Graduate Research Assistant: Alter-Pedagogies: Neurodivergent Research-Creation and Learning Otherwise

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 work, stand and create.

OCAD University, Canada’s largest and oldest art and design university, is a vibrant community of bold, curious and compassionate artists, designers and scholars who are imagining and creating a joyful, equitable and sustainable world. The University is an internationally renowned hub for art, design, digital media, research, innovation and creativity, and arts administration. It embraces collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches to change-making through art, design-thinking curriculum and research, making OCAD U a local, regional, national and global leader in art and design.

It is an exciting time to join the OCAD U community. The University is at a key stage in its institutional transformation, with the implementation of its Academic and Strategic Plan and guiding principles—driving positive impact, decolonization, indigenization, and equity, environmental sustainability, emerging as a vibrant hub, student-centered approaches, innovation in learning, teaching, and research, and financial stewardship.

Project Details:
Alter-Pedagogies is a SSHRC-funded Connections project that explores neurodivergent research-creation and approaches to teaching and learning that challenge conventional educational norms. The project will establish a Neurodivergent Research-Creation Community of Practice and support a series of workshops, public events and digital knowledge mobilization activities that bring together artists, educators, researchers and students.

Drawing on disability studies, neurodiversity studies, accessibility, artistic research and research-creation, the project explores how neurodivergent ways of knowing, creating, learning and relating can contribute to new possibilities for teaching and learning. Project outputs will be curated and shared through an accessible digital platform designed to support ongoing dialogue and knowledge sharing within and beyond art and design education.

Responsibilities

• Working under the supervision of the Principal Investigators, Dr. Maria-Belén Ordóñez and Dr. Laura Thrasher, the Graduate Research Assistant will support research activities, project administration and coordination, documentation, and knowledge mobilization.
• Compiling and curating literature reviews related to disability studies, neurodiversity studies, crip theory, accessibility, research-creation, and alter-pedagogies.
• Coordinating project activities, timelines, meetings, and communications, including maintaining project communications through Microsoft Teams and email and facilitating accessibility check-ins with participants and collaborators.
• Taking meeting notes and supporting project documentation, record keeping, and the organization of resources and materials generated through project activities.
• Supporting the planning and organization of workshops, Community of Practice gatherings, and public events.
• Assisting with evaluation activities, reporting, and other project administration tasks, including budget tracking and administration of research activities.
• Collaborating with the Principal Investigators, undergraduate student facilitators, and community partners throughout the project.
• Contributing to a safe and secure environment for all members of the University community and its facilities.

Qualifications

• Current graduate student
• Strong organizational, administrative, and project coordination skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Experience supporting events, workshops, research projects, or community-engaged initiatives.
• Demonstrated interest in accessibility, disability justice, neurodiversity, inclusive pedagogy, or related areas.
• Experience with Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, and shared digital workspaces.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and fostering respectful and inclusive work and learning environments.
• Applicants with lived experience of disability, neurodivergence, and other forms of embodied difference are encouraged to apply.

Hours of Work: 8 hours per weekover the period of November 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027, for a total of 80 hours.

Work Environment: The position will be a hybrid arrangement and include both in-person and remote work.

Compensation: $37.28 (Graduate Rate) per hour with an additional 4% in lieu of vacation and 6% in lieu of benefits

Please note the following:

• Applicants must be eligible to work in Canada for any employer (with a valid work or study permit, SIN and Canadian bank account).
• Current students at OCAD University will be given priority consideration for all Research Assistant positions, with the highest priority given to those not currently holding any other TA/RA positions at the University.
• This appointment is conditional upon funding of the Project by OCAD U’s external funding partner(s)
  

Application Process:

Applications should include:

1. A one-page cover letter explaining the candidate’s interest
2. A curriculum vitae
3. The contact information for two (2) referees

Interested applicants are invited to submit their application in confidence addressed to Maria-Belén Ordóñez, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Arts and Science and Laura Thrasher, Educational Developer, Centre for Learning and Teaching [email protected], online by clicking the “Apply for this Position” button below.

The review of applications will begin on October 22, 2026 and will continue until the position has been filled.

As an employer committed to employment equity, we encourage applications from members of equity-seeking 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-seeking groups to self-identify within the voluntary Applicant Questionnaire.

OCAD U 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.