Assistant Professor in Birmingham

The Faculty of Arts at McGill University invites applications for a full-time tenure-track Assistant Professor position to advance transformational research programs that support the growth of Canada’s global leadership in the following strategic priority area: Democratic and community resilience. Emerging Leaders must have an independent program of research that demonstrates strategic alignment with this priority area. The award provides $100,000 per year for six years to McGill University to help support the salary costs associated with the successful Emerging Leader appointment as well as direct research expenses, with the possibility of extension for a further six years. Successful candidates will be expected to begin a full-time tenure-track appointment in the Department of Art History and Communication Studies at the rank of Assistant Professor no later than June 9, 2027.

Job Duties

• The Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader will develop and pursue a research program aligned with the democratic and community resilience priority area.
• The successful candidate will also teach undergraduate and graduate courses, develop courses in their areas of specialization, supervise and mentor graduate students in the Department of Art History and Communication Studies, and contribute to the intellectual life of the University.

Democratic and community resilience refers to the capacity of political institutions and communities to withstand and respond to pressures including rising authoritarianism and militarism, increasing economic precarity, declining trust in news media, environmental injustice, gendered, ableist, racist and other forms of prejudice and violence, and deteriorating conditions for diversity, equality, and freedom. Emerging communication and media technologies, including social media platforms, proliferating surveillance systems, cryptocurrencies, prediction markets, algorithmic decision-making and accelerating Artificial Intelligence are implicated in these pressures. A Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader will develop critical research and teaching programs that address the social, cultural, political, economic, infrastructural and environmental dimensions of emerging media, across regional, national and global contexts. Successful candidates will demonstrate their potential to contribute to intentional media policy, regulation and governance in the public interest, robust artistic and creative cultures, and/or vibrant community and political engagement with emerging media technologies.

We seek candidates whose research centers the priorities, experiences and knowledges of historically and structurally disadvantaged and marginalized people, communities and regions, and who are committed to serving a diverse student body and an inclusive campus climate.

Qualifications and Education Requirements

• Only candidates who were internationally based, both working and residing outside Canada, on June 9, 2026, are eligible.
• Candidates must be within five years following the start date of their first research-related appointment, minus the length of any eligible delays in research. Recent graduates and postdoctoral fellows may also be eligible.
• Research-related appointments are defined as those where the individual has the autonomy to conduct research independently.
• Eligible leaves, including maternity, parental, medical, and bereavement leave, are credited as twice the amount of time taken. The category and period of eligible leaves should be clearly indicated in the required cover letter.
• A PhD is required by McGill University for appointment to a tenure-track position; however, it is not a requirement of the Impact+ Emerging Leaders Program itself.
• Canadians living abroad who wish to relocate to Canada are encouraged to apply.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted through Workday, McGill’s HR management system, using the link below.

Required Documents

• Cover letter
• Curriculum vitae (including links to representative publications)
• Statement of research describing current and future research, alignment with the strategic priority area, and potential for knowledge translation, mobilization, and application of research results (maximum 2 pages)
• Research infrastructure needs: laboratory space, equipment (max. 1 page)
• Teaching statement and dossier (max. 1 page)
• Contact information for three references

Job Details

• Job Type: Tenure-track
• Rank: Assistant Professor
• Salary: Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience

Posting Period

• Posting date: Wednesday September 16, 2026
• Closing date: 30 days from posting date

Inquiries from potential candidates are welcome and will be treated in strict confidence. Correspondence can be directed to Darin Barney, Professor and Chair, Department of Art History and Communication Studies (darin.barney@mcgill.ca).

Commitment to Equity and Diversity

Please note that to work at McGill University, you must be both authorized to work in Canada and willing to work in the province of Quebec at the campus where the position is based / located. McGill University offers immigration and relocation support for selected candidates.

McGill University is an English-language university where most teaching and research activities are conducted in the English language, thereby requiring English communication both verbally and in writing. McGill University is committed to equity and diversity within its community and values academic rigour and excellence. We welcome and encourage applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to engage productively with diverse communities.

At McGill, research that reflects diverse intellectual traditions, methodologies, and modes of dissemination and translation is valued and encouraged. Candidates are invited to demonstrate their research impact both within and across academic disciplines and in other sectors, such as government, communities, or industry. McGill further recognizes and fairly considers the impact of leaves (e.g., family care or health-related) that may contribute to career interruptions or slowdowns. Candidates are encouraged to signal any leave that affected productivity, or that may have had an effect on their career path. This information will be considered to ensure the equitable assessment of the candidate’s record.

McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated equity groups to self-identify. It further seeks to ensure the equitable treatment and full inclusion of persons with disabilities by striving for the implementation of universal design principles transversally, across all facets of the University community, and through accommodation policies and procedures. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, Catherine Roy accessibilityrequest.hr@mcgill.ca. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.