UBC President’s Excellence Chair in Precision Oncology

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

The University of British Columbia (UBC) seeks to advance cancer research as a priority area with the recruitment of a President’s Excellence Chair in Precision Oncology. Precision oncology is a major multidisciplinary driver for cancer researchers at UBC, in partnership with affiliated institutions, notably BC Cancer, BC Children’s Hospital and Research Institute, BC Women’s Hospital and Research Institute, Vancouver Coastal Health, UBC Life Sciences Institute and other UBC and Faculty of Medicine Centres and Institutes.

The role of the research Chair will be to enhance UBC’s capacity in precision oncology clinical trials and facilitate the translation of new genomic assays and other biomarkers to improve our understanding of currently incurable metastatic cancers, with an interest in the use of e.g., whole genome and single cell sequencing technologies and proteomics and/or metabolomics to study treatment resistance. The Chair will work closely within a rich environment of cancer researchers at the BC Cancer Research Centre, including Canada’s largest cancer genomics facility (Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre), UBC, and other affiliated institutions. The Chair will be expected to lead and coordinate a program focused on precision oncology at UBC and will combine world-class research with focused and specialized clinical activities at the BC Cancer Agency’s Vancouver Centre and/or other hospital institution as appropriate. The role is empowered by dedicated, protected time for academic activities.

The successful candidate will be a scientist or clinician scientist with established expertise in relevant areas including oncology, genomics, clinical trials, novel drug development and/or evaluation and practical experience in working in, and implementing precision oncology platforms and clinical trials. The Chair is open to an outstanding individual who is a leader in genomics and precision oncology and will provide medical leadership to support growing needs in precision oncology at UBC, enabling a structured approach to integrate cancer genomics in clinical trials and generate high-quality knowledge that will ultimately lead to improved outcomes for cancer patients. Integration across genomics, bioinformatics, clinical oncology, biomarkers, and novel drug development are required to support many disease site programs, as well as successful growth of umbrella trials that are now being developed and led across the country by BC Cancer and other academic partners. The successful candidate will contribute to fostering an environment that promotes inclusivity and embodies values of respect, integrity, compassion, collaboration, and equity. Equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice are essential to academic excellence, as well as to fostering an inclusive community for voices that have been historically underrepresented or discouraged.

The position will include at least 70% protected academic time, with dedicated research funding to support the successful candidate for the first seven years of the program, and access to exceptional platforms in cancer biology, genomics, proteomics, conventional and molecular imaging and bioinformatics.

The successful candidate will have a MD, MD/PhD, PhD or equivalent degree with specialty training in oncology and additional training in health and/or foundational research. The candidate will have a successful track record of outstanding academic and clinical achievements, evidenced by high impact publications, success in attracting peer-reviewed research funding, and demonstrated results in translational research activities. The successful candidate, if a MD or MD/PhD, must be eligible for registration by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, through the full or academic registration programs. This chair is open to both current leaders in the field and mid-career level applicants who demonstrate the following qualifications:

As an Associate Professor, the incumbent will have demonstrated evidence of successful teaching and ability to direct graduate students, evidence of sustained and productive scholarly activity, and must be willing to participate in the affairs of the Department.

As a Professor, the incumbent will have demonstrated appropriate standards of excellence in teaching, have received wide recognition in their sustained and productive scholarly activity, and participated significantly in academic and professional affairs.  

In addition, the successful candidate will demonstrate a willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own, and a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

The expected salary for this position is $160,000/year at the rank of Associate Professor and $190,000/year at the rank of Professor The Faculty of Medicine is committed to offering equitable and competitive salaries, commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate. At UBC, in addition to a generous benefit package and highly valued pension plan, faculty members also have access to a comprehensive range of leaves, services, resources and career development opportunities. For more information, please visit: https://hr.ubc.ca/working-ubc.

Candidates who bring diverse perspectives and lived experiences are encouraged to apply as we strive to enhance diversity, inclusiveness, socio-cultural representation, and perspective of the Department/School. An application package should include:

• a letter of application that addresses scholarly, professional and creative work, teaching, administrative service and experience fostering collaboration across partners;
• a brief statement (1-2 pages) of your current or previous contributions to advancing anti-racism, equity, diversity, decolonization, Indigenization and inclusion in an academic, professional, or community context;
• a detailed curriculum vitae;
• and names of four arm’s length references

A letter of application should be directed to:

Dr. Robert McMaster
Chair of the Search Committee
[email protected]
Subject Line:President’s Excellence Chair in Precision Oncology c/o Stefanie Cheah
[email protected]

Review of applications will begin on May 1, 2024 and will continue until the position is filled.

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 appreciated, recognized, and integrated into current structures, planning, and decision-making modes. Within this hiring process we are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable process for all candidates (including but not limited to people with disabilities).  Confidential accommodations are available on request for applicants who are short-listed. Please contact Stefanie Cheah via email at [email protected]. To learn more about UBC’s Center for Workplace Accessibility, visit the website here https://hr.ubc.ca/CWA.

With gratitude, we acknowledge that the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine and its distributed programs, which include four university academic campuses, are located on traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of First Nations Peoples and communities around the province.

Our Vision: To Transform Health for Everyone.

Ranked among the world’s top medical schools with the fifth-largest MD enrollment in North America, the UBC Faculty of Medicine is a leader in both the science and the practice of medicine. Across British Columbia, more than 12,000 faculty and staff are training the next generation of doctors and health care professionals, making remarkable discoveries, and helping to create the pathways to better health for our communities at home and around the world.

The Faculty - comprised of approximately 2,200 administrative support, technical/research and management and professional staff, as well approximately 650 full-time academic and over 10,000 clinical faculty members - is composed of 19 academic basic science and/or clinical departments, three schools, and 24 research centres and institutes. Together with its University and Health Authority partners, the Faculty delivers innovative programs and conducts research in the areas of health and life sciences. Faculty, staff and trainees are located at university campuses, clinical academic campuses in hospital settings and other regionally based centres across the province.

UBC - One of the World's Leading Universities.

As one of the world's leading universities, the University of British Columbia creates an exceptional learning environment that fosters global citizenship, advances a civil and sustainable society, and supports outstanding research to serve the people of British Columbia, Canada and the world.

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. 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, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.