Assistant Professor and NSERC Canada Research Chair T2 in Food Product and Process Design

The Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph invites applications for an NSERC Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC. Tier 2 Chairs, tenable for five years and renewable once, are intended for exceptional emerging scholars (i.e., candidates must have been an active researcher in their field for fewer than 10 years at the time of nomination). Applicants who are more than 10 years from having earned their highest degree (and where career breaks exist, such as maternity, parental or extended sick leave, clinical training, etc.) may have their eligibility for a Tier 2 Chair assessed through the program’s Tier 2 justification process (https://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/program-programme/nomination-mise_en_candidature-eng.aspx#s3). For more information about eligibility and the Tier 2 Justification Process, please contact Ailsa Kay, Manager, Strategic Programs at ailsakay@uoguelph.ca . Please consult the Canada Research Chairs website (https://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/program-programme/nomination-mise_en_candidature-eng.aspx#wb-tphp) for full program information.

This is a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level in Food Science. The faculty position will be crucial in advancing research, teaching, and outreach to develop innovative solutions for reducing food waste and environmental impact through improved processing technologies to enhance the stability and quality of foods. The successful candidate will complement existing research expertise within the Department and position us as Canada’s leader in Food Science. The individual is expected to also contribute to teaching undergraduate courses related to food processing and is expected to develop a graduate course focused on their research area. Applicants must have a Ph.D. degree in Food Science or a related area with a specialization in:
• Food Processing/ Bioprocessing
• Bioengineering

The ideal candidate will join a dynamic, world-renowned department, expecting to establish a collaborative, innovative and sustainable research program to complement and enhance existing capabilities. The successful candidate will have a leading role in sustainable food processing. To achieve this, the successful candidate will create emerging methodologies and technologies for food formulation, production and distribution that support global food security and economic growth. Research interests should align with essential aspects of the food value chain in creating sustainable and nutritious food products while accounting for environmental impact. The candidate must be able to advance the use of novel food processing techniques and strategies to overcome inequalities in access to quality, healthful foods. Expertise is sought in food processing/engineering and is considered an asset to become a professional engineer before tenure. The food and beverage processing sector is the largest manufacturing sector in Canada in terms of both GDP (17.3%) and employment (18.1%). Additional emphasis on Ontario’s most valuable commodities (e.g., meat and poultry, dairy, oilseed, alcoholic fermentation, etc.) is considered an asset but not mandatory. The successful candidate is expected to establish and maintain a robust research program supported by external funding and to provide effective, innovative teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in food processing.

To meet the criteria of the Canada Research Chairs Program (CRCP), candidates must:
• be excellent emerging world-class researchers who have demonstrated particular research creativity;
• have demonstrated the potential to achieve international recognition in their fields in the next five to ten years;
• as chairholders, have the potential to attract, develop and retain excellent trainees, students and future researchers; and
• propose an original, innovative research program of high quality.

The Department of Food Science is Canada’s top-ranked Department in the field, with exceptional expertise across various food science areas, including food chemistry, microbiology, and processing. The Department has 15 faculty and is home to the Guelph Food Innovation Centre and the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety. The successful candidate will have access to a shared analytical research lab and three food-grade pilot plants. The Department actively fosters a positive, collegial, highly interdisciplinary, collaborative, and respectful culture of all members.

The University of Guelph is the third largest employer in Guelph, a city of approximately 130,000 people, located about an hour’s drive west of Toronto, Ontario. The University of Guelph is a top-ranked comprehensive university in Canada, with an enrolment of more than 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 globally. Our University community shares a profound sense of social responsibility, a drive for international development, and an obligation to address global issues.

For each Tier 2 Chair, the institution receives $100,000 annually for five years (which can be used for salary and research). In addition to this, in their first term, the Chair receives a $20,000 annual stipend for research. Salary is negotiable and commensurate with experience and qualifications. Positions are subject to review and final approval by the CRC Secretariat.

Application Process
Assessment of applications will begin on July 1, 2024 and continue until the position is filled. Interested applicants should submit the following materials (preferably as a single PDF file): (1) a 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 existing or emerging areas of research within the Department and how you embed Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) considerations in your research; (3) 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. (4) Names and contact information for three references who meet the CRCP’s conflict of interest requirements (https://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/program-programme/conflict_interest-conflit_interets-eng.aspx). For Tier 2 nominations, up to two of the three letters of reference can be ‘in conflict’ along with at least one ‘arms-length’ reference.

Applications should be sent to the attention of:

Sarah Bruce
Department of Food Science
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON N1G 2W1
Email: sbruce@uoguelph.ca

The CRCP imposes no restrictions on nominees with regard to nationality or country of residence. Procedures to allow non-Canadian chairholders to work in Canada have been established by Employment and Social Development Canada (https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/foreign-workers/academic.html) and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada.html#employers).

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