Assistant Professor: Archaeology (Anthropology)

We acknowledge and respect the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Xʷsepsəm/Esquimalt) Peoples on whose territory the university stands, and the Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.

The Department of Anthropology is committed to giving meaning to this acknowledgement by recognizing, learning, and upholding the histories, laws and cultures of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, particularly the Coast Salish Peoples, on whose lands the University of Victoria campus is located. 

Who we are: The Department of Anthropology at the University of Victoria is a three field anthropology department (socio-cultural anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology) whose mission is to make important contributions to both the academic community and the communities and areas in which we work. Among our Department’s strengths is a commitment to offering rich experiential learning through active community collaboration, hands-on field courses, multimodal research outputs. Our Department cultivates a caring, supportive, and collaborative culture by fostering a diversity of approaches, perspectives, and ways of knowing.

UVic Anthropology offers undergraduate programs leading to a BA and BSc, as well as a strong research-based Honours program. Our distinctive graduate program offers MA and PhD degrees for research that encourages connections across anthropology’s traditional sub-disciplines through thematic clusters of Space-Place, Knowledge, Power; Evolution & Ecology; Culture, Health, & Inequality; Visual Anthropology & Materiality.  We have facilities for supporting archaeological research including the Environmental Archaeology Lab, our Zooarchaeology Lab (and its famous Pacific Northwest comparative collection), and our two bio/archaeology teaching labs. We have an additional archaeology lab which stewards significant legacy collections from previous generations of field schools and research. We are keen to work towards reimagining and refurbishing this space for the next generation of archaeologists in our Department.  Anthropologists working in other sub-fields frequently cross over with archaeologically-focused faculty and students through the Biological Anthropology Lab, the Visual Stories Lab, the Ethnographic Mapping Lab, and others collaborative endeavours.

What we are looking for: The Department of Anthropology invites applications for a full-time research-stream faculty position with specialization in Northwest Coast archaeology. We are seeking a collaborative colleague who shares our commitment to community-engaged research and experiential learning. The appointment will be at the rank of Assistant Professor, and the expected start date is 1 Jul 2027 (negotiable).

Salary Range: The candidate's qualifications, experience and overall market demand will determine a candidate’s final salary offer. The salary for the position includes a competitive salary range of $105,000 - $129,000. UVic is committed to offering an equitable and competitive salary, inclusive of a generous benefits package, eligible leaves and pension plan.

Requirement:  We seek a colleague committed to fostering meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities, whose expertise focuses on the archaeology of the Northwest Coast. While anchored in this geographic region, we welcome applicants from all methodological and theoretical areas of archaeology. The successful candidate must have the interest and capacity to develop and teach a local archaeological field school, preferably situated in the Salish Sea region. We desire a colleague committed to developing high-quality experiential learning opportunities which contribute to preparing our students for career trajectories in consulting archaeology and/or First Nations-led heritage management and governance. The candidate should have the capacity and desire to supervise graduate students in our MA and PhD programs, to provide mentorship to undergraduate, Honours, and graduate students. 

The candidate will have an active or well-formulated plan for a continuing research program that articulates to one or more of our Department’s integrative research themes, (see https://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/anthropology/research/index.php), and our facilities. 

The successful applicant will have a PhD in Anthropology or closely-related field (completed or in progress with an expectation of completion by the start date).

In accordance with the University’s Equity Plan and pursuant to Section 42 of the BC Human Rights Code, preference will be given to members of the following designated groups: Indigenous persons. Candidates who wish to qualify for preferential consideration must self-identify in their cover letter. For this position, the Appointments Committee will review other applications if they do not find suitable candidates in the preferential pool.

Contact information: To be considered, please send the following to the Anthropology Appointments Committee, at anthao@uvic.ca:

▪ a cover letter that addresses the full scope of the job requirements (2-pages maximum);

▪ curriculum vitae;

▪ evidence of effective teaching skills (e.g., sample syllabi) and a brief (1 page max) statement of your teaching philosophy);

▪ evidence of scholarly activity (please choose two representative publications or works in progress which you briefly introduce (1 page max in total));

For letterhead please use: Appointments Committee Department of Anthropology; University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC; Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2; email: anthao@uvic.ca 

Shortlisted candidates being considered for campus visits will be expected to submit three letters of reference (at least one of which must be from a department chair, supervisor, mentor, and/or colleague within an academic context). Once shortlisted candidates’ reference letters have been requested, they should arrange for their referees to send their letters directly to the Anthropology Appointment Committee via anthao@uvic.ca. All letters of reference must be received before the application will be considered complete.

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. 

Application deadline

The Committee will begin reviewing complete applications on 30 Oct 2026 and the position will remain open until filled.

Additional information: Indigenous Citizenship Declaration Policy

The Office of the Vice-President Indigenous (OVPI) has introduced the Indigenous Citizenship Declaration (ICD) Policy (GV0810) to affirm declarations of Indigenous citizenship, membership and belonging where these claims result in material advantages, such as employment in an Indigenous-specific position. Shortlisted candidates for Faculty and Librarian positions designated for Indigenous Peoples through Preferential and Limited Hiring Programs (HR6110), who have self-identified as Indigenous, will be required to provide a Declaration and Supporting Information in accordance with the ICD Policy.

At this stage, no further action is required of candidates. Only shortlisted applicants being considered for campus visits will be contacted with further instructions to create a NetlinkID and provide a declaration through the ICD Application Portal (ICDPortal.uvic.ca). Those shortlisted candidates who meet the requirements established by the ICD Policy will proceed through the hiring process. All applicants are strongly encouraged to review the ICD Policy and gather the appropriate supporting information in preparation for short-listing and to prevent delays in hiring.

If you have questions about the ICD Policy prior to receiving those next steps, or if you anticipate requiring an Extended Review, please reach out to our ICD Team at vpiicd@uvic.ca.

For more information about the ICD initiative, please visit the Indigenous Citizenship Declaration website (uvic.ca/ovpi/icd) and please feel free to reach out to vpiicd@uvic.ca if you have specific questions or concerns.

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.

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. 

Equity statement

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.

We recognize that many of these identities intersect and that therefore, equity, diversity and inclusion can be complex. We value the contributions that each person brings and are committed to ensuring full and equal participation for all in our community. 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 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.