Senior Research Assistant, Asian Americans and Settler Colonialism

Senior Research Assistants are normally graduate students, or University of Winnipeg undergraduate students, employed to assist in the execution and evaluation of research projects in their area of study. The positions may oversee Research Assistants in areas such as the use of proper techniques, analysis, and documentation.

Senior Research Assistants work under the general supervision or direction of more senior researchers or faculty members, and are expected to exercise judgment in prioritizing, planning and organizing their own work within defined parameters.

Position Overview:

The Senior Research Assistant will apply prior and advanced training in historical/cultural studies research methods to support the administrative needs of this project as well as archival research and knowledge mobilization activities.

This research project is funded by a two-year grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). The primary focus of the research is to further our understanding of:

1. the role of Asian Americans within the U.S. settler colonial project in Hawai?i
2. the impact of that settler colonial project on Asian American life in U.S.-occupied North America and Hawai?i
3. the historical relationships between Asian Americans and Kanaka Maoli (Indigenous Hawaiians)
4. the potential for political coalition between Asian Americans and Kanaka Maoli in pursuit of decolonization

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Please include the following materials in PDF form as part of your application:

1. an academic CV or comprehensive professional resume
2. a 1 page cover letter (single-spaced) detailing your research experience and qualifications, any important skills and professional experience you would bring to the role, your career goals, and your interest in and/or familiarity with the research topics.
3. university transcripts
4. a short scholarly writing sample or excerpt (5-10 pages)
5. two academic references (name, affiliation and position, email address)

Duties:

• Assisting with the recruitment and coordination of other RAs
• Assisting with supervision and support of undergraduate RAs
• Identifying and gathering archival material using online databases
• Organizing, annotating, and indexing digitized archival material
• Identifying, gathering, and analyzing secondary source material
• Reviewing and annotating film and television primary sources
• Preparing and editing manuscripts and/or grant applications

Qualifications:

• Graduate student (or recent M.A.) in History, Cultural Studies, or other related disciplines with a substantive focus on settler colonialism and/or critical race studies. (Advanced Honours students will be considered on a case-by-case basis).
• Experience with archival research and/or qualitative/cultural/textual analysis.
• Strong academic writing skills.
• Administrative and team-coordination experience preferred.
• Interest in a research-focused or activism-focused career related to the arts/humanities preferred.
• Existing relationships with Asian North American, Indigenous, and/or other racialized communities preferred.
• Familiarity with the core histories and theories of settler colonialism and/or Asian North American studies in the U.S., Canadian, and/or Pacific contexts preferred.

Condition(s) of Employment:

• Must be legally entitled to work in Canada.

The period of work will be from October 1, 2024 - August 31, 2025, and the estimated total hours of work will be 0-400 hours.

Note: This position is represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada - Research Capacity Unit.

Note: The work described in this posting will be conducted remotely.

The University of Winnipeg is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognizes that a diverse staff and faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research environments, and is essential to academic and institutional excellence. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals and encourage women, racialized persons, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQ+ persons to confidentially self-identify at time of application.

The University of Winnipeg is committed to ensuring employment opportunities are accessible for all applicants. If you require accommodation supports during the recruitment process, please contact human_resources@uwinnipeg.ca.

The personal information of applicants is collected under the authority of the University of Winnipeg Act and 36(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. All personal information collected via the recruitment process is used to assess the applicant’s suitability, eligibility, and qualifications for employment, and to otherwise support recruitment activities. This information will be provided to participating members of the recruitment process. Questions regarding the collection of your personal information may be directed to the Director, HR Services, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2E9 or human_resources@uwinnipeg.ca.