Canada Excellence Research Chair in Global Change Ecology of Northern Ecosystems

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Global Change Ecology of Northern Ecosystems

The University of British Columbia (UBC) Vancouver campus is recruiting an outstanding researcher to be nominated for the Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in global change ecology focused on climate change impacts on northern ecosystems in Arctic and subarctic regions. The CERC program, Canada’s highest research chair appointment, is designed to attract and support world-renowned researchers and their teams to Canada.  

The successful applicant will establish a comprehensive research program focused on climate change impacts on Arctic and other northern ecosystems, with potential areas of research including but not limited to effects of changes on vegetative community composition and dynamics, global carbon cycles, soils, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, and implications for northern communities.  The holder of this new chair will ideally co-create research projects with Indigenous communities in Canada's Arctic. They will be expected to establish a comprehensive research program, build a research team, supervise graduate students, and obtain external research funding.

UBC is consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world and is a renowned global centre for teaching, learning and research.  Since 1915, UBC has been opening doors of opportunity for people with the curiosity, drive and vision to shape a better world. Today, our students, faculty and staff come from around the world and our international research partnerships and publications enable us to collaborate on a global scale. UBC is proud to nurture and transform the lives of more than 65,000 students from Canada and 140+ countries around the world. 

The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Global Change Ecology of Northern Ecosystems provides a unique opportunity for an outstanding candidate to engage with an extraordinary group of interdisciplinary colleagues working in areas related to the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and ecosystem services. The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings of Universities rank UBC third globally in ‘Climate Action’ and seventh in ‘Life on Land’. UBC is widely considered one of the top universities globally in forestry. The Faculty of Forestry is a global leader in research related to ecology and climate change impacts, including below-ground ecology, wildfires, remote sensing, and biodiversity conservation, emphasizing but not limited to forested ecosystems. The Faculty of Forestry also has growing strength in Indigenous knowledge, science and management.

As a faculty member and CERC chair holder, the successful candidate will be expected to lead a strong, externally-funded research program, to supervise postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, collaborate with other faculty members, and actively participate in service to the Department, University, and academic/scientific community.   

In addition to the above, candidates must 

  • Have a PhD (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline.  
  • Be an internationally recognized leader of an interdisciplinary research program with at least 10 years of internationally competitive research experience in the global change ecology of northern ecosystems. 
  • Have demonstrated leadership in research and teaching that is creative, innovative, and collaboration-based.
  • Demonstrate interest and aptitude in communicating science to the public.

CERC holders will have strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion and a commitment to creating a welcoming community where those who are historically, persistently, or systemically marginalized are treated equitably, feel respected, and belong.  UBC recognizes that inclusion is built by individual and institutional responsibility through continuous engagement with

diversity to inspire people, ideas, and actions for a better world. As Canada’s highest research chair appointees, UBC CERCs will have a unique and profound impact on our commitments to these values.

It is expected that the successful candidate will qualify for a full-time appointment at the rank of full Professor or a senior Associate Professor expected to be promoted to Professor within one or two years of the nomination.  Nominees from outside the academic sector must possess the qualifications necessary to be appointed at these levels. The anticipated start date will be Oct. 14, 2022. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience and is subject to final budgetary approval.  Competitive start-up packages, relocation, housing assistance and infrastructure development funds will be provided.  

The successful applicant will be nominated for a Canada Excellence Research Chair. The CERC nomination is subject to review and final approval by the CERC Secretariat. The CERC award, if successful, will be for $1 million per year for eight years.

Program nominees are not restricted by their nationality or their country of residence.  Non-Canadian Chairholders may work in Canada under the procedures by Employment and Social Development Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. In some cases, a work permit may be expedited. 

Equity, diversity and inclusion 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. 

To apply: Interested candidates should send a complete application to cerc.forestry@ubc.ca.  Applications must include a detailed curriculum vitae; a research statement; an equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) statement; and the names and contact information of three references. As part of the application process, applicants will be expected to complete a voluntary employment equity survey.

UBC is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive, non-discriminatory and accessible work environment for all members of its workforce. UBC is also committed to ensuring that the application and interview process is accessible to all applicants.  If you require accommodations or have questions about UBC benefits, services or accommodations policies, please contact Sue Lebrun at sue.lebrun@ubc.ca in Workplace Services.

UBC recognizes the legitimate impact that leaves (e.g., parental leaves, illness or disability, COVID-19 impacts) can have on research achievement and commits to ensuring that leaves are taken into careful consideration. Candidates are encouraged to highlight in their application how interruptions have impacted their career.

Review of applications will begin on May 16th, 2022.

The UBC Point Grey (Vancouver) campus sits on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) First Nation.