Assistant Professor, Emerging Indigenous Scholar

Royal Roads University acknowledges that the campus is located on the traditional Lands of the Lekwungen-speaking Peoples, the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. We recognize that their ancestors have lived on these lands for thousands of years. It is with gratitude that we now learn, work, and conduct research on these Lands, where the past, present and future of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, faculty and staff come together. We also recognize that beyond the land acknowledgment, we all play a role in transforming our relationships, communities and our world. _We want to inspire people with the courage to change the world (_RRU vision statement, 2022). Royal Roads University works closely with local First Nations as we advance our common goals and commitments with a view towards reconciliation.

Royal Roads University, like other Canadian universities, is committed to advancing Indigenous education. We are committed to:

- Serving Indigenous students in ways that support their aspirations
- Growing Indigenous leadership at all levels of the university
- Indigenization and decolonization of academic programs

In collaboration with local First Nations, and with guidance from the Heron People Circle, Royal Roads University established an _Emerging Indigenous Scholars Circle_. The Circle is a community that provides connection, mentorship and support as emerging Indigenous scholars begin or are looking to augment their academic career.

Royal Roads University is seeking two Emerging Indigenous Scholars to join our Circle. These three-year limited term faculty appointments will be at the assistant professor level. Indigenous applicants are First Nations, Metis and/or Inuit individuals who maintain ties to their nations, ancestors and families. Emerging Indigenous scholars are early in their academic careers (ABD within one year of degree completion, or within the first five years of graduating with a doctorate, including those who have pursued non-academic work). We are seeking applicants from diverse academic backgrounds, areas of expertise and research interests who can contribute to our existing programs. We hope you will consider Royal Roads University’s Emerging Indigenous Scholars Circle. To learn more about our commitments to Indigenous peoples, please read the following section.

**_Royal Roads’ Commitment to Indigenous Peoples_**:
Royal Roads University’s vision statement includes six “critical commitments”, one of which specifies the intent to “Implement the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and honour the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.”

Based on broad community consultation, including input from local Chiefs and our Heron People Circle members, a planning framework for delivering on our commitment to Indigenous Peoples was established in 2019 that includes a set of principles and six core elements. The six core elements all have direct connection to learning, teaching and research.

Reflecting this in our Learning, Teaching and Research Model, respect for Indigenous Peoples and traditions is embedded in the core category of transformational values.

As Royal Roads continues the journey towards the vision of reconciliation that Justice Murray Sinclair laid out on the Report of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission of 2015, in our ongoing work of Indigenizing and decolonizing the university, we have committed to increasing the number of Indigenous Peoples in all roles at the university. In addition to creating roles that will allow Indigenous Scholars to appropriately integrate Indigenous Knowledges in all our programs over time, the university is also seeking to understand ways to respectfully support Indigenous Scholars so that they feel at home in our university community. The Royal Roads University Emerging Indigenous Scholars Circle aims to attract emerging Indigenous Scholars to join us in advancing our goals as members of our university community. Their active engagement in our university community contributes to Indigenization, reconciliation and decolonization.

**_The role_**:
The successful applicant will be a faculty member based in the Faculty of Social and Applied Sciences, the College of Interdisciplinary Studies or the Faculty of Management. They will have the opportunity to build their academic experience through teaching, course development, and pursuing their research interests and assisting in Indigenous Education initiatives as appropriate. RRU’s academic culture values research and teaching applied to real world issues, creativity, and the timely dissemination of knowledge that meets the needs of our communities. The successful applicant will join a community of Indigenous scholars at RRU and will be part of faculty community.

The Emerging Indigenous Scholars Circle initiative is recruiting recent or pending Indigenous doctoral graduates to three-year limited terms with the intention of providing these new acade