Faculty Positions

Position Title / Rank: Associate or Full Professor and Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Food and Waterborne Disease Biomonitoring, Biosurveillance and Biosecurity

College: Ontario Agricultural College

Department: School of Environmental Sciences or Department of Food Science

Date Reposted: March 24, 2022
Deadline: April 30, 2022
Please reference AD #22-11

Position Description:

The Ontario Agricultural College at the University of Guelph (U of G) invites outstanding applications for a Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) opportunity in Biomonitoring, Biosurveillance and Biosecurity, dependent on funding. The appointment will be a full-time tenured position at the rank of Associate or Full Professor in either the School of Environmental Sciences or the Department of Food Science, as determined by the disciplinary focus of the successful CERC candidate. The CERC program is Canada’s most prestigious Research Chair program. It is a tri-agency initiative, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The program is designed to attract leading scientists and scholars, with up to $8M in CERC funding over 8 years. For more details, visit the CERC program.

This position is one of two CERC positions proposed by the University of Guelph and will focus on foodborne/waterborne disease (FWBD) threats at the animal, human, and environment interface, particularly those with the potential to propagate pandemics, disrupt food systems, impact Canada’s competitiveness, and derail the Canadian economy. Food and water safety continue to challenge human health and economic development in much of the developing world and in many communities in Canada. The candidate will develop an innovative research program that will build on U of G’s existing strengths in environmental detection and surveillance of foodborne and waterborne pathogens. The Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) is a pillar of the new U of G Global Centre of Excellence in Biomonitoring, Biosurveillance and Biosecurity, an interdisciplinary research cluster supporting biomonitoring and biosecurity innovation and training. If the CERC is awarded, the Chair is expected to work collaboratively with faculty from across campus to establish U of G as a global leader in research in biomonitoring and biosurveillance that will address our most critical emerging food and water safety issues in Canada and abroad.

Outstanding senior researchers with world-renowned expertise in the field of Food and Waterborne Biomonitoring and Biosurveillance are invited to apply. Research areas may include but are not limited to: surveillance of emerging and re-emerging FWBD; host/FWBD pathogen interactions, genomics, and other “omics” research; climate change impacts on emergence of FWBD microbial threats; practical field-deployable sampling methods for early detection and monitoring of FWBD; molecular diagnostic/genomic tool development for early and rapid FWBD detection; and predictive modeling of FWBD and decision support systems using artificial intelligence.

Candidates must be full professors or associate professors that are expected to be promoted to full professor within one or two years of the nomination. Alternatively, if they come from outside the academic sector, candidates must possess the qualifications necessary to be appointed at these levels. While this is a research-intensive appointment, the successful candidate is expected to contribute to undergraduate and graduate education (however, a reduced teaching assignment will be in place during the 8-year term of the Chair).

Positions are subject to review and final approval by the CERC program. The nominee must hold a full-time academic appointment at the nominating institution as of the start date of the Chair award. Awardees will have up to 12 months to take up the award after the notice of award and acceptance has been signed by all parties. The University of Guelph will only nominate individuals whose country of residence and current appointment/employment at the time of nomination is outside of Canada.

Please consult the CERC website for full program information, including details on eligibility.

The Ontario Agricultural College is Canada's largest and most comprehensive institution for education, research and extension service in agriculture, food, the environment, and rural communities in Canada and around the world. The School of Environmental Sciences (SES) is a multi-disciplinary academic unit focused on the comprehensive study of complex interactions involving soil, rock, water, air and living organisms which form the Earth’s Critical Zone. By integrating life and physical sciences, faculty address important environmental problems in natural and managed terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. SES has recognized strengths in soil and water quality, soil physics and the movement of surface and ground waters, environmental microbiology (including microbial source tracking, waterborne pathogens, microbial biofilms), climate change, ecotoxicology, biogeochemistry, and ecohydrology. The Department of Food Science is globally recognized for world-class research and is a leader in the development and innovation of Canada’s food industry. The department has considerable strengths in food safety and quality assurance, food structure and human health, microbiology, and food nanotechnology, and is home to the Canadian Research Institute in Food Safety and the Guelph Food Innovation Centre. In addition, U of G is home to: the Morwick G360 Groundwater Research Institute, a focal point for groundwater research collaborations between Academics, Governments, and Industries around the world; the Guelph Wastewater Facility (GWF), a unique bench and pilot-scale facility allowing users access to various municipal wastewater process streams, and state-of-the-art analytical labs; and, the Centre for Advancing Responsible and Ethical Artificial Intelligence (CARE-AI), which uniquely integrates ethics, governance and social responsibility associated with AI methodologies and AI applications with technical leadership.

