Tier II, Canada Research Chair: Future of Design
Top Benefits
About the role
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 live, work 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.
Students benefit from hands-on studio learning and have access to state-of-the-art shops and studios for both traditional and digital creation. Alongside a diverse and supportive team of instructors and peers, students gain employable skills. The School of Graduate Studies offers numerous programs where students may earn a Masters of Design: Strategic Foresight and Innovation, Inclusive Design, Design for Health, Interdisciplinary Art/Media/Design, Digital Futures as well as a forthcoming Ph.D. in Creative Practice. The Faculty of Design offers Bachelor of Design degrees in Advertising, Environmental Design, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Interior Design, Illustration, and Material Art and Design.
OCAD U graduates work in a variety of sectors such as advertising, art history and curatorial studies, digital futures, strategic foresight, inclusive design, health design, urban planning, environmental design, gaming, film, animation, publishing, illustration, graphic design, product design and consultancy, material-based design, visual arts, and arts administration.
OCAD University invites applications for a full-time Tenure-Track Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in research relevant to the future of Design at the Assistant or Associate Professor rank. The position is expected to commence January 1 or July 1, 2027, and is subject to budgetary approval. In addition, this position is contingent on the candidate’s successful application to the Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) program. The successful candidate will be required to participate in preparation of a CRC nomination package for submission in April 2026.
The successful candidate will demonstrate intersectional expertise in areas of research in the context of or related to the future of Design in areas such as: diverse modes of practice, community-engaged design practice, industrial design, health design , inclusive design, disability studies, decoloniality and social justice, sustainability and climate change action, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, design foresight, systems design, social/political creative practice, strategic foresight. Bringing together tangible design research, the Canada Research Chair (CRC) will provide visionary leadership for the development, deployment, and use of design principles and decolonial practices within a matrix of fields.
The Canada Research Chair Tier II is for exceptional researchers, acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their field. The successful candidate should have experience as a Principal Investigator on at least one major, multi-year Tri-council grant or other national/external grant, either held previously or currently.
Summary of Responsibilities:
The successful candidate will:
- Build research capacity and outputs in keeping with the OCAD University Strategic Research Plan and program criteria fora Tier II CRC;
- Maintain an active research and practice profile with a focus on contemporary and future applications of the future of design;
- Demonstrate a broad understanding of the impact of design on areas such as business, health, AI, climate change, social, and cultural contexts;
- Promote and augment interdisciplinary research as an individual and a leader of collaborations
- Build and maintain internal and external networks of scholars, stakeholders and collaborators;
- Teach in one or more undergraduate and graduate programs within the most appropriate home faculty or across faculties;
- Assume a key role in the curriculum development related to the future of design;
- Provide service to the Faculty and University-wide governance system, as well as activities and outreach initiatives that contribute to the quality of academic and student life and University culture;
- Maintain active research, professional practice and/or scholarship within relevant disciplines;
- Be prepared to apply for major national and international grants as they start their chairship;
- Engage in development of policies and training at the University
Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will have:
- A PhD in a field relevant to design; exceptional creative scholars/practitioners with a Masters degree will also be considered, as a doctoral degree is not required by the Canada Research Chairs Program.
- A minimum of 5 years relevant teaching experience at the post-secondary level (or equivalent experience);
- Outstanding and innovative research skills and accomplishments which will lead them to a strong international reputation as a leader, innovator, and cultural practitioner with demonstrated commitment to the future of design;
- An original and innovative cross-disciplinary research program of the highest quality.
- Experience and conceptual understanding of intersectional design practices;
- A significant research/exhibition and publication record consistent with a Tier II CRC including a proven successful track record with scholarly and/or arts granting councils
- Familiarity and proven funding success. Canadian applicants must show success with one or more of the Tri-agencies (SSHRC, NSERC or CIHR) demonstrated by holding principal investigator status on past or current Tri-agency grants; International candidates must show success with one or more major research grants at a federal or senior external level.
- Participating as co-applicant and/or collaborator on tri-agency or other national grants will be an asset.
- Experience supervising graduate students at the Masters level (PhD supervision experience is an asset)
- Capacity to attract excellent graduate students and future researchers as well as play a leadership role in developing new talent and increasing the research capacity of OCAD University;
- Experience in curriculum development and working to develop and enhance undergraduate and graduate programs
- A demonstrated commitment to the principles and lived experiences of equity and diversity, and proven ability to work effectively and collegially with a diverse population;
- A proven record of research and/or professional practice relevant to qualifications, experience and discipline;
- Experience proactively advancing equity and sustainability in curriculum, teaching, scholarship, and creative/professional activities;
- Demonstrated understanding of the ways in which equity, Indigenous knowledge, and sustainability are fundamental to the quality of student experience, to innovative scholarship, and to design production; and
- A proven record of promoting a respectful and inclusive work and learning environment for students, staff, and faculty.
