Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Wilfrid Laurier University: Jarislowsky Chair in Sustainable Water Futures

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Wilfrid Laurier University invites applications for a tenured faculty position at the Associate Professor or Full Professor level for the Jarislowsky Chair in Sustainable Water Futures (subject to budgetary approval). Commencement of the initial five-year appointment is negotiable, but the expected start date of the appointment is July 1, 2020.


The Jarislowsky Chair, created as a result of a gift from the Jarislowsky Foundation and housed in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, will support the sustainability of Canada’s water and other natural resources. A joint appointment in the Balsillie School of International Affairs will provide unique opportunities for the Jarislowsky Chair to shape policy developments that offer innovative solutions for critical sustainability challenges. These challenges include industrial pollution, energy development, global water use, food security and climate change management and adaptation. The Chair holder will direct an innovative research program in the detection, analysis, remediation, and/or toxicology of contaminants. This research program is expected to address gaps in scientific knowledge that will lead to policy developments related to Canada’s water and other natural resources.

The endowment funds will be available to the Jarislowsky Chair to support:
(i) Students and other personnel;
(ii) Research; and
(iii) Seed funding that will help to leverage additional research support.

The Chair holder will seek further funding from external sources to support their research activities. The five-year term of the Chair holder is renewable upon successful review. This position is open for applicants with established programs of research aligned with the objectives of the Jarislowsky Chair.

The Jarislowsky Chair will also join the Centre for Cold Regions and Water Science (CCRWS). Opened in 2013, the CCRWS is a collaborative research facility that, in partnership with the Government of the Northwest Territories, houses four research centres/groups, including the Laurier Institute for Water Science (https://researchcentres.wlu.ca/laurier-institute-for-water-science/index.html).

This multidisciplinary Institute promotes collaboration amongst researchers in the Faculty of Arts, the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, and the Faculty of Science. The focus of this research institute is on three interconnected water-related disciplines:
• Hydrological Sciences: This includes physical, chemical, biogeochemical aspects of hydrology, climatology and hydrogeology
• Ecology and Biogeochemical Sciences: This includes toxicology, geochemistry, terrestrial and aquatic ecology
• Public Policy and Management: Issues related to this discipline include policy, economic, governance and legal aspects of water across
Canada and internationally.

CCRWS also houses researchers of the collaborative groups: Canadian Aquatic Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Boreal Ecosystem Research (CALIBER), and the Ontario Water Consortium (OWC). CALIBER researchers apply a holistic, interdisciplinary, and ecosystem approach based on watersheds, responding to urgent and serious concerns about flows and storage processes and the effects of nutrients and contaminants on boreal freshwater. The OWC is a platform for research, development and demonstration of water technologies in the context of an urbanizing watershed. Their collective facilities in the CCRWS building include labs for hydrology, hydrometerology calibration, aquatic culture and testing, biogeochemistry characterization, molecular biochemistry and imaging, and predictive modelling. The successful candidate will benefit from laboratory and student office spaces reserved for this research chair within the CCRWS building.

The Jarislowsky Chair will be also closely aligned with Global Water Futures, a $78M multi-institutional research program awarded to Laurier and its university partners across Canada by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund. Global Water Futures is the largest university-led water research program ever funded worldwide and it will deliver solutions to manage water futures in Canada and other regions where climate is changing landscapes, ecosystems and aquatic environments.


Qualification for the position includes a PhD in Chemistry or Biochemistry, or a cognate discipline.

The application package should include:
(i) A cover letter,
(ii) A detailed curriculum vitae with names of three references,
(iii) A 5-page research proposal,
(iv) Past contributions and future plans to promote equity, diversity and inclusion in science and,
(v) Contact information (address, telephone, and email) for at least three referees

The research proposal should introduce and contextualize the research program, describe long and short-term objectives, methodologies, feasibility, impact and significance, and highlight progress to date.

Application Submission:
Applications should be combined into a single PDF document and submitted to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at CHpositions@wlu.ca. Electronic submission of applications is preferred.

Applications will be accepted until January 20, 2020.

Wilfrid Laurier University offers competitive benefits and start-up packages; salary will be commensurate with qualifications.

Departmental Information:
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry has 19 members (13 faculty members and 6 instructors) with facilities and laboratory spaces fostering diverse collaborations, and particularly with the Department of Biology through a joint PhD program. Descriptions of the two Departments can be found at:

https://students.wlu.ca/programs/science/chemistry-and-biochemistry/research/index.html

https://students.wlu.ca/programs/science/biology/research/index.html.

Diversity and creating a culture of inclusion is a key pillar of Wilfrid Laurier University’s Strategic Academic Plan and is one of Laurier’s core values. 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 sexual identities and gender identities. Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programming at Laurier are welcome to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives at jbecker@wlu.ca. Candidates from other equity seeking groups who would like to learn more about equity hand inclusive programming at Laurier are welcomed to contact Equity and Accessibility at equity@wlu.ca.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, as 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 citizenships, however, all applicants must include one of the following statements in their cover letter:

Yes, I am a current citizen or permanent resident of Canada;
No, I am not a current citizen or permanent resident of Canada

Members of designated groups must self-identify to be considered for employment equity. Candidates may self-identify, in confidence, to Dr. Anthony J. Clarke, Dean of Science (ajclarke@wlu.ca). Further information on the equity policy can be found at https://www.wlu.ca/about/governance/assets/resources/8.4-employment-equity.html .

Applicants are encouraged to address any career interruptions or special circumstances that may have affected their record of research and teaching, in accordance with SSHRC and NSERC definitions and guidelines. To obtain a copy of this job description in an accessible format, please contact hr@wlu.ca.

The Faculty of Science wishes to thank all applicants for their interest. All nominations and applications shall be reviewed and considered under a set of criteria established by the Search Committee and a short list of candidates shall be interviewed. Only those applicants selected for the short list will be contacted.

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