Assistant Professor, Social Sciences and Digital Technologies

The Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy in the Faculty of Arts & Science at the University of Toronto invites applications for a full-time tenure stream position in the area of Social Sciences and Digital Technologies. The appointment will be at the rank of Assistant Professor, with an expected start date of July 1, 2025.  The successful candidate will also hold an Endowed Professorship for a three-year term, renewable following a favourable review.

Applicants must have earned a PhD degree in any relevant Social Science field by the time of appointment, or shortly thereafter, with a clearly demonstrated record of research and teaching excellence in the area of information controls, data sciences, and digital accountability research.  The position is open to a range of disciplines including but not limited to information studies, communications, sociology, political science, area studies, and law.   The successful candidate will be expected to pursue innovative and independent research at the highest international level, and to establish an outstanding, competitive, and externally funded research program.

Candidates must have a demonstrable interest in applied research and policy, along with interest in working with multi-disciplinary research teams.   The Munk School seeks a scholar whose research and teaching interests complement and enhance one or more of our existing strengths.  The committee especially welcomes scholars who focus on the impact of digitalization on democratic theory, institutions and/or practices, the changing world order, or the political economy of innovation with a demonstrated track record of working in cross disciplinary teams, and a strong research portfolio that intersects with human rights, online repression, information controls, and digital security. The successful candidate will be expected to be a part of the Citizen Lab, an interdisciplinary laboratory based at the Munk School focusing on advanced research and development at the intersection of digital media, global security, and human rights. The committee will be searching for applicants whose research integrates with the Citizen Lab’s resources, existing areas of research, and global network.

Candidates must provide evidence of research excellence which can be demonstrated by a record of publications in top-ranked disciplinary and/or field-relevant academic journals or academic presses, outstanding research papers, forthcoming publications meeting high international standards, the submitted research statement, presentations at significant conferences, awards and accolades, and strong endorsements from referees of high standing.

The successful candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate courses, including in the Munk School’s professional graduate programs (the Master of Global Affairs and the Master of Public Policy) to students from a wide range of academic backgrounds and interests. The successful candidate will have experience or demonstrable interest in a professional school and/or in an interdisciplinary environment.

Evidence of excellence in teaching will be demonstrated by teaching accomplishments, and the teaching dossier, including a teaching statement, sample course materials, teaching evaluations, or other evidence of superior performance in teaching-related activities submitted as part of the application, and through strong endorsements of teaching in the letters of reference. Other teaching-related activities can include performance as a teaching assistant or course instructor, experience leading successful workshops or seminars, student mentorship, or excellent conference presentations or posters.

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

For more information about the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at the University of Toronto St. George campus, please visit our home page at https://munkschool.utoronto.ca/.

All qualified candidates are invited to apply online by clicking the link below. Applicants must submit a cover letter; curriculum vitae; one recent publication; teaching dossier (including a teaching statement and sample course materials and teaching evaluations); and a research statement outlining current and future research interests.

Equity, diversity and inclusion are essential to academic excellence as articulated in University of Toronto’s Statement on Equity, Diversity and Excellence. We seek candidates who share these values and who demonstrate throughout the application materials their commitment and efforts to advance equity, diversity, inclusion, and the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and working environment.

Applicants must provide the name and contact information of three referees. The University of Toronto’s recruiting tool will automatically solicit and collect letters of reference from each referee the day after an application is submitted. Applicants remain responsible for ensuring that references submit letters (on letterhead, dated and signed) by the closing date.   More details on the automatic reference letter collection, including timelines, are available in the candidate FAQ.

Submission guidelines can be found at http://uoft.me/how-to-apply. Your CV and cover letter should be uploaded into the dedicated fields. Please combine any additional application materials into one or two files in PDF/MS Word format. If you have any questions about this position, please contact [email protected].

All application materials, including reference letters, must be received by January 7, 2025.

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

Diversity Statement
The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP.

Accessibility Statement
The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.

The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.

If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact [email protected].