Tenure Track Position in Urban Analytics

FCS, Urban & Regional Plann.

https://hr.cf.ryerson.ca/ams/faculty/preview.cfm?posting_id=545880

Located in downtown Toronto, the largest and most culturally diverse city in Canada and on the territory of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee and the Wendat Peoples, the School of Urban and Regional Planning (SURP) in the Faculty of Community Services at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) invites applications for a tenure track position at the rank of Assistant Professor effective July 1, 2023, subject to final budgetary approval.

The primary research interests of the successful candidate should be the application of Data and/or Geo-spatial Analytics in one or more of the following areas in Urban Planning: Urban Policy, Urban Design, Complex Urban Systems, and Connected Cities or Communities. We specifically welcome candidates who clearly demonstrate how their work in these areas advances more sustainable and equitable communities.The successful candidate will engage in a combination of teaching, scholarly research or creative activity and service duties while maintaining an inclusive, equitable, and collegial work environment across all activities. Teaching duties will entail teaching core and elective courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, supervision of students and curriculum development, including in the areas of (advanced) Statistics, Planning Analysis, Research Methods and/or GIS. The successful candidate will pursue a strong, innovative research program or creative activity that is externally funded and that produces cutting-edge, high quality results. To support SURP’s continued accreditation success, it is expected that the successful candidate will achieve full membership as a professional planner with the Ontario Professional Planning Institute within five years of their appointment.

Candidates must have an accredited degree in Urban and/or Regional Planning and hold a doctoral (PhD) degree in Planning or a closely related field by the appointment date. Candidates who are all-but-dissertation (ABD) and are able to demonstrate that they are very close to completion may also be considered. 

In addition, the successful candidate must present evidence of: 

• a strong emerging scholarly research and/or creative activity that is current, innovative and impactful as evidenced by, but not limited to, peer-reviewed publications, working papers, public policy contributions, presentations at academic conferences, community engagement and professional work, success in securing grants, research related awards, and other writing or creative production that contributes to the visibility and prominence of the discipline; 
• potential for teaching excellence at all levels of the undergraduate and graduate curriculums, as evidenced by a teaching dossier that includes a teaching philosophy statement, experience with course and curriculum review and/or development, examples of best practices in inclusive pedagogy, including the effective use of classroom technology and any experience with experiential learning, sample syllabi related to the position’s focus areas, strong teaching evaluations, teaching awards, and other relevant achievements in teaching;
• a commitment to our values of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion as it pertains to service, teaching, and scholarly research or creative activities, including a demonstrated ability to make learning accessible and inclusive for a diverse student population; and 
• an ability and willingness to contribute to the life of the School of Urban and Regional Planning and the University through collegial service. 

Our committee recognizes that scholars have varying career paths and that career interruptions can be part of an excellent academic record. Candidates are encouraged to provide any relevant information about their experience and/or career interruptions. 

This position falls under the jurisdiction of the Ryerson Faculty Association (RFA) (www.rfanet.ca). The RFA collective agreement can be viewed here and a summary of RFA benefits can be found here.

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)

Serving a highly diverse student population of over 45,000, with 100+ undergraduate and graduate programs built on the integration of theoretical and practical learning and distinguished by a professionally focused curriculum with a strong emphasis on excellence in teaching, research and creative activities, TMU is a vibrant, urban university known for its culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, community engagement and city-building through its award-winning architecture. 

Department of Urban and Regional Planning (SURP)

The SURP is a significant contributor to Planning education in Canada with our professionally accredited undergraduate and Master’s programs. We are well-known for the quality of our applied approach to Planning education – especially our studio-based, experiential learning and career-ready focus – and 450+ excellent students from diverse backgrounds and geographies. We have 15 full-time faculty members. We recently celebrated our 50th anniversary, and over these five decades, we have developed strong and diverse community and professional partnerships to create important teaching and research opportunities. We have a large, loyal and engaged alumni network.   

At SURP we highly value teaching, learning and research that unfolds in partnership with communities, governments, and private sector firms to deliver positive outcomes for more equitable, sustainable, and livable communities. Our experiential learning approach grounds planning education in working with communities, not for them. The School is also actively engaged in advancing anti-racism and anti-discrimination work in planning education, including centering equity and racial justice in our curriculum, student recruitment and retention, hiring practices, and approaches to community engagement. Our School prides itself on the excellence of its research and on the quality of its teaching. We are interested in candidates who will contribute to our existing teaching and research strengths through academic and professional excellence, diverse lived experiences and innovative perspectives.

Visit us on twitter (@TMUsurp) and LinkedIn for updates on our research, teaching and community-engagement activities. 

Working at TMU

At the intersection of mind and action, Toronto Metropolitan University is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading comprehensive innovation university. At TMU and within our department/school, we firmly believe that equity, diversity and inclusion are integral to this path; our current academic plan outlines each as core values and we work to embed them in all that we do. 

Dedicated to a people first culture, TMU is proud to have been selected as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers and a Greater Toronto’s Top Employer. We invite you to explore the range of benefits and supports available to faculty and their family, including access to our diverse faculty and staff networks. 

Visit us on Twitter: @torontomet, @VPFAtorontomet and @TorontoMetHR, and our LinkedIn page.

TMU is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. To find out more about legal and policy obligations please visit the accessibility and Human Rights websites.

Toronto Metropolitan University welcomes those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion and will assist us to expand our capacity for diversity in the broadest sense. In addition, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment in Canada, we encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, Indigenous peoples of North America, Black-identified persons, other racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and those who identify as women and/or 2SLGBTQ+. Candidates who self identify as belonging to a community historically underrepresented in Planning education and practice are especially welcome to provide details of how their lived experiences inform their work, if applicable.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit their application online via the Faculty Recruitment Portal [https://hr.cf.ryerson.ca/ams/faculty/] by clicking on “Start Application Process” to begin. Applications, consisting of the following, must be received by November 30, 2022: 

• a letter of application; 
• a curriculum vitae; 
• a statement of research interests and future research agenda;
• two examples of scholarly, creative or professional work; 
• a teaching dossier and results of teaching evaluations where available; and
• names of three individuals who may be contacted for references.

Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority, in accordance with Canadian immigration regulations. Candidates must therefore indicate in their application if they are a permanent resident or citizen of Canada. 

Contacts

Any confidential inquiries about the opportunity can be directed to the Departmental Hiring Committee (DHC) Chair Dr. Raktim Mitra at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  

Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about working at Toronto Metropolitan University are welcome to contact Tracey King, Miigis Kwe, the Indigenous Human Resources Lead and the Founding Co-Chair of the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Community Group at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Black identified candidates who wish to learn more about working at Toronto Metropolitan University are welcome to contact Shurla Charles-Forbes, Black Faculty & Staff Community Network at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

For any confidential accommodation needs in order to participate in the recruitment and selection process and/or inquiries regarding accessing the Faculty Recruitment Portal, please contact Human Resources at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..