Canada Research Chair Tier 2 in Critical Minerals

We seek an innovative geoscientist who evaluates geological processes responsible for the formation, preservation, and physicochemical characteristics of mineral deposits, with a specific focus on critical minerals. The successful candidate will develop and integrate state-of-the-art concepts with field-based data, utilising expertise in some combination of mineralogy, petrology, geochemistry, geochronology, mineral system science, geomechanics, and orebody knowledge. The successful candidate will have a Ph.D. in geology, a related earth science discipline, or engineering at the time of appointment, and will have made, or show promise of making, impactful contributions to our knowledge of mineral deposits, with special application to the discovery and/or development of critical mineral resources.

Candidates should possess a strong record of research productivity, commensurate with their career path and experience, and be able to communicate a clear forward-looking vision for both fundamental science discoveries and societally relevant advancements in this area. The candidate will be expected to develop a robust externally funded and internationally recognized research program, successfully supervise graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, effectively teach undergraduate and graduate courses in geology or related disciplines, and contribute to department service. They will have a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, to create a welcoming community for all, particularly those who are historically, persistently or systemically marginalized. Evidence of, or potential for, successful teaching and an interest in innovative teaching methods is welcomed. Evidence of past, and/or a commitment to future, engagement with government, industry, and Indigenous Peoples in research related to critical minerals would be considered advantageous.

Tier 2 Chairs are five-year positions, renewable once, and 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 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. All CRC nominations are subject to review and final approval by the CRC Secretariat, and appointment as a CRC is conditional upon their approval.

Further information on this process can be found here https://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/program-programme/nomination-mise_en_candidature-eng.aspx#s3. UBC recognizes the legitimate impact that COVID-related research interruptions and eligible leaves (e.g., maternity, parental, medical, bereavement) can have on a candidate’s record of achievement. These leaves will be taken into careful consideration during the assessment process.

EOAS is a dynamic, inter-disciplinary Earth Sciences department, with research and teaching interests spanning the history of Earth and its functioning from the core to the stratosphere. EOAS houses state-of-the-art laboratories and analytical instrumentation at the Microbeam and X-ray Diffraction Facility, the Pacific Centre for Isotopic and Geochemical Research (PCIGR), and the Geomechanics and Environmental Interfaces Laboratories. The position will build on EOAS’s internationally recognized strength in solid Earth research. Collaborative inter-disciplinary research within EOAS including geology, geological engineering, hydrogeology, geophysics, and environmental science would be considered advantageous. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to collaborate with the EOAS-hosted Mineral Deposit Research Unit and, therefore, to foster strong partnerships with mineral industry research partners and enable applications for Canada’s world-leading NSERC Alliance and MITACS co-funding programs. UBC’s location in western Canada affords direct access to the North American Cordillera, a superb natural laboratory for the scientific investigation of the formation of critical mineral deposits, developing pathways for responsible and sustainable extraction, and building relationships with Indigenous Peoples.

UBC’s campuses are located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Syilx (Okanagan) Peoples and of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Stó:lō and Səl????ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil Waututh) Nations.

How to apply
1. In accordance with UBC’s CRC Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Action Plan [https://research.ubc.ca/federal-research-chair-programs/canada-research-chairs/ubcs-commitment-equity-diversity-and] and pursuant to Section 42 of the BC Human Rights code, the selection will be restricted to members of the following federally designated groups: people with disabilities, Indigenous people, racialized people, women, and people from minoritized gender identity groups.

Applicants to CRC positions are asked to complete this equity survey https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6WJHol7SfPxRMu9 as part of the application, and candidates from these groups must self-identify as belonging to one or more of the designated equity groups to be considered for the position. Candidates must also provide their name in the survey to be considered.
Personal information is collected under the authority of sections 26(a), 26(c) and 26(e) of the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The information you provide will only be used to determine whether you qualify for participation in this restricted process, and to advance accessibility, equity and fair adjudication in this process. Data will be collected by the UBC Equity and Inclusion Office and only the names of those eligible for the search process will be shared confidentially with the search committee. All responses will be stored in a secure database.

2. Application packages should be submitted as a single PDF document, uploaded to Academic Jobs Online: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/28411
It should include the following:
• Cover letter (2 pages).
• Curriculum vitae, including a list of publications
• PDF versions of three most significant publications.
• Research statement (2 pages) describing your research accomplishments, their novelty and significance. Outline your five-year research program and its potential impacts. Describe how your research program supports and integrates training.
• Teaching statement (1 page) describing your teaching philosophy and your experience and interest in pedagogical methods and innovative teaching approaches.
• Names and contact information for three referees.

3. UBC is committed to advancing inclusive excellence in the academic and research ecosystem. Please provide a brief statement (1-2 pages) that describes any current or planned engagements and contributions made to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in academic (research/scholarship, teaching/learning), professional (non-academic or clinical work), or community (local, national, international community-based) contexts.

4. The closing date for applications is Friday November 22, 2024 at 5.00pm PST. Questions should be directed to the Search Committee at jobs@eoas.ubc.ca
UBC hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. Inclusion is built by individual and institutional responsibility through continuous engagement with diversity to inspire people, ideas, and actions for a better world. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Métis, Inuk, or Indigenous person. UBC acknowledges that certain circumstances may cause career interruptions that legitimately affect an applicant’s record of research or educational leadership achievement. We encourage applicants to note in their applications whether they would like consideration given to the impact of any circumstances, such as those due to health or family reasons, in order to allow for a fair assessment of their research productivity.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority, and members of historically marginalized groups will be given special consideration.

The University is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and equitable work environment for all members of its workforce. An inclusive work environment presumes an environment where differences are accepted, recognized and integrated into current structures, planning and decision-making modes. Within this hiring process, UBC will make efforts to create an inclusive and equitable process for all candidates (including but not limited to people with disabilities). Confidential accommodations are available on request by contacting Hazel Evangelista at email: hevangelista@eoas.ubc.ca

If you have any needs or questions regarding accommodations or accessibility during the job application, recruitment and hiring process or for more information and support, please visit UBC’s Center For Workplace Accessibility website at https://hr.ubc.ca/health-and-wellbeing/working-injury-illness-or-disability/centre-workplace-accessibility or contact the Centre at workplace.accessibility@ubc.ca. To learn more about how the University is working to create a more inclusive working and learning environment, please see the UBC Inclusion Action Plan’s goals related to recruitment and retention https://equity.ubc.ca/about/inclusion-action-plan/recruitment- retention-and-success/

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