- Tier 2 Chairs are intended for exceptional emerging scholars (i.e., candidates must have been an active researcher in their field for fewer than 10 years at the time of nomination).
- Applicants who are more than 10 years from having earned their highest degree may have their eligibility for a Tier 2 Chair assessed through the program’s Tier 2 justification process. Please contact the research grants office for more information.
REMUNERATION
Salary and rank will be commensurate with experience and qualifications with access to full benefits, and pension contribution after one year of service.
Canada Research Chairs are subject to review and approval by the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS & DEADLINE
Applications should include:
- A letter of intent stating the candidate’s interests in the areas of research, teaching, professional practice, and service to Faculty and University-wide governance;
- A curriculum vitae;
- A statement demonstrating the candidate’s research philosophy and equity/diversity work;
- Evidence of teaching and research effectiveness (such as sample assignments, student feedback, course evaluations, records of successful research grants, etc.);
- A digital portfolio of recent work/publications;
- The names and contact information of three referees.
Please upload all six (6) components (including the URL to work) as one PDF*. Please name your upload:* FirstName_LastName-Job Code
Interested applicants are invited to submit their electronic application in confidence to:
Ashok Mathur, Ph.D.,
Vice-President, Research & Dean, School of Graduate Studies
OCAD University
100 McCaul Street
Toronto, ON
M5T 1W1
The review of applications will begin on October 24, 2025, and will continue until the position is filled.
As an institution committed to art, design, digital media and related scholarship, OCAD University recognizes the profound and essential value that diversity brings to the creation, reception and circulation of creative practices and discourse. OCAD University understands that valuing diverse creative practices and forms of knowledge are essential to, and enrich the institution’s core mission and vision as an art and design university with a local and global scope.
As an employer committed to employment equity, we encourage applications from members of equity seeking communities including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities/expressions.
We encourage members of equity-seeking groups to self-identify within their letter of intent in their application*.*
In order to alleviate the under-representation of racialized individuals and Indigenous persons in the ranks of tenure-track faculty and academic administrators, priority in hiring will be given to qualified persons who self-identify as such in the application process. This initiative is a special program under the Ontario Human Rights Code.
OCAD University 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 contactPeople & Culture for more information or refer to OCAD U’s Policy of Accommodation in Employment for Persons with Disabilities
All qualified persons are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority. While we thank all candidates for their interest, only those short-listed will be contacted.
Tier II, Canada Research Chair: Future of Design
Top Benefits
About the role
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 live, work 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.
Students benefit from hands-on studio learning and have access to state-of-the-art shops and studios for both traditional and digital creation. Alongside a diverse and supportive team of instructors and peers, students gain employable skills. The School of Graduate Studies offers numerous programs where students may earn a Masters of Design: Strategic Foresight and Innovation, Inclusive Design, Design for Health, Interdisciplinary Art/Media/Design, Digital Futures as well as a forthcoming Ph.D. in Creative Practice. The Faculty of Design offers Bachelor of Design degrees in Advertising, Environmental Design, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Interior Design, Illustration, and Material Art and Design.
OCAD U graduates work in a variety of sectors such as advertising, art history and curatorial studies, digital futures, strategic foresight, inclusive design, health design, urban planning, environmental design, gaming, film, animation, publishing, illustration, graphic design, product design and consultancy, material-based design, visual arts, and arts administration.
OCAD University invites applications for a full-time Tenure-Track Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in research relevant to the future of Design at the Assistant or Associate Professor rank. The position is expected to commence January 1 or July 1, 2027, and is subject to budgetary approval. In addition, this position is contingent on the candidate’s successful application to the Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) program. The successful candidate will be required to participate in preparation of a CRC nomination package for submission in April 2026.
The successful candidate will demonstrate intersectional expertise in areas of research in the context of or related to the future of Design in areas such as: diverse modes of practice, community-engaged design practice, industrial design, health design , inclusive design, disability studies, decoloniality and social justice, sustainability and climate change action, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, design foresight, systems design, social/political creative practice, strategic foresight. Bringing together tangible design research, the Canada Research Chair (CRC) will provide visionary leadership for the development, deployment, and use of design principles and decolonial practices within a matrix of fields.
The Canada Research Chair Tier II is for exceptional researchers, acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their field. The successful candidate should have experience as a Principal Investigator on at least one major, multi-year Tri-council grant or other national/external grant, either held previously or currently.
