Careers

Careers

With more than 18,000 faculty and staff, UBC is one of British Columbia’s largest workforces. We are also one of the most progressive, consistently recognized as one of BC’s best employers.

Faculty and Staff

We value our faculty and staff members and are always looking for talented people to join our thriving team. Excellent benefits, diverse career opportunities, and a true community spirit are just some of the reasons you should consider joining our team of talented, dynamic faculty and staff. For a full list of current openings, visit UBC’s Staff & Faculty Careers page.

Students

Graduate and Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Positions

For undergraduate courses in our History and Sociology departments

2023W Term 1 (September to December 2023) and 2023W Term 2 (January to April, 2024)

Applicants enrolled as full-time students at UBC Okanagan will be given preference (a full-time student is defined as a minimum of 24 credits over the two terms of the 2023W session). Preferred qualifications include a strong understanding of the discipline.  Applications for UTA positions would preferably be students with 4th year standing who are HIST or SOCI majors. All applicants, including international students, must be permitted to work in Canada and live in British Columbia until at least April 30, 2024. Teaching Assistants may be involved in the following:

  • marking midterms, assignments, tests, quizzes and exams
  • leading discussion periods and tutorials
  • invigilating tests and exams
  • providing academic assistance to students during office hours
  • various duties as appointed by the supervisor

The exact hours of these positions vary but will not exceed 12 hours per week from September 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024. Successful candidates could be assigned duties in one or more undergraduate courses. These positions are subject to budgetary approval. Current wages for these positions are:

Graduate TAs (PhD Program) $36.82 hourly
Graduate TAs (Master’s Program) $35.48 hourly
Undergraduate TAS $19.54 hourly

**BCGEU wages are expected to increase on July 1, 2023. This wage increase will be reflected in the official offer letters that will be sent out by July 31, 2023.

To apply for a position, submit in a PDF format your cover letter indicating the department and terms (1 and/or 2) you are applying for and identify the course(s) you have taken which would contribute to your qualifications to TA a particular subject, your resume and your unofficial transcript by April 30, 2023, to the Assistant for the Department of History and Sociology, Barbara Wilke at barbara.wilke@ubc.ca.  We will accept applications after the deadline, but applications submitted by the deadline will have priority.

UBC hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply. UBC is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from visible minority group members, women, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas. Government regulations require that Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.
**All positions are subject to budgetary approval and based on enrollment**

Undergraduate Research Awards (2021-2022 and 2022-2023)

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

The Department of History and Sociology has received an external gift from an anonymous donor that will fund undergraduate research awards for two years, from September 1, 2021-April 30, 2022 and September 1, 2022-April 30, 2023.

Application Deadlines: September 20, 2021, January 20, 2022, September 20, 2022, and January 20, 2023 (depending on the availability of funds).

Adjudication: This is a competitive award reviewed by a departmental committee. Submit your application following the guidelines outlined below to the Chair of the Adjudication Committee for 2021-2023, Dr. Catherine Higgs, catherine.higgs@ubc.ca. Ask your supervisor to send a letter of reference that addresses your research project directly to Dr. Higgs by the application deadline.

Eligibility: Undergraduate students in the History Program and the Sociology Program in the Department of History and Sociology are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to advanced students pursuing supervised research projects in either History or Sociology. The award may supplement funding received by students pursuing History Honours projects or Directed Research projects in either History or Sociology.

Students may hold the research award once in their undergraduate career.

Terms of the Award: The maximum award available to a successful applicant is $1,500 to support an undergraduate research project in History or Sociology.

Eligible research expenses of up to $1,500 include:

  • Fees associated with digital archival research, including the purchase of images and copy right fees
  • Software, which must be purchased through UBC
  • Research assistance in an archive to which the applicant is unable to travel in the short term
  • Fees for participation in virtual workshops and conferences
  • When the Covid-19 pandemic ends and UBC approves travel for research, allowable expenses will include,
    • In-person field research and archival research
    • In-person attendance at conferences to present an academic paper related to the student’s research project
    • Training for a student’s plan of study related to the research project.

Ineligible Expenses: laptops or computers, tuition, living expenses.

Application Guidelines:

  • At the top of the first page of your application, type:

Your Name
Supervised by (name of your supervisor)
Date of Application
The University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus
Department of History and Sociology
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH GRANT APPLICATION, 2021-2022 (change the year, as appropriate)

  • In 350-700 words (two pages maximum), outline,
    • Your major, current year of study, and planned graduation date
    • Your specific plan for the Department of History and Sociology research award
    • A detailed budget
  • Ask your supervisor to send a letter of reference directly to the Chair of the Adjudication Committee, Dr. Catherine Higgs, catherine.higgs@ubc.ca by the application deadline.
  • All applicants will be notified promptly by the Chair after the adjudication committee has met. You may hold the award once as an undergraduate. If you are unsuccessful in your first application, you may apply in a subsequent cycle if you are eligible.

