Assistant Professor of Planning

Position Description
The School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape (SAPL) invites applications for a tenure track position in Planning at the rank of Assistant Professor in the area of Computation and Emerging Technologies with a focus on form-based planning and one or more of the following areas:
• Emergent technologies for urban design, planning and landscape urbanism,
• Advanced spatial analytics and Visualization of Complexity tools,
• Computational Urban Planning and Urban Design.
This appointment will be made in the Teaching Focused Stream.

Teaching Focused Stream candidates should demonstrate the ability to teach studio courses and courses in their areas of specialization. While a robust research program is not expected, candidates will be given opportunities to develop research collaborations, supervise students and apply for funding support for these activities.

The SAPL Master of Planning program (MPlan) is committed to advancing computational means of context analysis, planning, and urban design, building on the faculty’s expertise in computation and emergent technologies. Applicants should have a working and demonstrable knowledge of contemporary and emerging planning and design tools that support both the studio environment and their declared specialization. Student and faculty research collaborations are supported by cutting-edge technologies, including large-format 3D printing, robotic fabrication facilities, and opportunities to work with industry and community groups on applied research.

We are searching for faculty with a passion and potential to reshape planning and design education to better address the pressing challenges facing the built environment. Candidates should want to be part of a strong and vibrant community that respects and values diversity and differences. Our approach to teaching, research, and outreach is informed by a commitment to climate action, social justice, community impact, and value-informed innovation. We are looking for individuals with similar values who are interested in taking their careers, and our school, to the next level.
In addition to offering professional degrees – Master of Planning, Master of Landscape Architecture, and Master of Architecture – as well as research-focused master’s and doctoral programs, SAPL is entering an exciting phase of growth. This growth includes the recent launch of a groundbreaking transdisciplinary Bachelor of Design in City Innovation (BDCI) and a strengthened focus on community-engaged teaching and research through our move to a new, expanded home in a repurposed high-rise office building in downtown Calgary. This position is part of a multi-year hiring process that is adding more than 12 new full-time faculty members to SAPL. Successful candidates will be assigned teaching duties across both the Master of Planning, Master of Landscape Architecture, and BDCI programs.

The Master of Planning degree is a two-year course-based first professional graduate degree in planning. The degree is accredited by the Professional Standards Board (PSB) in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) curriculum requirements. It prepares students for careers in planning, and professional registration in the provincial and Canadian context. Graduates also benefit from reciprocity with certification bodies across North America. The SAPL Master of Planning (MPlan) is a form-based program that uses design studio pedagogy as the primary context for integrating spatial and physical planning with social, environmental and economic dimensions of planning practice and theory. The MPlan is characterized by this form-based approach to planning and the opportunity for planning students to take transdisciplinary courses, especially in the program’s first year when they share several courses with the Master of Landscape Architecture. The studio approach provides a hub for experiential learning and addressing contemporary urban and municipal issues through engaging directly with local and regional communities. The MPlan program provides faculty with many opportunities for scholarship, mentorship and supervision through our various research labs, community-based projects and industry collaborations.

Qualifications Required for the Teaching-Focused Stream
• Master’s degree in Planning or a closely related field.
• Full membership (professional registration) in the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) or equivalent professional planning organization or be eligible and committed to obtaining CIP Full Membership, to be achieved by the time of applying for tenure.
• Demonstrated professional experience within the area of planning, urbanism, urban design or another related design discipline.
• Demonstrated teaching excellence in practice-based studio courses and studio courses in form-based planning and physical design, as well as theory or technical courses related to planning competencies.
• Demonstrated professional and teaching excellence in the following areas:
• Emergent technologies for urban design, planning and landscape urbanism,
• Advanced spatial analytics and Visualization of Complexity tools,
• Computational Urban Planning and Urban Design.
• Demonstrated leadership in the planning and urban design areas mentioned above.
• Peer review recognition of planning practice excellence through awards/publications/exhibitions.
A post-professional degree, including a PhD (completed or in progress) is an asset but not required.

In addition to teaching, successful candidates in the Teaching Focused Stream will be expected to establish and maintain an active critical professional practice, supervise practice-oriented student research, participate in the School through service activities as required, and engage in community outreach through SAPL partnerships.

