Canada Research Chair (SSHRC) Tier 2 in Northern Sustainable Food Systems (Internal)

Faculty/Academic Area: Faculty of Science 

Department: Geography and Environmental Studies 

Campus: Waterloo 

Employee Group: WLUFA 

Requisition ID: 3429 

Canada Research Chair (SSHRC) Tier 2 in Northern Sustainable Food Systems (Internal)

POSITION SUMMARY

The Department of Geography & Environmental Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University invites applications for a tenured or tenure-track Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (SSHRC) in Northern Sustainable Food Systems. Applicants must be limited term, tenure-track or tenured faculty members currently employed at Laurier. The Canada Research Chairs Program is a key component of a strategy to make Canada one of the world’s top countries in research and development (www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca).

Tier 2 Canada Research Chairs are intended for exceptional emerging researchers; candidates typically must be within 10 years of obtaining their PhD. However, it is recognized that career breaks due to personal leaves can have legitimate impacts on an applicant’s record of research achievements. Applicants who are more than 10 years from having earned their highest degree and have had career breaks due to maternity, parental or extended sick leaves, family care or other similar reasons may still be eligible and are encouraged to apply. Eligibility can be assessed through the program’s Tier 2 justification process. Please consult the CRC website for details about eligibility or contact Charity Parr-Vasquez (cparrvasquez@wlu.ca), Assistant Vice-President, Research, for more information.

The Canada Research Chair (SSHRC) Tier 2 in Northern Sustainable Food Systems will actively grow and foster Laurier as an exceptional learning and research community for students, faculty, and communities through its thriving partnerships in Canada’s Northwest Territories and with links to global researchers and institutions. The Chair will travel to work with communities as they define how to use traditional and Indigenous food systems as a lever to deal with climate change – through both adaptation and mitigation – as well as related biophysical, cultural, and economic challenges.  The Chair will establish a leading research program using food systems to enhance biodiversity protection, community resilience in the face of climate change, and food security in Canada’s North. The CRC will build strategically on Laurier’s existing research Partnership with the Government of the Northwest Territories. The Chair will connect Faculties, campuses, and disciplines across Laurier to encourage and support interdisciplinarity.

The successful applicant will add capacity and new areas of expertise to the strategic northern research focus that already exists at Laurier, and to Laurier’s Environment research cluster, which is one of the areas of research strength identified in Laurier’s Strategic Research Plan. Much of the northern research conducted at Laurier contributes to the longstanding partnership with the Government of the Northwest Territories (2009-2029), and is affiliated with the Cold Regions Research Centre and the Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems.

The successful candidate will have a demonstrated capacity to develop an externally funded, world-class research program and to contribute to the training and mentorship of graduate and undergraduate students through their research program. They will be expected to secure external funding, including through SSHRC.  In addition, the successful candidate must have an established network and demonstrated experience working with Indigenous communities in the North. 

The candidate is also expected to have demonstrated teaching proficiency and to make contributions to undergraduate teaching in Geography & Environmental Studies that align with their expertise. Through field courses, the Chair will facilitate experiential learning about the foundations of sustainability as students will have a chance to learn first-hand in the north about the intersection of cultural, social, ecological, economic, and political sustainability. They will also contribute to teaching, supervision and mentoring in our graduate programs, and will participate in the administrative activities of the department.

The Department of Geography & Environmental Studies is a new and dynamic part of the Faculty of Science, with leading researchers in many fields and a commitment to building collaborative interdisciplinary research partnerships to address complex and diverse issues. The department offers undergraduate BAs in Geography, Environmental Studies, and Geography and Geomatics. It also offers BSc degrees in Geography and in the interdisciplinary Environmental Science and Water Science and Environmental Health programs.  At the graduate level, the department is a part of the Waterloo-Laurier Graduate Program in Geography, offering MA, MES, MSc and PhD degrees. Departmental faculty have a growing complement of research programs that contribute to the university’s strengths in cold regions and water science, migration, sustainable food systems and remote sensing of climate change research.