Role of the Supervisor: Meet with your supervisor to discuss the project in advance of submitting your application.

Report: Per the terms of the gift, a dated and signed report (one page in length), outlining the outcomes of your funded research project will be shared with the anonymous donor. Address your report to the Head of the Department of History and Sociology, Dr. Ruth Frost, ruth.frost@ubc.ca, and send a copy to the Chair of the Adjudication Committee, Dr. Catherine Higgs, catherine.higgs@ubc.ca. Your report is due within two weeks of the conclusion of your research project.

Graduate Research Grants (2021-2022 and 2022-2023)

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

The Department of History and Sociology has received an external gift from an anonymous donor that will fund graduate research grants for two years, from May 1, 2021 through April 30, 2023.

Application deadlines: September 20, 2021 and January 20, 2022. (An additional application cycle may be available on April 20, 2022 if funds are available.)

Adjudication: This is a competitive research grant reviewed by a departmental committee. Submit your application following the guidelines outlined below to the Chair of the Adjudication Committee for 2021-2023, Dr. Catherine Higgs, catherine.higgs@ubc.ca. Ask your supervisor to send a letter of reference that addresses your research project directly to Dr. Higgs by the application deadline.

(Successful applicants for the graduate research grant are eligible, in addition, for an award funded by the anonymous donor’s gift. See page three below.)

Eligibility: The adjudication committee will give first preference to PhD students in Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS) programs, supervised or co-supervised by a tenured or tenure-stream professor in the Department of History and Sociology. PhD students within the first four years of their program may apply. MA students supervised or co-supervised by a tenured or tenure-stream professor in the Department of History and Sociology are eligible. MA students within the first two years of their program may apply.

Students whose graduate committee includes a History or Sociology professor who is not serving as supervisor of co-supervisor are not eligible to apply for this research grant.

Students may hold the research grant once in their graduate career.

Terms of the Graduate Research Grants: A competitive research grant of up to $2,500 is available on application to eligible graduate students. Grants are accessible for a period of twelve months (for example, September 1, 2021-August 31, 2022). If a successful applicant graduates before the twelve month grant cycle ends, the grant ends on the date of graduation.

  • To claim these research funds, successful applicants are required to submit receipts for the reimbursement of research expenses.
  • Scan and attach original research receipts for reimbursement to an explanatory email and submit them to the Senior Department Assistant, Barb Wilke, barbara.wilke@ubc.ca for processing, ideally thirty days before the end of the twelve-month grant year.

Reimbursable Research Grant Expenses Include:

  • Fees associated with digital archival research, including the purchase of images and copy right fees
  • Software, which must be purchased through UBC Okanagan
  • Research assistance in an archive to which the applicant is unable to travel in the short term
  • Fees for participation in virtual workshops and conferences
  • When the Covid-19 pandemic ends and UBC approves travel for research, allowable expenses will include,
    • In-person field research and archival research
    • In-person attendance at conferences to present an academic paper related to the student’s research project
    • Training for a student’s plan of study related to the research project.

Ineligible Grant Expenses: laptops or computers, and other indirect costs (tuition, living expenses)

Application Guidelines:

  • At the top of the first page of your application, type:

Your Name
Supervised by (name of your supervisor/co-supervisor)
Date of Application
The University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus
Department of History and Sociology
GRADUATE RESEARCH GRANT APPLICATION, 2021-2022 (change the year, as appropriate)

  • In 350-700 words (two pages maximum), outline,
    • Your IGS program of study, current year of study, and anticipated year of graduation
    • Your specific plan for the Department of History and Sociology Graduate Research Grant,
    • A detailed budget outlining the research expenses for which you will seek reimbursement
  • Separately, include/attach a one-page CV that lists,
    • Grants and awards
    • Papers presented at conferences
    • Publications
  • Ask your supervisor to send a letter of reference to the Chair of the committee for 2021-2023, Dr. Catherine Higgs, catherine.higgs@ubc.ca by the application deadline for the grant cycle for which you are applying.
  • All applicants will be contacted promptly by the Chair after the adjudication committee for a given grant cycle has met.
  • You may hold the research grant once in your graduate career. If you are unsuccessful in your first application, you may apply in a subsequent cycle if you are eligible.
  • Successful applicants for the Research Grant receive, in addition, a direct Award of $2,500, which may be used to pay for indirect costs (tuition, living expenses).

Role of the Supervisor: Meet with your supervisor to discuss your research project in advance of submitting your research grant application. Update your supervisor on the progress of your research project in September and again in February of the twelve-month grant year.

Report: Per the terms of the gift, a dated and signed report (one page in length), outlining the outcomes of your funded research project will be shared with the anonymous donor. Address your report to the Head of the Department of History and Sociology (ruth.frost@ubc.ca), and send a copy to the Chair of the Adjudication Committee for 2021-2023 (catherine.higgs@ubc.ca). Your report is due within two weeks of the conclusion of the grant (or your graduation date, if applicable).