About the Employer

Dalhousie is a leading, research-intensive Canadian university offering a wealth of programs through diverse faculties. With campuses located in Halifax and Truro, Nova Scotia, as well as a Medical School site in Saint John, New Brunswick, Dalhousie has more than 6,000 faculty and staff who make up the university’s energetic academic community.

The Faculty of Agriculture (https://www.dal.ca/faculty/agriculture.html) is located on the Dalhousie University Agricultural Campus, located in Truro, Nova Scotia. The Faculty offers technical, undergraduate, and graduate (MSc, PhD) programs in agriculture, aquaculture, environment, and related life and social science disciplines, and is home to approximately 1,000 students and 50+ professors. Dalhousie University is the largest university in the Maritime region of Canada and a member of Canada’s U15 research-intensive university group. It is comprised of 13 faculties with a current enrollment of 21,000 graduate and undergraduate students, including 3,500 in graduate programs, from 115 countries.

FAFU (https://english.fafu.edu.cn/gjxyen/10577/list.htm) is one of the three key high-level provincial universities supported by Fujian Provincial Government in China, jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, and is the only higher education institution in Fujian Province specializing in agriculture and forestry. Located in Fuzhou, a coastal port city in the southeast of China, FAFU has four beautiful campuses: Jinshan, Qishan, Nanping and Anxi, covering an area of 320 hectares.

Currently FAFU has 19 colleges and 1 independent college with full-time undergraduate and postgraduate education. It offers 65 undergraduate programs, 12 doctoral and 27 master’s programs of first-grade disciplines, and 11 postdoctoral research stations. 30,000 full-time students currently study at FAFU, of which about 4,500 are graduate students.

Job Profile:

About the opportunity | Instructor – FAFU International College

The Department of Business and Social Sciences (BSS) in the Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture invites applications from qualified candidates for a full-time, limited-term position as an instructor in support of teaching at the FAFU International College (FAFU), located in Fuzhou, Fujian, China, beginning in the fall term of 2026. The successful applicant will teach courses in Sociology, Research Methods, and other Social Science Courses in support of Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Sciences Programs. Additional course assignments may be made based on the candidate’s expertise and departmental needs. In addition, the appointee will manage the administrative coordination of all teaching assistant and marker/demonstrator positions related to their courses.

The fall semester in China typically falls between September to January. The winter semester typically falls between late February to late June. The instructor is expected to spend two semesters per year in China, based on the teaching assignment. Each semester is approximately 3 months. The instructor will be in Truro during the remaining time in the year for department and faculty activities and/or service as needed. If needed, the instructor may be asked to teach in Truro. However, the primary teaching responsibilities are in China. Dalhousie covers flights and other travel expenses between Canada and China. FAFU provides on-campus residence and a fixed amount weekly meal allowance in cash (Chinese currency). The instructor is responsible for travel between the residence and classrooms (approximately 1.5 km) and any other personal expenses generated in China. Residence and meal allowance will not be provided in Truro.

Job Details:

Responsibilities:

Instructor’s responsibilities include:

80% teaching and 20% service work.
The program will have a maximum of 120 students per year. First and second-year courses will have a class size of up to 60 students. Third and fourth-year courses will have a class size of up to 60 students.
The instructor should expect to be responsible for a minimum of 2 courses per term (a minimum of 2 sections per class). The actual teaching load may vary.
The instructor is responsible for labs/practices/tutorials, and marking of assignments/tests/exams, etc.
When the teaching load is high, TAs/Markers may be assigned. The instructor is responsible for collaborating with TAs.
The instructor is expected to participate in other faculty activities, such as contributing to committees, participating in annual program reviews, etc.
Occasionally, the instructors may be asked to teach in Truro, if needed.

Qualifications:

Required

The successful applicant will:
Have a Ph.D. in a Social Science, preferably with work in Agricultural, Forestry or sustainability issues. The degree must be awarded by the start of the appointment.
Possess a background in Economics or Business, either through a degree or by completing at least one graduate course in either discipline.
Have the ability to communicate clearly with diverse learners.
Demonstrate in person the ability to teach Sociology and other Social Science and Humanities courses.
Have completed (and show evidence for) at least some professional development related to teaching.
Experience working in the agriculture and agri-food industry would be considered an asset.

A complete application package for this position should include:
A cover letter summarizing qualifications and experience relevant to this position (maximum of 2 pages), a detailed CV, a Teaching Statement, and 3 referees.

Dalhousie University recognizes that career paths can be diverse and that career interruptions may occur. Applicants are encouraged to include, in their cover letter, an explanation of the impact that any career interruptions may have had on their record of research achievement.

***Applications for this position must be made through Dalhousie’s online portal via https://dal.peopleadmin.ca/postings/20615.

Questions can be directed to the Department Chair, Dr. Chris Hartt at Chris.Hartt@dal.ca.

Benefit:

This position is a part of the Dalhousie Faculty Association (DFA) Bargaining Unit.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Dalhousie University commits to achieving inclusive excellence through continually championing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. The university encourages applications from Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island (especially Mi’kmaq), persons of Black/African descent (especially African Nova Scotians), and members of other racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, persons identifying as members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and all candidates who would contribute to the diversity of our community. In accordance with our Employment Equity Policy, preference will be given in hiring processes to candidates who self-identify as members of one or more of the equity-deserving groups listed above. For more information, including details related to our Employment Equity Policy and Plan and definitions of equity-deserving groups please visit www.dal.ca/hiringfordiversity.

If you require any support for the purpose of accommodation, such as technical aids or alternative arrangements, please let us know of these needs and how we can be of assistance. Dalhousie University is committed to ensuring all candidates have full, fair, and equitable participation in the hiring process. Our complete Accommodation Policy can be viewed here.

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