OCAD University acknowledges the ancestral territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinaabeg and the Huron-Wendat, who are the original owners and custodians of the land on which we live, work and create.
Please note that internal job postings are open only to current permanent OPSEU Local 576 Unit 1 employees and temporary OPSEU Local 576 Unit 1 employees with one year of continuous service.
About Abundant Intelligences
Abundant Intelligences (AbInt) is an ambitious, large-scale six-year research program exploring how to integrate Indigenous Knowledges and Artificial Intelligence systems. The research team currently consists of 48 co-investigators and collaborators at universities/research institutes and community-based organizations in Canada, the United States, and New Zealand (Aotearoa). Team members come together in locally-rooted “Pods” (research clusters) to collaborate with Indigenous communities and organizations to learn from, and with, their knowledge holders to bring novel perspectives to transforming AI. More details about Abundant Intelligences can be found here.
The Pod Coordinator and Community Liaison plays a vital role in the Abundant Intelligences (AbInt) research program. The Coordinator and Community Liaison works closely with the Pod leaders and team to plan and coordinate research activities within the Pod. They bring people together, organize meetings and events, and help produce and disseminate various research and research-creation outcomes. They make sure the Pod communicates well and stays connected with the broader Abundant Intelligences network, as well as encourage and support active community engagement with Pod research and establish and mobilize necessary networks that might be of benefit to the Pod and/or the community. The position tracks budgets and reports to the Abundant Intelligences management team.
Summary of Responsibilities:
Pod research management (30%)
- Support Pod lead (s) by coordinating pod research activities.
- Supports Pod lead (s) in coordinating with AbInt management team.
- Assists with the creation of and enforcement of data management plans and related agreements, ensures that all Pod members and Partners understand the Pod data governance and management goals.
- Assist with Pod project proposal submissions for funding using Abundant Intelligences internal calls for funding processes.
- Creates and tracks timelines for realization of Pod research.
- Schedules, attends, and takes minutes during team, governance, and partner meetings.
- Supports co-PI in her planning activities with AbInt PI group.
- Maintains up-to-date lab calendars and emailing lists.
Pod Activities, research, and community engagement (30%)
- Facilitates research and community events, including weekly team meetings, meetings with partners, and one Pod open house event every year.
- Assists with hosting local webinars, workshops, speaker series, reading groups, and/or other group gatherings to encourage collaboration and debate, and to disseminate AbInt Pod and Partners’ work to associated Indigenous communities and beyond.
- Facilitate Pod participation on the research program’s Epistemological Foundations, Methodological Mixers, and Future Imaginary events, and other events that help the Partnership integrate ideas and learn / share work related to AbInt.
- Supports establishing and growing links between the pods and their respective communities including Indigenous organizations.
- Liaise between community Partners and Partner organizations for research.
- Assist with creating a healthy, productive, and collaborative relationship between Pod members and community members.
- Join Pod members in gaining familiarity with AI technologies and how such technologies might be beneficial to their communities.
- Communicates & celebrates Pod activities and research outcomes to AbInt management team.
- Organize travel and travel reporting.
Facilitating communication and pod reporting (30%)
- Ensures and maintains the flow of communication between Pod members, Pod leadership, and AbInt management team.
- Work with other Pod coordinators and liaisons and community members to identify proper communication channels about Pod activities, research, and events.
- Assists with local knowledge mobilization and communications planning, strategy, and implementation as it relates to the Pod and its communities.
- Support Pod leadership in disseminating research processes and outcomes (via journal articles, book publications and chapters, policy papers and reports, artworks, performances and exhibitions, patents, software applications, designs, imaginaries, prototypes, and any other culturally relevant works.)
- Support the Pod’s active participation in submitting to and presenting about AbInt work at conferences and other convenings.
- Collect, share, and report on Pod progress related to development of research activities, research outcomes, their dissemination and impact. Regularly contribute to Abundant Intelligences’ newsletter, blog, slack, email lists and other channels of communication to share Pod news with the broader Abundant Intelligences.
- Monitor and report on Pod finances, ensuring spendings align with resource allocation plans and financial budgets.
- Compile, organize and archive documentation of Pod research activities.
- Compile quarterly reports on Pod activities.
- Compile annual reports on Pod Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Concerns (SWOC).
Staffing the Pod (10%)
- Facilitate the hiring of students including undergraduate and graduate research assistants, research assistant interns, Masters,’ PhD and post-doctoral researchers, as well as students to participate in the AGM and the Summer Institute for Indigenous AI (SIIAI - Montreal).
- Facilitate the hiring of community researchers and community research liaisons.
Qualifications:
- Undergraduate degree; a combination of equivalent education, experience and/or lived experience will be taken into consideration
- Master’s level education considered an asset
- Minimum of three (3) years of relevant experience
- Experience in research management and/or large project management.
- Interest in how research is conducted in highly interdisciplinary environments.
- Comfort working with a wide range of rights holders and collaborators including faculty, staff, students, external partners, and Indigenous community members.
- Superior organizational skills and the ability to multitask; ability to work independently and in a team.
- Excellent written, verbal, and media communications skills.
- Superior knowledge of digital communications tools, presentation tools. Social media capacity.
- Ability to build and follow a budget.
- Ability to build and follow project management timelines and reporting.
- Demonstrated commitment to the principles of equity and diversity, and experience promoting a respectful work and learning environment for students, staff and faculty.
- Excellent judgment in assessing scheduling priorities.
- Experience working with Indigenous communities and organizations is an asset.
- Facility with Indigenous language an asset.
Compensation: OPSEU Unit 1, Appendix A, Grade A3; $27.56 to $35.76 per hour
Hours of Work: Monday to Friday, for a total of 30 hours per week. This is a temporary one (1) year contract with the possibility of renewal.
Mode of Work: Hybrid
Interested internal permanent OPSEU Local 576 Unit 1 or temporary OPSEU Local 576 Unit 1 employees with one year of continuous service applicants are invited to submit an updated *resume and cover letter (PDF) , no later than Monday August 25, 2025.
- Please upload your resume and cover letter as one PDF. Please name your upload: FirstName_LastName-Job Code
As an employer committed to employment equity, we encourage applications from members of equity-deserving communities including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities/expressions.
We encourage members of designated equity-deserving groups to self-identify within the voluntary Applicant Questionnaire.
OCAD University is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier free experience to applicants with accessibility needs. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage during the recruitment process. Please contact People & Culture for more information or refer to OCAD U’s Policy of Accommodation in Employment for Persons with Disabilities.
All qualified persons are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority. While we thank all candidates for their interest, only those short-listed will be contacted.
