Assistant Professor, Distance Education

Athabasca University (AU); Town of Athabasca; On-site; CAD 83,000 - 113,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Defined Benefits Pension Plan

Alberta Health Care

Extended Health Care

Life Insurance

Job summary

Athabasca University is hiring an Assistant Professor for Distance Education (tenure-track), based in Alberta (remote/virtual). The position requires leading online graduate programs in Open, Digital and Distance Education, with research into ODDE pedagogy and inclusive practices for Indigenous and diverse communities.

Teaching is fully online, with opportunities to develop new courses and engage in cross‑faculty collaboration.

Qualifications

• Experience teaching online in graduate programs is required.
• Experience online course design and open, digital and distance education is expected.
• Record of research excellence in ODDE with funding from tri-agencies or similar is required.

Responsibilities

• Teach in online Master of Education in Open, Digital, and Distance Education and Doctor of Education in Distance Education.
• Coordinate and revise existing courses; develop new courses per program needs.
• Participate in administrative committees and service to external community; engage in research on ODDE pedagogy.

Education

Ed.D. or Ph.D. in Education, Educational Technology, or Instructional Technology with ODDE focus

Job description

Assistant Professor, Distance Education (tenure-track)

Guided by Like No Other, Athabasca University’s (AU) strategic plan, AU’s approach to accessible yet transformative education and research is truly distinctive. Our academic mission is to remove barriers to post-secondary education for learners, regardless of their age, location, career, or educational background.

Based in the beautiful region of Athabasca, Alberta, AU is one of four Comprehensive Academic and Research Universities (CARUs) in the province. We are a public, board-governed, open, and online university serving more than 37,000 students across Alberta, Canada, and around the world.

AU seeks to be an agile and inclusive workplace in which all team members can grow, make their highest contribution, and each make a difference to our academic vision and mission.

Led by President Dr. Alex Clark, AU is embarking on an exciting new chapter. Drawing from five decades of growth in distance and online education, we aim to grow our position as Canada’s foremost innovator in flexible, online and accessible learning. With an inclusive Senior Leadership Team dedicated to empowering every team member to contribute, learn and thrive, AU stands poised for an exciting and ambitious next stage of development.

Athabasca University's Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is recruiting for an Assistant Professor, Distance Education (tenure-track).

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is the largest Faculty in Athabasca University and offers a wide range of online courses and programs in the areas of education, humanities, interdisciplinary studies, and social sciences.

In the words of the Dean of the Faculty, "We offer a diverse range of courses and programs in education, distance education, humanities, interdisciplinary studies, and social sciences. Our undergraduate and graduate offerings are designed to equip you with critical thinking skills, information literacy, theoretical knowledge, and other essential competencies to navigate our rapidly changing world and deepen your understanding of both current and historical issues.

We are committed to fostering an environment of respect, inclusiveness, collegiality, openness, and cultural awareness, and furthering access, belonging, and accountability within the Faculty and beyond. Our Faculty includes accomplished scholars and instructors with expertise in innovative research and teaching, supported by a dedicated team of staff.

We take great pride in being a student-centered Faculty, focused on ensuring that your academic journey is rich, meaningful, and memorable.

The Position

We are hiring for a position in the Master of Education - Open, Digital and Distance Education, and the Doctor of Education - Distance Education programs. A completed Ed.D. or Ph.D. in Education, Educational Technology, or Instructional Technology with focus on Open, Digital and Distance Education (ODDE).

We welcome applications from scholars whose research, teaching, and community engagement contribute to inclusive and culturally responsive approaches to Open, Digital and Distance Education across diverse contexts. We seek candidates whose work examines ODDE pedagogy, educational experiences, practices, and outcomes across diverse populations and communities, including Indigenous and other culturally, geographically, or socially diverse groups.

The successful candidate will have an active research program in rural, remote, and community-based education, as well as in educational access, participation, and learner success among Indigenous, diverse, underserved, and geographically dispersed populations.

The successful candidate will also have expertise in one or more of the following areas:

1. pedagogies of Open, Digital and Distance Education; ODDE research methodologies and practices; instructional design and learning experience design;
2. ethical, equitable, and pedagogically-sound integration of generative AI and future technologies in teaching, learning, curriculum, assessment, and educational systems.

Qualifications

The successful candidate is expected to teach in the Master of Education in Open, Digital, and Distance Education and Doctor of Education in Distance Education programs. All teaching is fully online. Experience with online systems of course offerings and Open, Digital and Distance Education are required. Experience teaching online in graduate programs is required. Experience supervising graduate students is preferred. The candidate will be expected to develop new courses as determined by the needs of the program and their research interests. The candidate will also coordinate and revise existing courses in the program. Evidence of research excellence in ODDE at the graduate level, i.e., a robust research portfolio and a successful record of securing tri-agency or similar funds, is required. All faculty members are expected to participate in administrative committees, including those pertaining to centre, faculty, or university-wide endeavors. Additionally, members are expected to participate in service to the greater external community.

Division: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

FTE: 1.0

Location Name: Virtual - Alberta (Remote)

Position Type: Permanent Full Time

Location: Athabasca, AB

Job ID: 3274

Posted: 9/1/2026 12:00:00 AM

Closing Date: 10/13/2026 12:00:00 AM

Wage Min: 82549.0000

Wage Max: 112525.0000

Considerations in applying

A hybrid workplace, AU encourages applications from all eligible candidates—women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, persons of any gender identity and expression, and members of equity‑deserving groups are encouraged to apply.

AU is committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible workplace and learning environment that supports students and staff with disabilities, aiming to remove social, physical, and technological barriers. We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. We are committed to creating an accessible and inclusive environment for all candidates. If you require accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact [e-mail].

AU recognizes that life circumstances such as illness, disability, family and community responsibilities (e.g., maternity leave, parental leave, leaves due to illness) are expected to have an impact on any candidate’s record of achievement. These impacts should be taken into consideration during the hiring process.

Athabasca First

Wherever possible, AU seeks to attract and hire qualified team members to reside in the Athabasca region of Alberta, Canada. We will offer relocation assistance for the right candidate should you decide to relocate to Athabasca. As a resident of the town or county of Athabasca, you can choose to work on and from our beautiful campus in Athabasca.

To discover the Town and Region of Athabasca, go to Visit Athabasca.

What AU Offers

Benefits and Pension eligibility differs based on employee group and may include:

• Defined Benefits Pension Plan
• Alberta Health Care
• Extended Health Care
• Life Insurance, Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
• Disability Coverage
• Vacation
• Office Closure between Christmas and New Year's Day
• Discretionary Benefit Fund
• AU Course Allowance
• A Variety of Leaves (e.g., Maternity/Parental/Adoption, Compassionate Care, etc.)
• Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP)

An offer of employment is conditional upon verification of educational credentials. All educational credentials must be recognized in Canada.

E-Transcripts shared directly from your Post-Secondary Institution via email are acceptable.

WES https://www.wes.org/ca/ may be used to verify international educational credentials. Processing time for verification of international qualifications may take up to one month; please plan accordingly.

While all eligible applicants are encouraged to apply, Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents will be given priority. Where applicants have equal skills, abilities, and experience, candidates residing within or willing to relocate to the County of Athabasca will be given preference. Successful applicants must reside in Alberta, Canada. Working outside of Canada is not supported by AU. You are legally not permitted to work for AU if you are living outside of Canada.