Job Title: Biodiversity Instructor
Location: Wolfville, Nova Scotia
Job Type: Faculty
Description: Faculty of Pure and Applied Science
Instructor- Biodiversity
Continuing (Probationary)
Position #: 20126
Acadia University and the Department of Biology acknowledge that we are in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaw Nation. This land is governed by the treaties of Peace and Friendship, first signed by the Mi’kmaq, Wolastoqey, Peskotomuhkatiyik, and the British Crown in 1726. These treaties did not implicate or affirm the surrender or transfer of land to the British, but recognized Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqey title and set the rules for what was to be a long-standing relationship between nations. As an educational institution, we are continually learning more about how we can deeply engage and move forward the work of truth, reconciliation, and equity. Biology faculty and staff are grateful to live and work in Mi’kma’ki. We recognize that without action, an acknowledgment is empty. It marks the beginning of the work ahead of us, not the end.
Acadia University is recognized as one of Canada’s premier primarily undergraduate institutions. Academic innovation and a personalized learning environment have garnered the university a reputation for success. Acadia is located in the Town of Wolfville, and amongst orchards and vineyards in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley. The area offers a small-town setting with a relaxed lifestyle and outstanding cultural and recreational opportunities. With a progressive commitment to sustainability that echoes Acadia’s status as Canada’s first organic campus, the region offers locally crafted artisan food and beverage with many communities embracing organic, fair trade, and farm-to-table ideals. The Annapolis Valley is home to highly developed agricultural, agri-food, biotechnology, and manufacturing industries that offer growing employment and research opportunities. It is also home to 14 Wing Greenwood, the largest air base on the East Coast. Southern Nova Scotia is surrounded by ocean and therefore has an experienced fishing industry, marine research, and ocean technology companies. Halifax, whose airport is only 60 minutes from Wolfville, provides a wide variety of opportunities and connections academically and commercially in terms of research.
The Department of Biology invites applications for a Continuing Instructor position (probationary) commencing on July 1, 2024. We are searching for an outstanding individual with a passion for biodiversity and a deep commitment to undergraduate teaching and lab-based learning. We are interested in an individual with a comprehensive understanding of biodiversity over a range of taxa, although applications from specialists are welcome. The successful applicant is expected to have or to develop a working knowledge of the biodiversity of the Maritime region.
The Department of Biology is one of the largest departments on campus with ~400 majors and ~30 Masters students. Faculty, staff and students are actively working towards creating a community that is diverse, stimulating, and supportive. Undergraduate teaching is a primary focus of the department, and we prioritize experiential learning with hands-on labs, fieldwork, and individualized learning opportunities. Masters, Honours and research-based courses integrate teaching and research throughout our program, and our diverse course offerings support students interested in a wide range of careers. Acadia University is associated with several field stations, including The Evelyn and Morrill Richardson Field Station on Bon Portage Island at the southwest tip of Nova Scotia, the Morton Field Station located on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, and Beaubassin Research Station located on the Inner Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick. Biodiversity-related facilities on campus include the Biology Museum which holds an extensive collection of vertebrate and invertebrate specimens, world-class glasshouse space and growth cabinets at the K. C. Irving Environmental Science Centre, the Harriet Irving Botanical Garden which showcases plant communities typical of the region, and the E. C. Smith Herbarium, the largest herbarium in Atlantic Canada with over 200,000 specimens of vascular plants, fungi, algae, bryophytes and lichens.
Applicants should have an MSc or PhD or demonstrate equivalent educational and work experience in Biology or a related field. Teaching and scholarly contributions in an academic, community or professional setting is an asset. The successful applicant will teach the labs in three second-year core courses, including BIOL 2033 Principles of Ecology, BIOL 2043 Biodiversity of Plants and Algae and BIOL 2073 Animal Biodiversity. They may have the opportunity to teach an additional course in their area of expertise. We recognize that applicants may not be strong in all three of these subject areas, and candidates are invited to make connections between their experience and these subject areas in their application. Part of the Biodiversity Instructor appointment is a supporting role in the Biology Museum in association with the Museum Committee. This includes maintaining the collection, supporting the use of the museum for teaching, and developing outreach activities to build a stronger appreciation for biodiversity in the broader community.
The successful applicant must demonstrate excellence in teaching, mentorship and/ or community leadership, commensurate with their level of experience. Evidence for excellence can include, but is not limited to, a description in the teaching statement or CV of past teaching experience, contributions to course and program development, course evaluations and positive endorsements from referees.
Academic Qualifications:
• MSc or PhD or demonstrated equivalent educational and work experience in Biology or a related field.
How to Apply: Candidates are asked to submit their application in a single PDF document to Faculty.Careers@AcadiaU.ca. Receipt of the application will be acknowledged via email. Applications should include the following:
• position number (include in the subject of the submission email)
• a cover letter describing how the applicant meets the criteria for appointment
• curriculum vitae
• a statement on teaching philosophy
• a statement providing information on how you have worked or plan to work to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in academic, professional and/ or community contexts
• evidence of excellence in teaching, mentorship and/ or community leadership (see suggestions above)
• the name and email/ phone contact information for three references (to be contacted if you are successful in making the long list of candidates)
• application should be addressed to:
Dr. Glenys Gibson
Acadia University
Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada B4P 2R6
Email: Faculty.Careers@AcadiaU.ca
Acadia University invites applications from all qualified individuals; however, Canadians and permanent residents shall be given priority. The University encourages applications from Indigenous people; African Canadians; African Nova Scotians; persons with disabilities; visible minorities; women; persons of any minority sexuality, gender identity or gender expression; and all intersections of these identities. Acadia embraces the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion as fundamental in creating an expansive academic environment and champions diverse knowledge systems as pillars of academic excellence.
All applicants are required to submit an online Employment Equity Self-Identification Form as part of their application package. The form provides the option of self-identifying based on the applicant’s comfort level. Failure to complete the form by the closing date will result in the disqualification of your application.
Closing Date: February 26, 2024
Accessibility Statement
The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members.
The University will provide support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that considers an applicant's accessibility needs. If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact lisa.taul@acadiau.ca, Administrative Assistant in Biology.
Application Email Address: Faculty.Careers@AcadiaU.ca
Company Name: Acadia University
Application Close Date: February 26, 2024