The Philosophy Department at the University of Guelph invites applications for a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level. The University of Guelph is a leading comprehensive Canadian university. The Philosophy Department has 17 full-time faculty with teaching and research interests that span the discipline. We have an established graduate program, offering MA and PhD degrees, including a thriving MA in AI Ethics. While based in the Philosophy Department, the successful candidate will be expected to contribute up to 50% of teaching and service to the Culture and Technology Studies (CTS) program. 

The CTS program is a Digital Humanities-based undergraduate program that examines the role of culture in an increasingly digital world. Teaching needs in CTS include introductory Python (CTS 2000), data visualization (CTS 1000, 2010), UX design and digital publishing (CTS 4000) (details here: https://calendar.uoguelph.ca/undergraduate-calendar/programs-majors-minors/culture-and-technology-studies-cts/#requirementstext). 

The successful candidate will have a specialization in AI Ethics and a PhD in philosophy (or, e.g., HPS or LPS) by the time of appointment (or shortly thereafter). They will teach courses ranging from large service courses to small graduate seminars in Philosophy and CTS. The teaching commitment for this position is 5 courses per year. Evidence of successful teaching and engagement with students is required, as is evidence of research excellence by way of a robust research program in AI ethics and a commitment to the Digital Humanities.  

The ideal candidate will increase the Philosophy Department’s profile in AI Ethics through publications, grants, graduate student supervision, undergraduate student recruitment, community outreach, and industry partnerships. More specifically, the ideal candidate will play a leading role in growing our graduate program in AI Ethics (details here: https://live-arts1.pantheonsite.io/ethics-of-artificial-intelligence). This program is unique in that graduate students have the option to complete either a traditional academic thesis, or an ethics audit – where students collaborate directly with AI researchers or industry partners to evaluate the ethical dimensions of an AI project. The successful applicant will be expected to supervise students conducting ethics audits in collaboration with academic and industry partners, as well as contribute to the intellectual life of CARE-AI (the Centre for Advancing Responsible and Ethical AI). This position is part of the Provost’s AI hiring initiative; service requirements therefore include collaborating and developing networks with colleagues across campus and with Guelph’s newly established Assistant Vice-President AI. 

The Department of Philosophy and CTS are committed to fostering an equitable and inclusive environment, including identifying and removing barriers for equity-deserving groups traditionally underrepresented in the arts and humanities. We value the diversity of lived experiences and appreciate its importance for excellence in research and teaching and a more representative academic community.  

In Philosophy, we have and support a diverse undergraduate and graduate student community. In the last few years, we have established an undergraduate social justice essay prize and a Minorities in Philosophy (MAP) chapter, which has organized conferences for undergraduate and graduate students. While all qualified candidates are eligible to apply, the Department is especially interested in receiving applications from members of equity-deserving groups, including Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, racialized persons, women, and 2SLGBTQIA+ persons. The successful candidate will show an ability and willingness to foster Indigenization, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (IEDIA). In their Diversity Statements, candidates should discuss their experiences, knowledge, and plans related to IEDIA. We would like to know how IEDIA principles shape your approach to research. We are also interested to know how you embed principles of equity and inclusion in the classroom, ranging from equitable and inclusive pedagogies to mentoring of students from underrepresented communities. And we would like to know about some of the actions you take to support IEDIA within your academic community. The Diversity Statement can include a discussion of any barriers or experiences you have faced or are facing as a member of an underrepresented group. 

The University of Guelph resides on the traditional lands and territory of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee and Huron Wendat. These lands are now home to a rich diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people. We offer our respect and gratitude to our Indigenous neighbours and affirm our responsibility to realize our commitments to reconciliation through ongoing action. We are guided in this work by Bi-Naagward | It Comes into View, the Indigenous Initiatives Strategy.  

The University of Guelph is the third largest employer in Guelph, a city of over 144,000 people, located about an hour drive west of Toronto, Ontario. University of Guelph is a top-ranked comprehensive university in Canada with an enrolment of more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across more than 40 academic units. The University is known for its commitment to student learning, innovative research, and collaboration with world-class partners. It is a unique place, with transformative research and teaching and a distinctive campus culture. People who learn and work here are shaped and inspired by a shared purpose: To Improve Life. Reflecting that shared purpose in every experience connected to our university positions us to create positive change, here and around the world. Our University community shares a profound sense of social responsibility, a drive for international development, and an obligation to address global issues.