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

Faculty Positions Position Title / Rank: Assistant Professor and NSERC Canada Research Chair Tier 2 in Food Product and Process Design College: Ontario Agricultural College Department: Food Science Date Posted: May 1, 2024 Deadline: July 1, 2024 or until a suitable candidate is found Please reference AD #24-19 Position Description: 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. For more information about eligibility and the Tier 2 Justification Process, please contact ailsakay@uoguelph.ca Ailsa Kay, Manager, Strategic Programs at ailsakay@uoguelph.ca . Please consult the Canada Research Chairs website 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 drive west of Toronto, Ontario. 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, here and around the world. 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. 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 and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. The University of Guelph is committed to an Employment Equity Program that includes special measures to address the underrepresentation of individuals from four groups designated by the Employment Equity Act (women and gender minorities , persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, and racialized groups) within its allocation of Canada Research Chairs. The university especially seeks applications from applicants from these four groups. The identification of outstanding candidates from the designated groups is central to the University’s commitment to excellence, as well as to its capacity to fulfil the objectives of the University’s Canada Research Chairs Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plan. Collection of self-identification data is a requirement of the CRC Program, and all applicants to CRC positions are required to complete the University’s self-identification form, the Applicant Tracking Questionnaire. The questionnaire includes an option “prefer not to answer.” Self-identification information is collected by the Office of Diversity and Human Rights (ODHR) in support of the University's employment equity program. All self-identification specifics of candidates will be kept confidential by the ODHR. The University recognizes that applicants may have had obligations outside of work that have negatively impacted their record of achievements (e.g., parental, elder care, and/or medical). You are not required to disclose these obligations in the hiring process. If you choose to do so, the University will ensure that these obligations do not negatively impact the assessment of your qualifications for the position. The University of Guelph resides on the ancestral lands of the Attawandaron people and the treaty lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and we offer our respect to our Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and Métis neighbours as we strive to strengthen our relationships with them. At the University of Guelph fostering a culture of inclusion (https://uoguel.ph/ox2p9) is an institutional imperative. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including groups traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our Institution. The University supports the Canada Research Chairs Program’s commitment to EDI. The CRC program is committed to excellence in research and research training and is promoting exemplary practices with respect to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). The goals of research excellence can only be met when equity and diversity are integrated into the research initiative. The CRC program reflects the federal government’s commitment to equity and diversity in employment. It aims to ensure the appropriate representation of women and gender minorities, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and racialized persons. If you require medical accommodation during the recruitment or selection, please contact Occupational Health and Wellness at 519-824-4120 x52674.