Faculty Positions

Position Title / Rank: Associate or Full Professor and Cameron Chair in Ecological Pest Management

College: Ontario Agricultural College

Department: School of Environmental Sciences

Date Posted: April 10, 2023
Deadline: June 15, 2023
Please reference AD #23-11 Repost

Position Description:

The School of Environmental Sciences at the University of Guelph invites applications for a tenured or tenure-track position at the Associate or Professor level for the E. Alan (OAC ’60) and Jule A. Cameron Chair in Ecological Pest Management. This Chair is funded through a $3 million endowment sponsored by Dr. Alan and Jule Cameron. The successful candidate will hold a PhD in entomology, ecology, biology, ecosystem science, or equivalent with a focus on forest ecosystems or agroecosystems and should be an exceptional emerging scholar who has demonstrated research excellence through a strong publication record in internationally recognized, peer-reviewed journals and who has the potential to lead in their field. Applicants should have expertise in forest and/or crop pest management with a focus on ecologically based pest management strategies and tactics in forest or agricultural systems including, for example, biological control (insects, pathogens); chemical ecology (pheromones, kairomones, allomones); minimally environmentally impactful chemical and/or biological insecticides; pathogen ecology/control; integrated pest management; etc. Experience in field-based research is an asset. The position provides an excellent opportunity to build on existing strengths and reputation within the School of Environmental Sciences (SES) in the field of pest management. The SES is a multi-disciplinary academic unit with researchers in a range of fields (soil science, geology, agricultural meteorology, forest and ecosystem science, environmental microbiology, environmental toxicology, and plant pathology) and has an outstanding international reputation in the fields of entomology, including pest management, pollinator conservation, insect ecology, and insect systematics and evolution.

The position will require the development of a strong extramurally funded research program involving the mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students. The successful candidate will have responsibility for teaching existing and/or new courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels in ecological pest management. Strong communication skills are essential, and applicants will provide clear evidence of effective teaching, with classroom experience considered an asset. Collaboration in research and graduate training is encouraged with others in SES, the Ontario Agricultural College, the University of Guelph and other universities, as well as with federal and provincial ministries. Faculty in SES are expected to provide service to the University, to the scientific community, and to society at large. Knowledge Translation and Transfer (KTT), especially in the form of direct outreach to Ontario’s integrated pest management community, will constitute an important and expected criterion for the Chair holder. This will provide much needed support for farmers and/or foresters with respect to the understanding and management of new and existing insect pest species, especially in relation to climate change and the greater potential for invasive species to succeed in the Canadian climate.

Researchers in the SES have links across campus including Geography, Environment and Geomatics, The School of Engineering, Integrative Biology, the Morwick G360 Groundwater Research Institute, Animal Biosciences, Food Science, Ridgetown Campus and Plant Agriculture, as well as with producer organizations and members of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Vineland Research and Innovation Center, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. In addition, it has advanced analytical facilities in-house, and access to research stations across the province, including the nearby Elora and Arkell Research Stations. The School of Environmental Sciences sits within the Ontario Agriculture College and is located on the main campus in the city of Guelph, 80 km west of Toronto, Ontario.

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 over 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

Evaluation of applicants will commence shortly after June 15, 2023, and will continue until the position is filled. Interested applicants should submit the following materials (preferably as a single PDF file):

  1. A full curriculum vitae
  2. A maximum 3-page cover letter in which you provide a research statement that describes your research plan; how your research aligns with the University of Guelph’s existing or emerging areas of research strength; and how you embed EDI considerations in your research
  3. A maximum 2-page teaching statement, including teaching philosophy, evidence of effective teaching (e.g., course syllabi, teaching plans), and embedding of EDI in teaching practice

Applications should be sent to the attention of:

Dr. Paul Sibley
Director and Professor
School of Environmental Sciences
Ontario Agricultural College
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON N1G 2W1

Email: directorasst.ses@uoguelph.ca

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

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.

At the University of Guelph, fostering a culture of inclusion (https://uoguel.ph/ox2p9) is an institutional imperative. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our Institution.

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