CERC Position in Cultural Heritage Knowledge Integration in Ocean & Maritime Studies

Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) Position in Cultural Heritage Knowledge Integration in Ocean and Maritime Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Memorial University

Date available online: May 10, 2022

Closing Date: June 11, 2022

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Memorial University invites applications to the highly prestigious Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) Program with specialization in Cultural Heritage Knowledge Integration in Ocean and Maritime Studies. The CERC 2022 Competition aims to attract world-leading research talent to Canada with the high potential to generate social and economic benefits via their research aligned with priority areas of Canadian science, technology, and innovation (ST&I). The allocation to this non-renewable position is $500k/year for 8 years for a total of $4M, with all funds available to the applicant for research activities. The CERC recipient will be appointed to a full-time tenure-stream faculty position.

The successful candidate will be an established, internationally recognized leader in their field. They will be expected to create an externally funded research program, and provide expertise and leadership in the development of digital infrastructure and methods which foster the long lasting transformation of institutional archives into digital data stores offering new computational modes of access to extensive world-class archival holdings. The candidate should have expertise in one or more areas and fields related to knowledge integration of cultural holdings, such as: archival and information sciences; digital repositories as well as their design and architectures; large scale digitization, data mining, and information retrieval; and linked open data and application programming interfaces. This should be in combination with expertise in digital humanities and on the diverse multi-cultural socio-economic histories of ocean & maritime Indigenous and colonial societies and cultures of the 19th through 21st centuries. The candidate should have a proven record of building collaborative research networks combining archival, historical, computational, and information science methodologies in innovative ways.

The selection process will be conducted in consultation with Memorial’s Office of Indigenous Affairs, as well as with research and teaching elements of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Appointment of a candidate to the advertised position is conditional upon the success of the CERC application. The application process involves 3 stages. For Stage I, candidates will submit an application to the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; details on the selection process are available here. The application should include:

  • a cover letter describing their fit with the CERC Program (1-3 pages);
  • a curriculum vitae including the names and contact information of at least three referees;
  • a brief research plan covering the 8-year duration of the CERC position (1-3 pages);
  • a statement on how the applicant’s research program fosters and implements best practices in equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) (1-3 pages);
  • a statement on how the candidate’s research program could develop new links, synergies, and knowledge exchange between academia, government, industry, and Canada’s northern and Indigenous communities in Newfoundland & Labrador (1-3 pages).

For Stage II, candidates will be selected to a shortlist and interviewed. The successful candidate will be, at the point of CERC Program nomination (Stage III), either: at the academic level of Full Professor; at the academic level of Associate Professor eligible for promotion to Full Professor within 2 years; or, hold a position outside of academia with equivalent qualifications necessary for appointment at these academic levels. For Stage III, one candidate will be selected as the nominee that moves forward with co-developing an application with Memorial University to the CERC Program.

Applications for the first stage (to the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences) should be submitted as soon as possible, but no later than June 11, 2022 to allow for sufficient time to meet the CERC Program deadlines (final submission deadline is October 13, 2022). Candidates should submit their completed application in PDF format to Dr. Ailsa Craig, Interim Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada, A1B 5S7 via email here: charlenes@mun.ca. Please quote the reference number F01520-2022-121 in the application and email subject line.

Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to reach out with any informal inquiries about this position, our faculty, and the broader community. CERC applications as well as further questions may be addressed to committee chair (Dr. Cory W. Thorne, coryt2@mun.ca) or Interim Dean. The CERC position search committee will also provide a clear outline of the criteria that will be used to evaluate candidates throughout the recruitment/selection process. In assessing applications, Memorial recognizes the legitimate impact that leaves (e.g. parental leaves, 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.  

Memorial is committed to providing an inclusive learning and work environment. Memorial’s Workplace Accommodation policy can be found here.  If there is anything we can do to ensure your full participation in the interview process please contact equity@mun.ca directly and we will work with you to make appropriate arrangements.

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Memorial University is home to over 200 researchers in fifteen academic departments, and contains the Maritime History Archive (MHA) and the Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA). Both of these are internationally significant archives; the MHA is one of the world’s largest repositories of materials related to global waged workers from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century; MUNFLA is one of the oldest and largest archives of intangible cultural heritage. The Faculty houses a full range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs, diplomas, and certificates, including interdisciplinary, international, and co-operative education models. Many of our programs include research and training in cultural heritage and ocean and maritime studies, while directly engaging with archives.  The successful candidate may work with Memorial University’s CREAIT Network, our branch of Canada’s RDC, and other research centres such as the Research Centre for Music, Media and Place. The Faculty places strong emphasis on the cultural and social heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador, and is keenly interested in issues of social justice, reconciliation, and respectful collaborative relationships with Indigenous peoples and communities. Among its key areas of inquiry are life in the North Atlantic, diverse ocean and maritime cultures, and what it means to live near, on, or by the sea.

Memorial University is the largest university in Atlantic Canada. As the province’s only university, Memorial plays an integral role in the educational and cultural life of Newfoundland and Labrador. Offering diverse undergraduate and graduate programs to over 18,000 students, Memorial University provides a distinctive and stimulating environment for research and learning in St. John’s; a safe, affordable, friendly city with great historic charm, a vibrant cultural life, and easy access to a wide range of outdoor activities.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply, including non-Canadians and individuals who currently hold positions outside of Canada. The CERC program does not impose any restrictions regarding nationality or country of residence of the nominee. Memorial University is committed to employment equity and diversity and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, including women; people of any sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression; Indigenous peoples; visible minorities, and racialized people; and people with disabilities.

As part of Memorial University’s commitment to employment equity, all applicants are invited to identify themselves as a member of a target group(s) as appropriate. Applicants cannot be considered as a member of a target group(s) unless they complete an employment equity survey.  If you do not receive a survey or have any questions, please contact equity@mun.ca.

We acknowledge that the lands on which Memorial University’s campuses are situated are in the traditional territories of diverse Indigenous groups, and we acknowledge with respect the histories and cultures of the Beothuk, Mi’kmaq, Innu and Inuit of this province.


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