Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Critical AI Studies and Ethics
Date posted: 10-Nov-2026
Department: Faculty of Humanities (home department negotiable)
Rank: Associate Professor (advanced) or Professor
Start Date: 01-Jul-2028
We acknowledge and respect the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Xʷsepsəm/Esquimalt) Peoples on whose territory the University of Victoria stands, and the Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.
The Faculty of Humanities invites applications from external candidates for a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Critical AI Studies and Ethics. This CRC recruitment is part of a broad strategy to expand and raise the profile of Humanities-based research in artificial intelligence and tools. The successful applicant will be nominated by the University for a CRC Tier 1 and, upon approval of the CRC Secretariat, will then be offered a position at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor with tenure. The CRC will be expected to maintain an active research program, to teach and supervise at the graduate level and to build and expand the Faculty’s contributions to cross-campus initiatives and discussions related to AI and emerging technologies. The anticipated start date is 1 July 2028. Tier 1 Canada Research Chairs are awarded for seven-year terms and are renewable, subject to performance reviews by the University of Victoria and continued peer review through the Canada Research Chairs Program.
Tier 1 CRCs are outstanding researchers acknowledged as world leaders in their fields and must be full Professors or Associate Professors who are expected to be promoted to the full Professor level within one to two years of the nomination. For more information on the CRC program generally and on eligibility specifically, please consult the Canada Research Chairs website.
Salary Range
The candidate's qualifications, experience and overall market demand will determine the candidate’s final salary offer. The salary for this position includes a competitive salary range of $150,000 - $184,000 at the Associate Professor rank, and $185,000 - $227,000 at the Professor rank. UVic is committed to offering an equitable and competitive salary, inclusive of a generous benefits package, eligible leaves and pension plan.
The Faculty of Humanities is home to 160 faculty members, nearly 180 graduate students and more than 1300 undergraduate students, who study the products and processes of human thought and creativity: languages, literatures, media, material cultures, histories and beliefs, places and times. The Faculty is committed to upholding equity, diversity and inclusion, promoting global knowledges, cultivating intercultural acumen and confronting how humanity engages with natural and constructed environments. It fosters interdisciplinary scholarship and public dialogue on some of the most pressing issues facing our world, and it is committed to implementing principles of decolonization and Indigenization in its programs and organizational structures. Across campus, UVic prioritizes research that engages social justice and equity, technology and the human experience, climate, environmental change and sustainability. This position reflects the University’s goals to develop its interdisciplinary research community and increase its societal impact.
Tier 1 CRCs are internationally recognized leaders in their field(s) whose accomplishments have made a major impact. The successful candidate must have a Humanities PhD and demonstrate expertise in ethical and sociotechnical approaches to AI, critical AI studies, and/or design justice related to AI technologies. They must have the capacity to work collaboratively across the University and be willing to address the potential harms of AI. They will have the opportunity to work with an incoming Humanities-based Aspiration Research Chair in AI and Cultural Change, and they must have the vision to make UVic a leader in justice-centred, critical and ethical approaches to AI development, research, regulation and use. The successful candidate must propose an original, innovative research program and offer evidence of high-quality teaching, supervision and mentorship that promote inclusiveness and supportive learning among a student body diversified by gender, ethnicity, age, place of origin, abilities, as well as many other factors. Promotion and support of equity, diversity and inclusion is a key requirement of the CRC program.
The CRC will join a department in the Humanities, and candidates are encouraged to identify their preferred home department in their application: English; Gender Studies; History; Philosophy; Pacific and Asian Studies; Greek and Roman Studies; or the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures (comprising French and Francophone Studies, Hispanic and Italian Studies, Germanic and Slavic Studies and Linguistics).
Required experience and skills are as follows:
- Excellence in research, with a track record of high-quality publications in the area(s) of ethical and sociotechnical approaches to AI, critical AI studies, and/or design justice, as shared through a wide range of outlets (academic and public); Experience in building institutional partnerships and/or learning programs, as documented by past leadership positions and/or success in obtaining major research grants; Excellence in teaching and mentorship, with a track record of graduate supervision and promotion of equity, diversity and inclusion in the classroom and/or curriculum; Excellence in service, professionalism and collegiality, with a track record of working collaboratively across academic units, responsiveness to diverse perspectives, and ability to communicate well across a variety of campus and public sectors about AI-related policy and convictions.
Application instructions
Candidates are asked to prepare a single PDF document that includes:
A cover letter providing an overview of their qualifications, how they fulfill the CRC criteria and how their research capacity will complement existing strengths in the Faculty of Humanities and University of Victoria more broadly; A detailed curriculum vitae; A four-page (max) description of the candidate’s proposed CRC research program; One-page description of the candidate’s most important research contributions to date; A two-page (max) statement of teaching experience and approach, including evidence of teaching effectiveness and working effectively and collaboratively with diverse students, trainees, community members, and colleagues; A one-page statement outlining their experiences and contributions to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion; and Contact information for three references.
Please submit your application to Dr. Adrienne Williams Boyarin, Chair of the Search Committee (humsadr@uvic.ca, cc’ lindsaymair@uvic.ca) by 5pm on 2 January 2027, using the subject line “CRC T1 Application.” Questions may also be addressed to Dr. Williams Boyarin.
Please note that reference checks will be done, and background checks, including credential and degree verification, may be undertaken as part of this recruitment process.
UVic is committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity, inclusion and human rights in our living, learning and work environments. In pursuit of our values, we seek members who are eager to actively participate in that shared responsibility. We actively encourage applications from members of historically and systemically marginalized groups.
Read our full equity statement.
The University acknowledges the potential impact that career interruptions can have on a candidate’s record of research achievement. We encourage applicants to explain in their application the impact that career interruptions have had on their record.
Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, may contact Heidi Morrison within Faculty Relations and Academic Administration in the Office of the VP Academic and Provost at FRrecruit@uvic.ca. Any personal information provided will be maintained in confidence.
In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the job advertisement efforts to attract a diverse pool of individuals, applicants will be invited to complete a confidential self-identification survey after the application deadline.
Faculty and Librarians at the University of Victoria are governed by the provisions of the Collective Agreement. Members are represented by the University of Victoria Faculty Association (www.uvicfa.ca).
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply. If you are neither a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, please indicate if you are authorized to work in Canada or willingness to apply for authorization, if offered a position contingent upon eligibility and approval from Canadian government authorities.
