Canada Research Chair, Tier II - Ecosystem Science

The Faculty of Science & Technology invites applicants internal to the Faculty for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in a field of research aligned with wetland ecosystems science.

Wetlands are highly diverse, productive ecosystems that provide a host of ecological services and form an integral component of Alberta's diverse landscapes. This CRC is aimed at researchers working in fields relating to ecosystem functioning, assessment and monitoring, human impacts and resilience, nutrient and element cycles, or carbon cycling and sequestration.

As this is an internal search, applicants must already hold a full-time, tenurable or tenured appointment in the Faculty of Science & Technology at Mount Royal University.

The CRCs were established by the Canadian Government to foster research excellence [www.chairs.gc.ca]. Tier II CRCs, tenable for five years and renewable once, are intended for exceptional emerging researchers, acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their field.

Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements for a Tier 2 CRC position. Typically, applicants for a Tier 2 CRC should be no more than ten years from their highest degree at the time of chair nomination. Applicants who are more than ten years from earning their highest degree (and where career breaks such as maternity, parental, extended sick leave, clinical training, etc., exist) may have their eligibility for a Tier 2 chair assessed through the CRC program’s Tier 2 justification process. Effective March 1, 2020, research interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are recognized and may be counted as an eligible delay. Please consult the Canada Research Chairs website [www.chairs.gc.ca ] for further eligibility details.

Mount Royal recognizes the legitimate impact that leaves (e.g., maternity leave, leave due to illness) can have on a candidate’s record of research achievement. These leaves will be taken into careful consideration during the assessment process.

To meet the review criteria of the CRC program, Tier 2 CRC applicants 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 CRC, have the potential to attract, develop and retain excellent trainees, students, and future researchers; and
• Be proposing an original, innovative research program of high quality.

Applicants should demonstrate an excellent record of publications in reputable, high-quality, high-impact, peer-reviewed journals and conferences. They should provide evidence of established teaching and trainee mentoring skills. They should have a demonstrated record of service at the departmental, institutional, national, and/or international levels. Ideally, they should also have a record in participating or leading large-scale, potentially interdisciplinary, research initiatives.

To apply, applicants should submit the following:

• A cover letter with an overview of applicant’s credentials, qualifications, research strengths, and how they satisfy the CRC nomination criteria;
• A current curriculum vitae;
• A statement of research interests and a description of a program of research for the position; and
• A statement of teaching philosophy that includes the applicants experience with and approach to training and mentoring diverse students.

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide a brief (1,000 word) five-year research plan that demonstrates their suitability for a Tier 2 CRC, as well as the names and contact information of four referees.

Assessment of application materials and the identification of proposals to move forward will be undertaken by a Science & Technology nomination committee, chaired by the Vice Dean Research and constituted according to the CRC program requirements for recruiting and nominating Canada Research Chairs. The successful applicant will be recommended for nomination, through the Dean of Science & Technology and Associate Vice-President Research, Scholarship, and Community Engagement, to the Provost and Vice-President Academic. The successful applicant will be expected to submit a nomination application to the CRC Program in the October 2024 national competition; if successful, this would mean a July 1, 2025 start-date for the Tier 2 Chair.

All Chair nominations are subject to review by the CRC Secretariat, and appointment as a CRC is conditional upon their approval. Consult the Canada Research Chairs website [www.chairs.gc.ca] for full program information, including further details on eligibility.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Gwen O'Sullivan in the Faculty of Science & Technology or Dr. Connie Van der Byl in the Office of Research, Scholarship, and Community Engagement.

The Mount Royal University research enterprise is characterized by a representationally diverse community of student and faculty researchers engaged in activity that deliberately and actively includes consideration of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the formation of research projects, questions, methods and participation. Research productivity, innovation and diversity will improve continuously and researchers will feel culturally safe in all aspects of their work. Mount Royal University is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion within its research enterprise, including at each stage of planning for recruiting, hiring and retaining Canada Research Chairs. This includes the removal of systemic barriers and biases, and the practice of inclusivity, so that all individuals have equal access to and benefit from the CRC program. The Canada Research Chair Program defines diversity as “differences in race, colour, place of origin, religion, immigrant status, Indigenous status, ethnic origin, ability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and age.” Mount Royal University will ensure the inclusion of all individuals, including those from the program's four designated groups (FDGS): women, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, and Indigenous peoples. The CRC program requires institutions to collect self-identification data from all applicants, following the program’s best practices. All applicants to this opportunity will be required to complete a CRC self-identification form.

Closing Date:       June 24, 2024

MRU will provide reasonable accommodations to a qualified applicant requesting accommodation that will enable the individual to have an equal opportunity to participate in the application process and to be considered for a job (unless it can show undue hardship on the institution).