Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream - CLTA - User Experience Design (UXD)

Date Posted: 03/17/2025
Closing Date: 04/24/2025, 11:59PM ET
Req ID: 42071
Job Category: Faculty - Teaching Stream, Contractually Limited Term Appointment
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Information
Department: Faculty of Information
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Description:

The Faculty of Information at the University of Toronto invites applications for a full-time two-year Contractually Limited Term Appointment (CLTA) at the rank of Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream in the area of User Experience Design (UXD), with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2025.

Applicants must have earned a PhD by the time of appointment, or shortly thereafter. Alternatively, applicants must have a Master’s degree with at least six years of professional experience in industry and/or teaching. Relevant fields of study for both PhD and Master's include, but are not limited to: Information, Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Design, Engineering, or Informatics. A PhD is strongly preferred.

Candidates must have a demonstrated record of excellence in teaching, as well as teaching experience in a degree-granting program, including lecture preparation and delivery, and curriculum development. Additionally, candidates must possess a demonstrated commitment to excellent and innovative pedagogical practices and a demonstrated interest in teaching-related scholarly activities. Publications in pedagogical approaches related to design and an engagement in teaching-related scholarly activities is preferred.

We seek applicants with expertise in one of the following areas: human-computer interaction, information visualization, accessibility and inclusive design, information architecture, user interface design, interaction design, and usability and evaluation assessment. The successful candidate’s teaching interests will complement and build upon our existing strengths. Industry/professional work experience in one or more related areas (e.g. user research data gathering and analysis, design guidelines, usability evaluations, participatory design, app and web design, user-centred design process) is preferred.

Applicants should demonstrate intellectual curiosity and drive to pursue innovative pedagogical methods and interest in being part of a teaching community. The successful candidate will join a Faculty with an established community of teaching stream faculty, where teaching and learning are seen as central to the scholarly enterprise, and where there are extensive supports for teaching at both the university- and faculty-level. 

Faculty members are expected to combine their expertise in the discipline with best practices in teaching to create rich learning environments that embrace diversity, promote equity, and integrate cutting-edge teaching approaches in a manner that challenges students to develop skills and ethics to be leading citizens. The successful candidate will also be expected to perform standard professional and administrative activities typical of an academic unit, and to collaborate with colleagues on curriculum development. 

Evidence of excellence in teaching and a commitment to excellent pedagogical practices can be demonstrated through a mix of teaching accomplishments, awards and accolades, presentations at significant conferences, workshops, panels and events organized, peer reviewed publications, other pedagogical or tutorial materials and activities (e.g., multimedia assets), evidence of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), strong letters of reference from referees of high standing, and the teaching dossier submitted as part of the application that should include a strong teaching statement, sample syllabi, course materials, and teaching evaluations. 

As part of the University of Toronto, the Faculty of Information offers the opportunity to teach, research, and live in one of the most diverse cities in the world. We seek candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and working environment through their application materials. Candidates therefore must submit a statement of contributions to equity and diversity, which might cover topics such as (but not limited to): teaching or research that incorporates a focus on underrepresented communities, the development of inclusive pedagogies, or the mentoring of students from underrepresented groups. 

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. 

The Faculty of Information (iSchool) at the University of Toronto is a research-led Faculty, committed to educating the next generation of professional and academic leaders in Information, who join us in transforming society through collaboration, innovation, and knowledge creation. We are guided by core values that include engagement with cultural, social, political, and ethical issues in information to benefit society and transparency, accountability, and public responsibility. With an outstanding complement of almost 40 award-winning faculty members, our key strengths are the quality of our research, the abilities of our graduate students, close ties across the University, and committed alumni. The Faculty of Information is especially proud of the calibre, excellence, academic engagement, and diversity of the students it recruits, admits, and graduates. 

All qualified candidates are invited to apply online by clicking the link below. Applications must include: 

• a cover letter; 
• a current curriculum vitae; 
• a detailed teaching dossier including a statement of teaching philosophy, a summary of teaching experience, interests, and accomplishments, sample syllabi and course materials, and teaching evaluations (see above); 
• a statement of contributions to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (as outlined above); and
• three letters of reference, to be uploaded by the referees (see below). 

Applicants must provide the name and contact information of three references. 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 are submitted (on letterhead, dated and signed) by the closing date. At least one reference letter must primarily address the candidate's teaching. More details on the automatic reference letter collection, including timelines, are available in the candidate FAQ. 

All application materials must be submitted online. 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 additional application materials into one or two files in PDF/MS Word format. If you have questions about this position, please contact dean.ischool@utoronto.ca. 

The closing date for applications is April 24, 2025 and all application materials, including recent reference letters, must be received by then for consideration. 

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 uoft.careers@utoronto.ca.