The University of Guelph is the third largest employer in Guelph, a city of approximately 130,000 people, located about an hour drive west of Toronto, Ontario. University of Guelph is a top-ranked comprehensive university in Canada with an enrolment of about 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across over 40 academic units. The University is known for its commitment to student learning, innovative research, and collaboration with world-class partners. It is a unique place, with transformative research and teaching and a distinctive campus culture. People who learn and work here are shaped and inspired by a shared purpose: To Improve Life. Reflecting that shared purpose in every experience connected to our university positions us to create positive change, here and around the world. Our University community shares a profound sense of social responsibility, a drive for international development, and an obligation to address global issues.

Application Process

Assessment of applications will begin on April 30, 2022 and will continue until the position is filled. Interested applicants should submit the following materials (preferably as a single PDF file) to: OAC Dean, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1. Email: elevesqu@uoguelph.ca

  1. A cover letter that identifies:
    • The alignment of the applicant’s research with the Biomonitoring, Biosurveillance and Biosecurity focus
    • A full curriculum vitae (include details of research and teaching, scholarly record, funding, collaborations/partnerships and leadership experience)
  2. An Equity, Diversity & Inclusion statement (one-page maximum) that describes the applicant’s past experience with attracting and mentoring a diverse group of students, trainees and research personnel, and establishing an equitable and inclusive research environment.
  3. A four-page (maximum) statement that includes:
    • An overview of the applicant’s research proposal, including knowledge mobilization and any innovation activities
    • How the proposed research embeds EDI considerations at each stage of the research process
    • Alignment with UofG’s existing or emerging areas of research strength
    • Potential to collaborate with other researchers at UofG, in Ontario and Canada
    • Contribution and fit to the research ecosystem in Canada and internationally
  4. The names and email addresses of 3 potential arm’s length referees who are prepared to submit a letter of recommendation.

The CERC program is committed to excellence in research and research training and is promoting exemplary practices with respect to equity and diversity. The goals of research excellence can only be met when equity and diversity are integrated into the research initiative. The CERC program reflects the federal government’s commitment to equity and diversity in employment. It aims to ensure the appropriate representation of women, persons with disabilities, Aboriginal Peoples and members of visible minorities.

At the University of Guelph, fostering a culture of inclusion (https://uoguel.ph/ox2p9 ) is an institutional imperative. Acknowledging the University’s diverse population and ensuring that every member of an inclusive campus is a valued contributor is a foundational pillar of a successful post-secondary institution. The University of Guelph is committed to an Employment Equity Program . The university especially seeks and prioritizes qualified applications from all underrepresented groups, including members of racialized minorities, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, women, and individuals from the LGBTQ2+ community.

All applicants to CRC and CERC positions are required to complete the University’s self-identification form, the Applicant Tracking Questionnaire. However, providing self-identification is optional; applicants may select “prefer not to answer.”

The information is collected by the Office of Diversity and Human Rights in support of the University's employment equity program. Aggregate anonymous data is provided to the chair of the search committee. The search committee uses the information to determine if qualified designated group members have been included among the short-listed candidates.

The University recognizes that applicants may have had obligations outside of work that have negatively impacted their record of achievements (e.g., parental, elder care, and/or medical). You are not required to disclose these obligations in the hiring process. If you choose to do so, the University will ensure that these obligations do not negatively impact the assessment of your qualifications for the position.

The University of Guelph resides on the ancestral lands of the Attawandaron people and the treaty lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit and we offer our respect to our Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and Métis neighbours as we strive to strengthen our relationships with them.

If you require a medical accommodation during the recruitment or selection process, please contact Occupational Health and Wellness at 519-824-4120 x52674.