Water Resource Management for Sustainable Agriculture - Canada Research Chair Tier 2 (Assistant or Associate Professor)

The University of Manitoba

Manitoba, Canada 🇨🇦

Location: Manitoba

Date posted: 2023-01-12

Advertised until: 2023-02-12

The University of Manitoba invites applications for a Canada Research Chair Tier 2, a tenure-track position at the rank of assistant or associate professor, in the area of Water Resource Management for Sustainable Agriculture. This appointment is contingent on a successful CRC Tier 2 application.

The Government of Canada has established the CRC program to enable Canadian universities to foster world class research excellence. The proposed CRC aligns with the University’s strategic research plan that identifies Safe, Healthy, Just and Sustainable Food Systems and Sustainable Water Management Systems as target areas.

The CRC Tier 2 in Water Resource Management for Sustainable Agriculture will join the Department of Soil Science of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences (FAFS), which promotes a collaborative and supportive workplace and is committed to advancing the University of Manitoba as a leader in the use and management of land and water resources. The Chair will address many of the most critical issues limiting our understanding of how precipitation is partitioned and impacts agricultural lands across the Earth’s Critical Zone (the near-surface environment where rock, soil, water, air, and life interact). The Chair’s research program is expected to focus on the long-term impacts that agricultural water use has on the hydrological processes. Specific areas may include but are not limited to examining how land use affects soil water storage spatially and temporally, and what the implications are for runoff and erosion risk, snowmelt, water redistribution and infiltration, flood and drought hazards, and wetland services. The Chair will have full access to FAFS’ extensive research infrastructure and facilities, including the Ian N. Morrison Research Farm, a 406-acre facility located in Carman (70 km southwest of Winnipeg) and the Glenlea Research Station, a 1,000-acre facility (20 km south of Winnipeg), as well as existing cooperation with farmers for siting field trials across Manitoba.

Responsibilities: The successful candidate will be expected to develop an innovative and well-respected research program related to Water Resource Management.  The potential areas of focus may include but are not limited to: (1) water flow mechanisms during snowmelt infiltration; 2) water management in marginal and degraded lands; 3) best management practices in arable lands; and/or 4) digital technologies to assess hydrological processes in soils. The Chair will maintain a primary focus on improving the sustainable management of water in agroecosystems to enhance adaptation to climate change and resulting extreme moisture conditions. The Chair will be expected to contribute to provincial and national strategies aimed at improving climate resilience in western Canadian agriculture. In addition to CRC funding, the Chair will be expected to secure funding from provincial and national sources.

Although the Chair will have a reduced teaching load, they will contribute to both undergraduate and graduate teaching in their area of expertise. The Chair will also be expected to contribute to service activities within the department, the faculty and beyond.

Qualifications: The successful candidate must have a Ph.D. in soil science or related fields at the time of the CRC nomination, proven success in scholarly activities relevant to the position, and a demonstrated potential to become a world leader in their research field. The successful candidate must have demonstrated research impact and a record of successfully mentoring a diverse group of highly qualified personnel, such as undergraduate and graduate students. Rank and salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

A Tier 2 CRC Nomination will be submitted soon after a successful candidate has been selected. Chairs are awarded by the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat after a rigorous evaluation, and award decisions are expected in the fall of 2023. The appointment will be conditional on a successful Canada Research Chair nomination.

Applicants must be exceptional emerging scholars with less than 10 years of experience as an active researcher since obtaining their terminal degree at the time of nomination. Tier 2 Chairs are valued at $100,000 per year for 5 years with an option to renew once. 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.) will have their eligibility for a Tier 2 Chair assessed through the program’s Tier 2 justification process. Please contact the UM’s Office of Research Services (researchgrants@umanitoba.ca) for more information.

The University acknowledges the potential impact that Career Interruptions and Personal Circumstances can have on an applicant’s record of research achievement. We encourage applicants to explain the impact of any such interruption(s) in their submission. Measures will be taken to ensure that these leaves will be taken into careful consideration during the evaluation process. The CRC Nomination Selection Committee will receive equity training that includes instruction on how to recognize and combat unconscious, implicit, overt, prejudicial and other kinds of bias. The Canada Research Chairs website also provides full program information, including details on eligibility criteria at: www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/program-programme/nomination-mise_en_candidature-eng.aspx

EQUITY STATEMENT
The University of Manitoba is committed to the principles of equity, diversity & inclusion and to promoting opportunities in hiring, promotion and tenure (where applicable) for systemically marginalized groups who have been excluded from full participation at the University and the larger community including Indigenous Peoples, women, racialized persons, persons with disabilities and those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, questioning, intersex, asexual and other diverse sexual identities). All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority.

If you require accommodation supports during the recruitment process, please contact UM.Accommodation@umanitoba.ca or 204-474-7195. Please note this contact information is for accommodation reasons only.

The University of Manitoba, founded more than 140 years ago, is located in Winnipeg, and is the region’s largest research-intensive university. The university community is comprised of close to 30,000 students, 9,000 faculty and staff, and over 140,000 alumni. A vibrant, prairie city with a population exceeding 700,000, Winnipeg boasts world-class arts and entertainment, professional sports teams and an affordable, balanced lifestyle; for more information, visit https://www.tourismwinnipeg.com.

Application materials, including reference letters, will be handled in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Manitoba). Please note that application materials may be provided to participating members of the search process.

Application Deadline: February 12, 2023

Application materials should include:

  • a cover letter outlining the candidate’s qualification and how they fulfill the above-listed criteria
  • a curriculum vitae (including examples of significant research contributions)
  • a two-page statement outlining the innovative and original proposed five-year research program envisioned for the Tier 2 chair and its potential to attract funding, contribute to student training and other impacts on the broader community
  • a one-page statement on the candidate’s strengths and experiences in increasing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in previous institutional environments and how they see themselves contributing to EDI as a CRC at the UM
  • names and contact information of three referees                                                                                                     

Send to:
Dr. Nazim Cicek
Search Committee Chair
University of Manitoba
Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
66 Dafoe Rd, 256 Agriculture Building
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2
Email: agresearch@umanitoba.ca

Please refer to position # 32444 & # 31403 in the subject heading


POSITION TYPE

EXPERIENCE-LEVEL

DEGREE REQUIRED

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