Call for Applications: Black Indigenous Waterways Postdoctoral Fellowship 

• Deadline for application: Friday, June 9, 2023, 11:59pm EST  Applications should be submitted via the online application form. The application must include the following:
  •  CV in pdf format 
  • A 500-word summary of applicant expertise that outlines field of training, methodology, publications, or practices such as exhibition, design, organizing, etc. 
  • A 1000-word (max) research proposal on the thematic of Black Indigenous Waterways that outlines the disciplinary orientation of the proposed research, including aspects such as potential geographical locations of study, research subject engagement, archives, or artifacts, and methodology, or any other salient aspects of the proposed research. The proposal should reference relevant literature/research in the field. 
  • A writing sample (journal article, book chapter, etc.) or other form of documentation such as exhibition documentation, design, organizational materials. 
  • Short-listed candidates will be asked to provide a letter of recommendation from their PhD supervisor or equivalent. 

• The award is open to both domestic and international doctoral student graduates. Successful international applicants must meet all Canadian immigration requirements. 
  
• Once appointed, BRN Postdoctoral Fellows cannot concurrently hold a tenure-track or continuing faculty position at a college or university. 

• Applicants must have completed all requirements for their doctorate degree within the past 5 years from the start date of the postdoctoral fellowship. 

For application questions please contact: BRN@utoronto.ca 

• Please consult the information regarding postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Toronto on the website of the School of Graduate Studies. 

• Canadian citizens and permanent residents must have completed their PhD requirements no later than six months after their start-date of an BRN Postdoctoral Fellowship. International applicants must have completed their PhD requirements before the start date of an BRN Postdoctoral Fellowship. In each instance, proof of PhD completion must be provided within three months of completion if the applicant did not have it in hand at the time of application. 
  Degree completion does not mean convocation, but rather the completion of all the requirements necessary for the PhD. 
• Employment as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto is covered by the terms of the CUPE 3902 Unit 5 Collective Agreement. The normal hours of work are 40 hours per week for a full-time postdoctoral fellow (pro-rated for those holding a partial appointment) recognizing that the needs of the employee’s research and training and the needs of the supervisor’s research program may require flexibility in the performance of the employee’s duties and hours of work. 
• The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from visible minority group members, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, members of sexual minority groups, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas. 

During the period of the Fellowship Award, the BRN will need to be kept informed of any changes, such as deferral, cancellation, or early departure, and the award payment will be adjusted accordingly. 

Final Report: BRN Postdoctoral Fellowship recipients must submit a 1-2 page final report, describing what was accomplished, to the BRN after fellowship has been completed.  

Acknowledgment: The affiliation of researchers and support from the BRN should be acknowledged in any research outputs arising from this award. 

Application Process 

1. Can I send my application through regular mail?    

No. All applications must be submitted via the online application form.    

2. I accidentally submitted an old CV and/or incorrect document and would like to upload a new one, would that be possible?  

Please resubmit your application using the online application form with the correct documents as soon as possible and no later than June 9^th. In addition, please reach out to brn@utoronto.ca, with the subject line: Full name _BIW PF application – Resubmission and within the body of the e-mail, please outline your reason for resubmission.   

3. Will I receive a confirmation e-mail that my application has been received?  

Once you submit the application via the online form, it will direct you to a page confirming that the application has been sent.  If there are concerns that your application might have not been received, please reach out to brn@utoronto.ca, with the subject line: Full name _BIW PF application and within the body of the e-mail, please outline your concern.  

4. When should I expect to hear back about my application status and if I have been short-listed? 

We are aiming to provide updates regarding the application status by mid-summer and will provide you with a reasonable turnaround time to submit your letter of recommendation if you are shortlisted.  

Eligibility  

1. I plan to fulfill all the requirements of my Ph.D. this coming Summer 2023 but will not be awarded the degree till Winter 2024.  Could I still apply?  

No. Candidates must hold a doctorate at the time of the application or demonstrate that it will be awarded no later than December 2023. Please note, all requirements for your doctorate degree must be completed within the past 5 years from the start date of the postdoctoral fellowship.  

2. Which research background or areas would be a good fit for this fellowship?  

Applicants for the fellowship must have research expertise in one or a combination of the following areas:  Architecture; Art practitioner, Activist; Black Atlantic/Mediterranean studies; Black or Indigenous history; Black or Indigenous Latin American studies; Black or Indigenous studies; Black or Indigenous visual history or poesis; Black technoscience or Indigenous science and technology studies; feminist/radical economies; feminist/radical geography; legal studies focusing on land or water rights; or additional adjacent fields. 

3. I received my doctoral internationally and currently reside outside of Canada. Can I still apply?  

Yes. The award is open to both domestic and international doctoral graduates. However, please note, successful international applicants must meet all Canadian immigration requirements prior to the start of their fellowship.  

Financial and Benefits 

1. For additional income, could I take on an additional part-time position at the institution?  

The normal hours of work for a full-time postdoctoral fellow are 40 hours per week with an understanding that the needs of the employee’s research and training and the needs of the supervisor’s research program may require flexibility in the performance of the employee’s duties and hours of work. Hence, an additional part-time position may not be feasible.  

2. Will I receive any health or dental benefits in addition to the $70,000 for the year?  

The successful applicant will be a BRN Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto and will be governed by the terms of CUPE 3902, Unit 5 Collective Agreement which entitles to you Unit 5 benefits.  

Supervisor  

1. If successful, will I be assigned to a supervisor from the BRN or may I choose a supervisor from the network?   

Candidates will be assigned a supervisor from the home department/faculty their post will be held in, e.g., Women and Gender Studies Institute or Daniels Faculty of Architecture, landscape & Design. In addition, the postdoc will be co-supervised by a member of the BRN research l eadership (director, associate director, or faculty fellow). Supervision will be assigned in c conversation with the successful postdoc candidate.  

For any additional questions, please contact brn@utoronto.ca with the subject line: Full Name – BIW Postdoctoral Fellowship Inquiry