Summary of Responsibilities:
The successful candidate will:
- Build research capacity and outputs in keeping with the OCAD University Strategic Research Plan and program criteria fora Tier II CRC;
- Maintain an active research and practice profile with a focus on contemporary and future applications of the future of design;
- Demonstrate a broad understanding of the impact of design on areas such as business, health, AI, climate change, social, and cultural contexts;
- Promote and augment interdisciplinary research as an individual and a leader of collaborations
- Build and maintain internal and external networks of scholars, stakeholders and collaborators;
- Teach in one or more undergraduate and graduate programs within the most appropriate home faculty or across faculties;
- Assume a key role in the curriculum development related to the future of design;
- Provide service to the Faculty and University-wide governance system, as well as activities and outreach initiatives that contribute to the quality of academic and student life and University culture;
- Maintain active research, professional practice and/or scholarship within relevant disciplines;
- Be prepared to apply for major national and international grants as they start their chairship;
- Engage in development of policies and training at the University
Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will have:
- A PhD in a field relevant to design; exceptional creative scholars/practitioners with a Masters degree will also be considered, as a doctoral degree is not required by the Canada Research Chairs Program.
- A minimum of 5 years relevant teaching experience at the post-secondary level (or equivalent experience);
- Outstanding and innovative research skills and accomplishments which will lead them to a strong international reputation as a leader, innovator, and cultural practitioner with demonstrated commitment to the future of design;
- An original and innovative cross-disciplinary research program of the highest quality.
- Experience and conceptual understanding of intersectional design practices;
- A significant research/exhibition and publication record consistent with a Tier II CRC including a proven successful track record with scholarly and/or arts granting councils
- Familiarity and proven funding success. Canadian applicants must show success with one or more of the Tri-agencies (SSHRC, NSERC or CIHR) demonstrated by holding principal investigator status on past or current Tri-agency grants; International candidates must show success with one or more major research grants at a federal or senior external level.
- Participating as co-applicant and/or collaborator on tri-agency or other national grants will be an asset.
- Experience supervising graduate students at the Masters level (PhD supervision experience is an asset)
- Capacity to attract excellent graduate students and future researchers as well as play a leadership role in developing new talent and increasing the research capacity of OCAD University;
- Experience in curriculum development and working to develop and enhance undergraduate and graduate programs
- A demonstrated commitment to the principles and lived experiences of equity and diversity, and proven ability to work effectively and collegially with a diverse population;
- A proven record of research and/or professional practice relevant to qualifications, experience and discipline;
- Experience proactively advancing equity and sustainability in curriculum, teaching, scholarship, and creative/professional activities;
- Demonstrated understanding of the ways in which equity, Indigenous knowledge, and sustainability are fundamental to the quality of student experience, to innovative scholarship, and to design production; and
- A proven record of promoting a respectful and inclusive work and learning environment for students, staff, and faculty.
- Tier 2 Chairs are intended for exceptional emerging scholars (i.e., candidates must have been an active researcher in their field for fewer than 10 years at the time of nomination).
- Applicants who are more than 10 years from having earned their highest degree may have their eligibility for a Tier 2 Chair assessed through the program’s Tier 2 justification process. Please contact the research grants office for more information.
REMUNERATION
Salary and rank will be commensurate with experience and qualifications with access to full benefits, and pension contribution after one year of service.
Canada Research Chairs are subject to review and approval by the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS & DEADLINE
Applications should include:
- A letter of intent stating the candidate’s interests in the areas of research, teaching, professional practice, and service to Faculty and University-wide governance;
- A curriculum vitae;
- A statement demonstrating the candidate’s research philosophy and equity/diversity work;
- Evidence of teaching and research effectiveness (such as sample assignments, student feedback, course evaluations, records of successful research grants, etc.);
- A digital portfolio of recent work/publications;
- The names and contact information of three referees.
Please upload all six (6) components (including the URL to work) as one PDF*. Please name your upload:* FirstName_LastName-Job Code
Interested applicants are invited to submit their electronic application in confidence to:
Ashok Mathur, Ph.D.,
Vice-President, Research & Dean, School of Graduate Studies
OCAD University
100 McCaul Street
Toronto, ON
M5T 1W1
The review of applications will begin on October 24, 2025, and will continue until the position is filled.
As an institution committed to art, design, digital media and related scholarship, OCAD University recognizes the profound and essential value that diversity brings to the creation, reception and circulation of creative practices and discourse. OCAD University understands that valuing diverse creative practices and forms of knowledge are essential to, and enrich the institution’s core mission and vision as an art and design university with a local and global scope.
As an employer committed to employment equity, we encourage applications from members of equity seeking communities including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities/expressions.
We encourage members of equity-seeking groups to self-identify within their letter of intent in their application*.*
In order to alleviate the under-representation of racialized individuals and Indigenous persons in the ranks of tenure-track faculty and academic administrators, priority in hiring will be given to qualified persons who self-identify as such in the application process. This initiative is a special program under the Ontario Human Rights Code.
OCAD University 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 contactPeople & Culture for more information or refer to OCAD U’s Policy of Accommodation in Employment for Persons with Disabilities
All qualified persons are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority. While we thank all candidates for their interest, only those short-listed will be contacted.