Qualifications

To be considered, applicants must have a PhD in Geography, Environmental Studies, or a related discipline. Applicants must currently hold an Assistant or Associate Professor position at Laurier. The successful candidate will be nominated for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair and will be appointed as a tenured or tenure-track faculty member at the Assistant or Associate Professor level in the Department of Geography & Environmental Studies, conditional on CRC application approval.

How to Apply

Applicants should submit a cover letter outlining their qualifications for the position, a curriculum vitae, a brief research plan (no more than 5 pages), a two-page teaching statement outlining teaching philosophy, experience and interests, PDF copies or other electronic format, of up to three of their most significant contributions that represent their research accompanied by a detailed description of their significance and the contact information of three referees willing to provide a letter of reference.

Application packages should be submitted electronically to Dr. Mary-Louise Byrne, Chair, Department of Geography & Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University (ggeshire@wlu.ca). Applications will be accepted until 6 May 2022. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2023 (or later), subject to the successful candidate’s availability and the timeline for the Tier 2 CRC nomination process.

The impact of career interruptions (e.g. parental leave, extended leaves due to illness, the COVID-19 pandemic etc.) will be carefully considered when reviewing candidates’ eligibility and record of research achievement. Therefore, candidates are encouraged to explain in their cover letter how career interruptions may have impacted them.

Equity, diversity and creating a culture of inclusion are part of Laurier’s core values and central to the Laurier Strategy. Laurier is committed to increasing the diversity of faculty and staff. We welcome applications from qualified candidates who also identify as Indigenous, racialized or having disabilities, and qualified candidates of any sexual and gender identity. Candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcome to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives at indigenous@wlu.ca and/or Equity and Accessibility at equity@wlu.ca.

In accordance with the CRC’s Requirements for Recruitment guidelines, applicants are encouraged to complete the applicant equity survey. For more information on Laurier’s CRC equity, diversity and inclusion commitments, please visit the Laurier’s CRC Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, per Canadian immigration laws, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. To comply with the Government of Canada’s reporting requirements, the University is obligated to gather information about applicants’ status as either Permanent Residents of Canada or Canadian citizens. Applicants need not identify their country of origin or current citizenship(s); however, all applicants must include one of the following statements in their cover letter:

I am a current citizen or permanent resident of Canada.

I am not a current citizen or permanent resident of Canada.

Laurier strives to make our application process accessible and provides accommodations for both applicants and employees as outlined in Policy 8.7. If you require assistance applying for this position, would like this job posting in an alternative format, or would like to discuss accessibility and accommodations during the recruitment process please contact Laurier’s Equity and Accessibility Officer at accessibility@wlu.ca.

To obtain a copy of this job ad (or links referenced) in an accessible format or if there are any questions concerning the recruitment process, please contact Mary-Louise Byrne, ggeshire@wlu.ca.

All Laurier employees and students are required to comply with the University's Covid-19 mandatory vaccination policy. Prior to attending Laurier's campuses in-person, you must provide proof of your vaccination status. Prior to becoming fully vaccinated, you will be required to participate in and comply with the University's rapid testing program and follow all recommended additional health and safety protocols. Details about the mandatory vaccination requirements can be found on Laurier's website.

Wilfrid Laurier University endeavors to fill positions with qualified candidates who have a combination of education, experience, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position while demonstrating Laurier's Employee Success Factors.

Equity, diversity and creating a culture of inclusion are part of Laurier’s core values and central to the Laurier Strategy. Laurier is committed to increasing the diversity of faculty and staff and welcomes applications from candidates who identify as Indigenous, racialized, having disabilities, and from persons of any minority sexual and gender identities. Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. Candidates from other equity deserving groups who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact Equity & Accessibility. We have strived to make our application process accessible, however if you require any assistance applying for a position or would like this job posting in an alternative format, please contact Human Resources. Contact information can be found at careers.wlu.ca/content/How-to-apply/

Should you be interested in learning more about this opportunity, please visit www.wlu.ca/careers for additional information and the online application system. All applications must be submitted online. Please note, a CV and letter of introduction will be required in electronic form.