Graduate Research Assistant: The RHizome

OCAD University acknowledges the ancestral territories of the _Mississaugas_ of the Credit, the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinaabeg and the Huron-Wendat, who are the original owners and custodians of the land on which we work, stand and create._

OCAD University, Canada’s largest and oldest art and design university, is a vibrant community of bold, curious and compassionate artists, designers and scholars who are imagining and creating a joyful, equitable and sustainable world. The University is an internationally renowned hub for art, design, digital media, research, innovation and creativity, and arts administration. It embraces collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches to change-making through art, design-thinking curriculum and research, making OCAD U a local, regional, national and global leader in art and design.

It is an exciting time to join the OCAD U community. The University is at a key stage in its institutional transformation, with the implementation of its Academic and Strategic Plan and guiding principles—driving positive impact, decolonization, indigenization, and equity, environmental sustainability, emerging as a vibrant hub, student-centered approaches, innovation in learning, teaching, and research, and financial stewardship.

**Project Details**:
This project will ask one Graduate Research Assistant, interested in design, wholistic pedagogy and communication, to help create a comprehensive digital text/video project. The project’s intent is to accumulate, sort and structure a vast amount of information that was collected during a 2022 Undergraduate assignment called The Rhizome.

Inspired by Deleuze and Guitari’s concept of the Rhizome (A Thousand Plateaus), the intention with this assignment was to activate community and knowledge-building using new software in a way that reflects the decolonized / de centralized / wholistic vision of my Teaching Philosophy.

The assignments was student cantered. Each week student would add to a communal Miro Board using text/links/videos/drawings/research papers/YouTube etc. Each addition was networked to another student post. The purpose of the assignment was to fill gaps in the weekly discourse, add new knowledge, develop ideas of interest, find new connections to themes, and develop a class network (or rhizome).

Under the supervision of the Principal Investigator, the RA will help accumulate, sort and structure the project.

**Responsibilities**:

- Working under the supervision of the Principal Investigator, Professor Veronika Szkudlarek, in support of the project’s research goals and objectives
- Assisting with data collection, literature searches, data compilation, processing, entry and analysis
- Assisting with the preparation of proposals, progress and final reports
- Assisting with project coordination and administration of research activities
- Support creative and design aspects of the project.
- Ensure clarity, cohesion, and a high standard of technical execution.
- Participating in the provision of safe and secure environment for all members of the University community and its facilities

**Qualifications**:

- Completion of a relevant graduate degree or current enrollment in a relevant undergraduate program and/or equivalent training and professional experience
- Strong organizational, and written communications and problem solving skills
- Attention to detail and strong organizational skills
- Understanding of basic design software and video editing
- Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively
- Demonstrated commitment to the principles of equity and diversity and experience promoting a respectful work and learning environment for students, staff and faculty

**Hours of Work**:5 hours per week over the period of 12 weeks, starting October 2024.

**Work Environment**: The position will include virtual work, asynchronous and synchronous meetings on Teams.

**Compensation**: $33.78 (Grad Rate) per hour with an additional 4% in lieu of vacation and 6% in lieu of benefits

**Please note the following**:

- Applicants must be eligible to work in Canada for any employer (with a valid work or study permit, SIN and Canadian bank account).
- This appointment is conditional upon funding of the Project by OCAD U’s external funding partner(s)
- If you are a work or study permit holder, please note a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN) and Canadian bank account is a condition of employment.

**Application Pro**cess**:

- We encourage members of designated equity-seeking groups to self-_identify_ within the voluntary Applicant Questionnaire_._
- OCAD U is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier free experience to applicants with accessibility needs. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage during the recruitment process. Please _contact_ People & Culture for more information or refer to _OCAD U’s Policy of Accommodation in Employment for Persons with Disabilities_._