Assistant Professor-Geography & Environmental Studies (Geographer/Environmental Studies/Science)

WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

The Department of Geography and Environmental Studies (GES) at Wilfrid Laurier University (Laurier) invites applications for a Tenure Track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor. We are seeking a Geographer who teaches and conducts research that integrates multiple sub-disciplines of geography (specifically environmental studies, resource management, physical geography, and environmental science) to begin July 1, 2026, subject to budgetary approval. The Waterloo campus will be the primary location for this position; however, teaching responsibilities may include instruction at the Milton and Brantford campuses via in-person or virtual delivery.

Anticipated Salary Range: $90,000 to $140,000.  Actual salary to be commensurate with experience.  

Qualifications

Applicants must hold a PhD degree in Geography, Environmental Sciences, Environmental Studies, Earth Science, or a closely aligned discipline by the time of the appointment.

The successful candidate will contribute to undergraduate and graduate teaching, supervision and mentorship in Geography and Environmental Studies. Our undergraduate programs include a range of experiential, field-based, lab-based, and community-engaged learning courses, as well as upper year-capstone courses focused on sustainability, urban environments, and nature conservation. We offer MA and MSc programs in Geography, Environmental Studies and Geomatics, and a PhD in Geography, providing the successful candidate opportunities to participate in the training and development of graduate scholars from across our discipline.

The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to teach required courses common to our department’s undergraduate BA and BSc degrees in Geography and Environmental Studies, and/or our department’s course contributions to the Faculty of Science’s BSc Environmental Science. In particular, the successful candidate will demonstrate experience in, or clear potential for, teaching environmental impact assessment and geographical information & analysis. They will also be encouraged to develop new undergraduate and/or graduate courses related to their expertise and to participate in teaching existing graduate and/or undergraduate courses.

The successful candidate will demonstrate clear potential to develop an independent, externally funded research program, evidenced by scholarly outputs appropriate to their career stage, including publications, research funding, awards, knowledge mobilization, and interdisciplinary collaborations. We are particularly interested in candidates whose research falls within key themes of Laurier's Strategic Research Plan and that complement existing areas of research expertise within our department.

The successful candidate is also expected to contribute service to the University and academic community, and to scholarly and/or professional activities.

How to Apply

To apply, applicants should submit:

• cover letter summarizing their qualifications for the position
• detailed curriculum vitae
• teaching dossier outlining teaching philosophy, experience, interests, and example syllabi
• 2-page statement of current and prospective research objectives
• copies of up to three scholarly publications and a short statement (max. 350 words) describing the impact of these contributions
• contact details (name, address, phone, email) of three academic referees willing to provide letters of recommendation (referees will be contacted only for applicants who may potentially be interviewed)

Application packages should be combined into a single PDF document addressed to:

Dr. Robert McLeman,

Chair, Department of Geography & Environmental Studies,

Wilfrid Laurier University,

email to GESAdmin@wlu.ca.

Applicants should clearly identify that they are applying for the Geographer/Environmental Studies/Science position in the subject line of their email.

Deadline for submission is April 7, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST.

About Wilfrid Laurier University

Laurier is a leading Canadian university renowned for its learning environment and student-focused educational experience. As a comprehensive university with more than 19,000 students, Laurier has grown rapidly in research intensity while at the same time preserving its well-earned reputation for undergraduate and graduate teaching and learning excellence. With a multi-campus and multi-community culture, Laurier offers students an exceptional range and depth of more than 100 academic programs taught by award-winning lecturers across nine faculties. For more information about working at Laurier applicants are encouraged to visit the institution’s web page.

Diversity and creating a culture of inclusion is a key component of The Laurier Strategy and Laurier’s Strategic Academic Plan, and it is one of Laurier’s core values. Laurier is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive academic community. We encourage applications from individuals from historically underrepresented groups, including but not limited to women, members of racialized communities, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and individuals of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions. Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives at indigenous@wlu.ca. Candidates from other equity deserving groups who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programming at Laurier are welcome to contact Employment Equity and Accessibility at equity@wlu.ca.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, per Canadian immigration laws, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. To comply with the Government of Canada’s reporting requirements, the University is obligated to gather information about applicants’ status as either Permanent Residents of Canada or Canadian citizens. Applicants need not identify their country of origin or current citizenship(s); however, all applicants must include one of the following statements in their cover letter:

I am a current citizen or permanent resident of Canada;

I am not a current citizen or permanent resident of Canada

Members of equity-deserving groups must self-identify to be considered for employment equity. Candidates may self-identify, in confidence, to Ruth MacNeil, Sr Administrative Officer (rmacneil@wlu.ca). Further information on the equity policy can be found here.

Laurier strives to make our application process accessible and provides accommodations for both applicants and employees as outlined in Policy 8.7. If you require assistance applying for this position, would like this job posting in an alternative format, or would like to discuss accessibility and accommodations during the recruitment process please contact Human Resources (HR@wlu.ca).

The Faculty of Science wishes to thank all applicants for their interest. All applications shall be reviewed and considered under the criteria established by the Search Committee, and a short list of candidates shall be interviewed. Only those applicants selected for the short list will be contacted.