The Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences (PFES) in the Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture invites applications from qualified candidates for a full-time, three-year (renewable) position as Instructor at the FAFU International College (FAFU), located in Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
The successful applicants will teach in English in the undergraduate Landscape Architecture program. Subjects may include: Landscape Construction, Grading and Drainage, Construction and Detailing, Green Infrastructure, Design Studios (introduction, planting design, landscape analysis, independent project), Landscape History and Landscape Theory. The incumbent may be asked to teach or assist teaching of other courses in the program.
The position is available to start as early as July 2026; the anticipated start date for teaching is September 2026.
Dalhousie covers the cost of travel between Canada and China. FAFU provides free on-campus residence and a fixed weekly cash meal allowance. The Instructor is responsible for any other personal expenses. No residence or meal allowance is provided in Canada.
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.
The Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences is home to a vibrant team of scientists and instructors focused on four priority areas: plant and horticultural sciences, environmental sciences and agroecology, food science, and landscape architecture. Related areas of Departmental research strengths include crop physiology, soil health, climate change, organic agriculture, agronomy, and molecular biology. The department also benefits from strong collaborations with the agricultural industry, and research stations of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, throughout the Atlantic region and beyond.
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.
About the Position
The primary teaching location for the position is in Fuzhou, Fujian, China. The successful candidate is expected to teach in China for the fall and spring semesters each year, for 12-weeks in each semester. The fall semester in China extends from September to January. The spring semester begins shortly after the Lunar New Year and extends into June.
The candidate is expected to return to the Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences of the Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie Agricultural Campus, Truro, Nova Scotia during the non-teaching periods for other faculty activities.
Instructor’s responsibilities include:
- 80% teaching and 20% administrative work
- Teaching: the four-year program will have a maximum of 120 students per year. First and second year courses will have class sections of 60 students. Third- and fourth-year studio courses will have class sections of 40 students.
- The instructor will normally be responsible for teaching a minimum of 2 courses per term (a minimum of 2 sections per class). The actual teaching load might be higher, with a maximum of 8 sections in total per term.
- 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 incumbent will manage all teaching assistant and marker/demonstrator positions related to their courses.
- The instructor is expected to participate in other faculty activities, such as contributing to committees, participating in annual program reviews, etc.
- The instructor may be asked to teach on the Truro campus.
The instructor will receive administrative and logistical orientation, support, and guidance from Dalhousie University.
The successful applicant will:
- Possess a degree in landscape architecture, or a closely related field. A PhD is not required but a welcome asset.
- Have post-secondary teaching experience.
- Be a clear and stimulating communicator, proficient in English, who can inspire students of all levels, support Faculty initiatives, and participate in growing the reputation of the Faculty and the University.
- Be able to travel to and work for 12 weeks per term in China (not more than 183 days total per year) and to work in Truro, Canada for the balance of the time.
- Have a strong background in landscape architecture well suited to the delivery of the undergraduate program and be able to teach subjects including site design and construction, studio courses or landscape history and theory.
- Have practical ability to use software associated with courses to be taught (e.g., AutoCAD, Arc GIS Pro, Adobe Creative Cloud applications, 3D modelling software.
The successful applicant may:
- Have full membership or be eligible for full membership in the Atlantic Provinces Association of Landscape Architects (APALA) or similar professional organization. See https://www.apala.ca/membership-categories
- Have several years of professional experience in the practice of landscape architecture.
- Have several years of post-secondary teaching experience and exposure to teaching international students.
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 CV (maximum of 5 pages)
- A teaching philosophy statement (maximum of 2 pages)
- A portfolio demonstrating design and software proficiency (maximum 12 pages)
- An equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) statement (maximum of 1 page)
- A list of three (3) references with contact information
Applications for this position must be made through Dalhousie’s online portal via this posting.
To guarantee review of application, please apply by July 5, 2026. Applications will continue to be reviewed until the position is filled.
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.
