be expected to maintain an outstanding program of research, to teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels, to supervise undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows, to contribute to service at all levels within the University and to the profession.
Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements for a Tier 2 CRC position; they must be emerging scholars who should, at a minimum, be assistant or associate professors, or possess the necessary qualifications to be appointed to these levels. Tier 2 Chairs are intended for exceptional emerging scholars (i.e., candidates must have been an active researcher in their field for fewer than 10 years 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 contact the Faculty of Arts research grants office for more information. The Canada Research Chairs Program supports outstanding researchers in areas that will further UBC’s strategic research plan. Please consult the Canada Research Chairs website www.chairs.gc.ca for full program information and further details on eligibility criteria. All Chair nominations are subject to review by the CRC Secretariat, and appointment as a CRC is conditional upon their approval.
Applications must be submitted electronically at: https://ardo.air.arts.ubc.ca/?p=5758. Please be prepared provide the following items: curriculum vitae; one sample of published research; description of your most significant research accomplishments (max. 500 words); research program proposal for a Tier 2 CRC in Computational Linguistics and Information Science (max. 4 pages); statements (max. 200 words each): (a) research methodology; (b) potential for training undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral researchers; (c) dissemination of results and engagement with research end users; and (d) experience working with a diverse student body and your contributions or potential contributions to creating/advancing a culture of equity and inclusion. Applicants should also be prepared to provide contact information for at least four potential referees from whom confidential letters of assessment can be obtained. The closing date for applications is 11:59pm, January 20, 2021. Only complete applications will be considered by the committee. Inquiries about the position may be sent to Professor Brett Eaton at artsad.rg@ubc.ca. The Chair is expected to begin October 1, 2021.
In assessing applications, UBC recognizes the legitimate impact that leaves (e.g., maternity leave, leave due to illness) can have on a candidate’s record of research achievement. These leaves will be taken into careful consideration during the assessment process. UBC welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for all candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. To make a confidential request for accommodations, please contact Professor Gillian Creese, Associate Dean Faculty at gillian.creese@ubc.ca.
The University is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and equitable work environment for all members of its workforce, and in particular, for its employees with disabilities. An inclusive work environment for employees with disabilities presumes an environment where differences are accepted, recognized, and integrated into current structures, planning and decision-making modes. For additional information regarding UBC’s accommodation and access policies and resources (for faculty and staff as well as students), please visit the Centre for Accessibility: https://facultystaff.students.ubc.ca/student-development-services/centre-accessibility/faculty-and-staff-disabilities. For support and assistance with accommodation questions, contact accessibility@ubc.ca.
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, Métis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.
In accordance with UBC’s CRC Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Action Plan, and pursuant to Section 42 of the BC Human Rights code, the selection will be restricted to members in one or more of the following designated groups: women, visible minorities (members of groups that are racially categorized), persons with disabilities, and Indigenous Peoples. Applicants to Canada Research Chair positions are asked to complete this equity survey (https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6WJHol7SfPxRMu9) as part of the application process, and applicants must self-identify as belonging to one or more of the designated equity groups to be considered for the position. Because the search is limited to those self-identifying as members of designated equity groups, candidates must also provide their name when completing the equity survey in order to be considered.
Personal information is collected under the authority of sections 26(a) and 26(c) of the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The information you provide will only be used to determine whether you qualify for participation in this hiring process. Equity Survey Data will be collected by the UBC Equity & Inclusion Office and only the names of those who identify as women, visible minorities (member of groups that are racially categorized) and/or Indigenous Peoples will be shared with the search committee. Currently, UBC’s CRC complement has a gap in representation of persons with disabilities. Until such time as this is remedied, the names of those self-identifying as having a disability will be provided separately to the search committee. Responses will be stored in a secure database.