(see original ad [pdf] here)

The School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design (AMPD) at York University, Toronto, invites applications for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in the area of Games, Gaming and Gamification. The successful candidate will be appointed to a tenure stream position in AMPD at the rank of Assistant Professor or Associate Professor. The candidate will have the artistic and technical breadth to teach practicum courses across Digital Media and Design disciplines. The successful candidate will be placed in a department which closely reflects his or her scholarly/creative strengths. One of North America’s leading schools for the arts, AMPD offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Dance, Design, Digital Media, Cinema and Media Arts, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts, Art History, Media Studies, Theatre and Performance Studies.

This position seeks a strong junior researcher whose creative practice and theoretical interests span games, gaming, and organized play as both a cultural phenomena and a platform for creative practice. While we are not seeking a specific area of training or expertise, applicants should be broadly conversant in the emerging field of game studies and explores gaming as it manifests in a wide range of contemporary practices. Possible areas of interest include the following: interactive game design, experimental game mechanics, alternate reality games, game related art or installation, interactive narrative, game ecologies, critical game studies, serious games, playbor, social gaming and gaming communities, alt-games and gamification, video game history, gamer identity, and the gaming industry. The candidate must be an artist/designer, a scholar, or a critical coder, able to work across a range of methodologies, theoretical frameworks, digital tools and technologies, and cultural practices. The ideal candidate would show a promising future in scholarly research and publication, have familiarity with a variety of tools found in professional game development, incorporates interdisciplinary approaches between art and science, and technical breadth to teach studies and practicum courses across Arts, Digital Media and Design curricula.

The appointment is linked to the new University Strategic Research Plan, which identifies Digital Cultures as a compelling opportunity for development in the next five years by pushing “technological boundaries while critically investigating the social and cultural impacts” of new technologies on human activity and interaction. The successful candidate will play a strong role in Sensorium: Centre for Digital Arts and Technology Research, a catalyst for new ideas and experimentation. Based in AMPD, the Centre supports cross-disciplinary work in application and content creation, artistic and scientific inquiry, design practice and methodologies, policy development and critical discourse in digital media arts.

The successful candidate will have a PhD or equivalent in the areas of Digital Media, Interactive Arts, Computer Science or a closely related field, an outstanding research record, experience working with undergraduate and graduate students, and must be eligible for prompt appointment to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The successful candidate must demonstrate excellence or promise of excellence in teaching and scholarly research. Candidates should be able to to collaborate internally with members of the School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design and also communicate his or her ideas across the diverse domains of knowledge found at York University’s other faculties, such as health, biology, computer science, engineering , industrial design, environmental studies, science and technology studies. The candidate is also expected to provide leadership by fostering collaborative research, securing external funding, supervising graduate students, and generating national and international academic, community and industry partnerships.

YORK UNIVERSITY is helping shape the global thinkers who will define tomorrow. Our unwavering commitment to excellence reflects a rich diversity of perspectives and a strong sense of social responsibility that set us apart. As an internationally recognized research university, York’s 11 Faculties and 27 research centres have well-established partnerships with 280+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, York is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 275,000 alumni.

This appointment is subject to approval by the CRC program review process. The Canada Research Chairs program was established by the Government of Canada to enable Canadian universities to achieve the highest levels of research excellence in the global, knowledge–‐based economy. Tier 2 Chairs have five–‐year terms, once renewable, and are intended for exceptional emerging researchers (less than 10 years post terminal degree) who have the acknowledged potential to lead their field of research. Information about the CRC program can be found at ield of research. Information about the CRC program can be found at www.chairs.gc.ca.

York University is an Affirmative Action (AA) employer and strongly values diversity, including gender and sexual diversity, within its community. The AA Program, which applies to Aboriginal people, visible minorities, people with disabilities, and women, can be found at www.yorku.ca/acadjobs or by calling the AA office at 416-736-5713. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents will be given priority.

This position, subject to budgetary approval, will commence July 1, 2016. Applicants should submit a detailed CV, statement of contribution to research and teaching, links to scholarly and/or creative work, and three signed letters of reference electronically. Applications should be sent electronically by December 1, 2015 to: Jim Fenton School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design York University Email: jfenton@yorku.ca Tel: +1 416 736-2100 x 20033