Application Instructions
Applications are encouraged as soon as possible but will be accepted until the position is filled.

Interested individuals are encouraged to apply online via this link: https://careers.ucalgary.ca/jobs/15061952-assistant-professor-of-planning.
A complete application includes:
• Cover letter and curriculum vitae, including the names and contact information for three referees.
• A statement of teaching, scholarly, and professional experience and expertise.
• A portfolio including relevant samples of design research, design practice and student work. Collaborative work should include attribution. Maximum combined file size is 10 MB. Allowed formats are .doc and pdf

Please be aware that the application process allows for only four attachments, which may require you to merge documents.

Application Deadline: December 22, 2024

Please submit your application online via this link: https://careers.ucalgary.ca/jobs/15061952-assistant-professor-of-planning

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.
As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (equity@ucalgary.ca) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources (hrhire@ucalgary.ca).

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. In this connection, at the time of your application, please answer the following question: Are you a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada? (Yes/No)

The University of Calgary also recognizes that candidates have varying career paths and that career interruptions can be part of an excellent academic record. Candidates are encouraged but not required to provide any relevant information about their experience and/or career interruptions to allow for a fair assessment of their application. Selection committees have been instructed to consider and be sensitive to the impact of career interruptions when assessing the candidate’s research productivity.
For a listing of all academic opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Academic Careers website. For more information about the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape click here.

About the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape
The School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape offers a transdisciplinary undergraduate degree in city innovation design (BDCI), professional graduate degrees in architecture, planning, and landscape architecture (MArch, MPlan, and MLA), thesis-based research degrees (MeDes, and PhD) and a professional doctoral degree for established practitioners (DDes). SAPL is known for applying the disruptive strategies and social innovations of entrepreneurial design thinking to teaching, research, and community outreach. As a leading force in resilient, vibrant, healthy, and equitable city-building, we shape the conversation about the future of cities through research programs and community-based initiatives. With the full roll-out of the BDCI in 2028 SAPL will have 1,200 students.

About the University of Calgary
UCalgary is a global intellectual hub located in Canada’s most enterprising city. UCalgary is a bold and spirited institution, recognized as one of Canada’s top-five-research universities, grounded in innovative teaching and learning, and fully engaged with the community it serves and leads.

“Great cities are built around great research universities and cities that successfully reinvent themselves do so in partnership with focused, world-class institutions. Our ambition is nothing short of UCalgary being a catalyst of economic growth and quality-of-life improvements in this city and beyond.”
-Dr. Ed McCauley, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Calgary

UCalgary recently unveiled its Ahead of Tomorrow strategic plan, which articulates a 7-year vision out to 2030. It’s a bold vision that reflects our ambition to increase access to future-focused education, to maximize the impact of our research and innovation, to put the community at the centre of all that we do, and to make our operational processes clearer, simpler, and better than any other university. To learn more about UCalgary’s strategic plan, visit https://ucalgary.ca/about/ahead-of-tomorrow.

About Calgary
Recently rated the most liveable city in North America and 5th in the world (2024) by The Economist Intelligence Unit, and possessing one of the youngest populations of major cities in Canada, Calgary is home to world-class attractions, sporting amenities, and public infrastructure that supports a healthy lifestyle, making it a great place to raise a family https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnh-WugziiiHwMT44-sVwrA. Situated where the Canadian plains reach the sunny foothills of Canada’s majestic Rocky Mountains, Calgary is a major urban centre surrounded by an arena of profound beauty with awe-inspiring mountains, lakes, rivers, and gorgeous prairie.

The University of Calgary, located in the heart of Southern Alberta, both acknowledges and pays tribute to the traditional territories of the people of Treaty 7, which include the Blackfoot Confederacy (comprised of the Siksika, the Piikani, and the Kainai First Nations) as well as the Tsuut¿ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda (including Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley First Nations). The University recognizes that the City of Calgary is also home to the Metis Nation of Alberta (Districts 5&6). By virtue of the signing of Treaty 7 in 1877, the University recognizes that we are all treaty people. The City of Calgary is home to a culturally diverse community. Together, we share this land, strive to live together, learn together, walk together, and grow together in a good way.

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