Assistant Professor and Bill and Lynne Gray Chair in Advanced Poultry Technology Management

The Department of Animal Biosciences within the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) at the University of Guelph is seeking an outstanding tenure-track candidate for the prestigious Bill and Lynne Gray Chair in Advanced Poultry Technology Management at the Assistant Professor rank. This position is made possible by a generous $3.5 million gift from the William and Lynne Gray Foundation and L.H. Gray & Son Limited, aimed at advancing innovation and sustainability in the Canadian poultry and egg sector.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and conduct cutting-edge research in advanced poultry technology management.
• Secure research funds and manage the awarded funds to support cutting-edge research initiatives.
• Create, develop and implement innovative technologies and systems for sustainable and profitable poultry and egg production, such as data analytics, artificial intelligence, sensor technologies, computer vision, human dimensions, or other foci relevant to developing, implementing or evaluating precision management of livestock.
• Publish scholarly articles in high-impact journals relevant to the field.
• Collaborate with other faculty and researchers at the University of Guelph (e.g. Engineering, Computer Science, Economics, etc.) to address problems related to monitoring and management of poultry at the level of the animal in commercial production systems.
• Work closely with the Ontario Poultry Research Centre in Elora, contributing to its planning and operations.
• Recruit, supervise, and mentor graduate students in their research programs.
• Instruct students in undergraduate and graduate classroom settings.
• Engage with industry partners to translate research findings into practical applications.

Qualifications:
• The successful candidate will have a PhD in animal science or a related field, with additional expertise in technologies and tools that can be used for monitoring and managing poultry on farms.
• The successful candidate could possess an academic background from a range of animal-science disciplines (e.g., ethology, nutrition, genetics/genomics, or physiology) and species (e.g., dairy cattle, swine, and/or poultry), with additional experience and training in fields such as data science or engineering.
• The successful candidate will have the ability to teach and mentor students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Evidence of effective teaching experience is beneficial.
• The successful candidate will have: strong communication skills and the ability to engage effectively with industry stakeholders; interact with faculty, staff, and students including those of different demographic, ethnic, gender, and cultural backgrounds; mentor and advise graduate students for their academic success; develop innovative instructional approaches; and have a commitment to on‐going professional development.

What We Offer:
• A competitive salary and benefits package.
• Access to state-of-the-art research facilities at the Ontario Poultry Research Centre.
• The opportunity to work with a dynamic and interdisciplinary team of researchers and educators.
• An annual scholarship program to attract global talent to pursue careers in the Canadian poultry and egg industry.

The ideal candidate will be joining a dynamic and world-renowned department, with an expectation to establish an innovative and sustainable research program that will complement and enhance existing capabilities. The candidate must possess the ability to conduct independent and groundbreaking research at the highest level, as well as collaborate effectively with other members of the department and campus.

The successful candidate is expected to be actively involved in service and be a champion for EDI initiatives, fostering a welcoming, equitable, opportunity-rich and safe environment for students, researchers, staff and faculty.

The Department of Animal Biosciences Animal Biosciences (https://animalbiosciences.uoguelph.ca/) is Canada’s top-ranked department in the field, with exceptional expertise across a wide range of species and fields, including animal behaviour and welfare, genetics and genomics, physiology, and nutrition. The faculty of the department have access to modern, world-class animal housing facilities as well as an in-house high performance computing cluster. The department currently has 26 faculty and is home to the Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, the Centre for Nutritional Modelling, and houses many faculty affiliated with the Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare. The Department actively fosters a culture that is positive, collegial, highly interdisciplinary, collaborative and respectful of all members.

Part of the Ontario Agricultural College Ontario Agricultural College University of Guelph (https://www.uoguelph.ca/oac/), the Animal Biosciences department has a long history of achievements in serving the agriculture and agri-food industries within Ontario and beyond.

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
Assessment of applications will begin on November 20, 2024 and will continue until the position is filled. Interested applicants should submit the following materials (preferably as a single PDF file):
(1) A cover letter;
(2) A curriculum vitae;
(3) A maximum 3 page cover letter in which you provide a research statement that describes your research plan; how your research aligns with existing or emerging areas of research within the Department and how you embed Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) considerations in your research;
(4) A maximum 2-page teaching statement including teaching philosophy; evidence of effective teaching; how you would embed EDI in teaching practice (please identify areas that you would be interested in teaching); and
(5) The names and contact information of three persons who will serve as references.

• Questions about the position can be addressed to Christine Baes at: cbaes@uoguelph.ca
• Questions about the application process can be addressed to Diana Rau at: drau@uoguelph.ca

Apply ONLINE – Assistant Professor and the Bill and Lynne Gray Chair in Advanced Poultry Technology Management (https://careers.uoguelph.ca/job/Guelph-Bill-and-Lynne-Gray-Chair-in-Advanced-Poultry-Technology-ON-N1G-2W1/729070247/)

If you are a current employee of the University of Guelph you must apply on the internal Career Page to be considered as an internal applicant.
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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 medical accommodation during the recruitment or selection process, please contact Occupational Health and Wellness at 519-824-4120 x52674.

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