Department: The Image Centre
Position supervisor: Head of Research
Contract length: 1 year, non-renewable
Hours of work per week: 36.25
Position type: Postdoctoral fellow
Rate of pay: $70,000 + benefits
About Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University)
At the intersection of mind and action, Toronto Metropolitan University is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading comprehensive innovation university. Integral to this path is the placement of equity, diversity and inclusion as fundamental to our institutional culture. Our current academic plan outlines each as core values and we work to embed them in all that we do.
Toronto Metropolitan University welcomes those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion and will assist us to expand our capacity for diversity in the broadest sense. In addition, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment in Canada, we encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples, Indigenous peoples of North America, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and those who identify as women and/or 2SLGBTQ+. Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
As an employer, we are working towards a people first culture and are proud to have been selected as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers and a Greater Toronto’s Top Employer for 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. To learn more about our work environment, colleagues, leaders, students and innovative educational environment, visit www.torontomu.ca, check out @TorontoMet
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About the Program
The IMC/AMC Postdoctoral Fellowship is jointly supported by The Image Centre (IMC) and the Archive of Modern Conflict (AMC), offering scholars a unique opportunity to undertake research across two internationally significant photography collections.
Located at Toronto Metropolitan University, The Image Centre is a leading institution dedicated to the research, exhibition, preservation and circulation of photography and related media. Through exhibitions, publications, public programming and academic initiatives, the IMC advances critical engagement with visual culture and supports interdisciplinary scholarship in photography and lens-based practices. The IMC is also home to the Black Star Collection, one of the world's most extensive archives of twentieth-century photojournalism and documentary photography.
The Archive of Modern Conflict, based in London, UK, and Toronto, houses a vast and continually expanding collection of photographs, albums, objects and ephemera spanning the history of photography from the nineteenth century to the present. Internationally recognized for its depth in vernacular, amateur, press and conflict-related photography, the AMC supports experimental approaches to photographic research and publishing that challenge conventional historical narratives and collection practices.
Together, the IMC and AMC provide an exceptional environment for advanced research into the histories and material cultures of photography. The Fellowship is intended to foster new scholarship that bridges these collections while encouraging innovative and critically engaged approaches to photographic history.
The Opportunity
The IMC/AMC Postdoctoral Fellowship is a full-time, 12-month appointment as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at The Image Centre, beginning July 1, 2027. The Fellowship supports original research in the history of photography that engages deeply with the collections and resources of both the IMC and the AMC, with a particular emphasis on press, documentary and vernacular photography from the nineteenth century to the present.
The IMC/AMC Postdoctoral Fellow will receive an annual salary of $70,000 and benefits, and a generous research stipend to support one month of research in London, UK. Candidates must have completed a PhD within 5 years of the appointment.
An office space at The Image Centre will be provided for the duration of the Fellowship. The Fellow will be expected to actively participate in the academic life of the School of Image Arts at TMU, including the Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management graduate program.
Before the completion of the appointment, the IMC/AMC Postdoctoral Fellow will deliver a public lecture at the IMC, presenting their research and engagement with the collections.
Qualifications
Applicants must hold a PhD in Art History, Visual Culture, Media Studies, History, Museum Studies, Photography or a related discipline at the time of application (ABD candidates are not eligible). The successful candidate will demonstrate:
- A strong record of research and scholarship in the history of photography and/or lens-based media.
- The ability to contribute to an interdisciplinary academic and museum environment.
- An active research agenda that engages with archives and/or collection material.
- Demonstrated interest in press, documentary, vernacular or amateur photography from the nineteenth century to present.
- Excellent written, verbal and public presentation skills.
Experience with any of the following would be considered an asset:
- Teaching at the undergraduate or graduate level.
- Public speaking, curatorial practice or public-facing scholarly programming.
How to Apply
Interested applicants should email Dr. Alex Borkowski (Research Program Coordinator) at [email protected] with the following materials combined in a single PDF in the following order:
- A two-page cover letter highlighting the relevance of the candidate’s profile with the research proposal.
- A three-page research proposal outlining: 1/ primary research questions and contributions to the field; 2/ use of both IMC and AMC collections; 4/ methodological approach; 5/ Equity, Diversity and Inclusion considerations; 6/ planned outcome(s).
- A sample of published writing; no more than 25 pages.
In addition, two letters of recommendation should be emailed directly from the referee to [email protected] and must be received before the application deadline of October 18, 2026.
All applications will be reviewed by the IMC Fellowships Jury: Paul Roth (Director, IMC); Dr. Thierry Gervais (Head of Research, IMC; Professor, TMU); Dr. Charlene Heath (Archivist and Research Specialist, IMC); one faculty member from the graduate program in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management at the School of Image Arts, TMU; and one curator/scholar from an external institution.
Three selected candidates will be invited to participate in a formal interview with a committee comprising Paul Roth, Dr. Thierry Gervais, and a representative of the AMC.
Toronto Metropolitan University’s Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
- We encourage all First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples or Indigenous peoples of North America, to self-identify in their applications. If you are an Indigenous applicant and require support during the recruitment process, please reach out to James McKay, Indigenous HR Lead at [email protected].
- Toronto Metropolitan University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), and aims to ensure that independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity are embedded in all aspects of the university culture.
- We will provide an accessible experience for applicants, students, employees, and members of the Toronto Metropolitan University community. We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the recruitment process. If you have restrictions that need to be accommodated to fully participate in any phase of the recruitment process, please reach out to Human Resources:
- Current employees can contact HR by logging into AskHR to submit a request.
- External candidates who do not have TMU login credentials can contact HR by visiting torontomu.ca/human-resources/askhr/.
- All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.
