THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Faculty of Education
Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education
Associate Professor (with tenure) in Mental Health in Children and Youth
The Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology and Special Education (ECPS), located in the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia, invites applications for a position at the rank of Associate Professor with tenure in Mental Health across the lifespan, with an emphasis on children and youth. The successful candidate will have their primary affiliation with the School Psychology program, which is one of the few School Psychology programs accredited by the Canadian Psychological Association. The position is expected to commence July 1 2019, or as negotiated with the successful candidate.
In keeping with the 2012 Mental Health Strategy for Canada’s call for comprehensive, school-wide initiatives that promote positive social and emotional development, and reduce stigma and risk, the Faculty of Education seeks an established scholar who can enhance the Department’s already well-regarded national and international reputation in Mental Health. The successful candidate will have a well-established program of funded research and publications in the areas of prevention/early identification, assessment and/or universal screening, and intervention in school and community settings. The successful candidate would also be expected to take on a leadership role in bridging multiple program areas both within and outside the Faculty of Education.
Each year, 1 in 5 Canadians experience some form of mental health or addictions problems, with estimates that, by age 40, half of all Canadians experience such challenges. Half of all lifetime cases of mental illness start before the age of 14, with estimates that 20-25% of children in North America currently experience significant mental health problems. These data underscore the importance of early identification and treatment, as well as the creation of accepting and supportive school environments. Within the broader UBC community, the successful applicant for this position will have the opportunity to establish collaborative links with UBC’s Human Early Learning Partnership, the UBC Institute of Mental Health and faculty members in the Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and the School of Population and Public Health, expanding an interdisciplinary cluster focused on child and youth school-based mental health. Within the Faculty of Education, the successful applicant would be expected to broaden the scope and practice in the School Psychology area through collaborative links with existing faculty members in related programs in ECPS including Counselling Psychology, Special Education, Human Development, Learning, and Culture, and Measurement, Evaluation, and Research Methods, as well as faculty members in other units including the Department of Educational Studies and the School of Kinesiology.
The ideal candidate will have a well-established portfolio of publications, awards, and ongoing externally-funded research that can help better meet the mental health needs of children and youth. Experience with graduate student teaching, including both research and clinical supervision, familiarity with intervention and assessment practices related to mental health, and/or with specific child and youth populations needing further study (e.g., children with autism, anxiety difficulties, etc.) are required. Priority will be given to applicants whose research aligns with UBC’s priorities of research excellence, community engagement, aboriginal engagement, intercultural understanding, and international collaboration. The successful candidate must be eligible for registration as a psychologist in BC.
The successful candidate is expected to (a) teach both the Department’s undergraduate and graduate programs, primarily in the School Psychology program; (b) supervise graduate students enrolled in the Department’s programs, and contribute grant support to doctoral student trainees; (c) engage in sustained and productive scholarly activity, (d) contribute to the scholarly community and service work of the Department, the Faculty of Education, and the University community; and (e) participate in outreach within the broader educational community. The annual teaching workload for this position is 4 courses (12 credits) or equivalent.
Recognized as a world leader in research on the study of well-being and mental health, ECPS (https://ecps.educ.ubc.ca/) is the largest of the five academic units in the Faculty of Education. ECPS has 43 tenure stream faculty members and five programs in the areas mentioned above, serving more than 400 graduate students. The Department has strong ties to schools, colleges and universities, and community and governmental agencies. ECPS also oversees the Faculty of Education’s Psychoeducational Research and Training Centre and the New Westminster UBC Counselling Centre.
The University of British Columbia (UBC) Vancouver campus is located on the traditional unceded territory of the Musqueam people in Vancouver, currently a multicultural, multilingual city ranked as one of the best places to live in the world. The University holds an international reputation for excellence in advanced research and learning. The UBC Faculty of Education was recently ranked 2nd in Canada and 7th globally among Faculties of Education (2018 QS World University Rankings). We are committed to research and teaching excellence and provide a comprehensive set of programmatic offerings at the baccalaureate, magisterial and doctoral levels. Academic units include ECPS, the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy, the Department of Educational Studies, the Department of Language and Literacy Education, and the School of Kinesiology. For further details about the Faculty of Education and its research and teaching programs, please visit www.educ.ubc.ca.
This is a tenured position in the Professoriate Stream. The appointment (rank and tenure) is subject to a positive review of the candidate’s records following the process established by the University and in accordance with the Collective Agreement. For more information on the review process and criteria for an appointment at the rank of Associate Professor with tenure, please visit: www.hr.ubc.ca/faculty-relations/collective-agreements/appointment-faculty/.
Applications must include (i) a letter indicating the position being sought and outlining potential teaching and research contributions to the Department, (ii) curriculum vitae, (iii) evidence of teaching excellence (such as course outlines and student evaluations), (iv) one or two samples of relevant publications and (v) the names as well as the contact information of three references external to UBC and to the applicant’s current home institution. The complete application file should be submitted in the format of one book-marked PDF file and should be addressed to Dr. Shelley Hymel, Department Head, and sent electronically to Ms. Silvia Almanza Alonso (Head’s Assistant) as silvia.almanzaalonso@ubc.ca. Application reviews will commence on October 1, 2018 and will continue until the position is filled.
Questions regarding the position should be directed to Dr. Richard Young, Professor, Search Committee Chair, ECPS (richard.young@ubc.ca).
Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.